Tools to effectively manage the information?

Question

How do you guys manage the information overflow? What are the tools that you guys use? One of the usefull tool is RSS feed reader. Does Any body uses any other tools or any other ways to effectively manage the information?

Answer 1

Well, this is an obvious one, but iGoogle seems to do a great job for me.

Answer 2

Be an information snob.

If the blog doesn't absolutely rock your world, don't read it. It's so easy to get bogged down, even obsessed, with too much information. No matter what tools you have, you're still human and can only read so many words per day.

Answer 3

I use Evernote to keep notes and search through them.

Answer 4

Depends on what information you are looking to manage. Can you be more specific? I use google reader to handle things i read, RememberTheMilk to remind me of what i have to do, and gmail overall to quickly store and search data/correspondences. Oh and i use the hipster PDA too!

You should probably check out Lifehacker for more tools and Getting Things Done apps.

Answer 5

Like you say most sites have a RSS feed today. Get a RSS Reader that sync between computers if you use more than one computer, so you don't have to mark alot of post as read. A good program is FeedDeamon, its free and sync between computers, there is even a online version as well, if you are on the road. FeedDeamon also have tools to help you identify the feeds, that you dont really read, and gives you a top 10 of feeds that you look on alot. This can help you delete bad RSS-Feeds, and also help you organize you're feeds.

I also use Delicious, to keep my bookmarks in sync, and is very handy if you bookmark alot.

Other than that, I don't really use any more tools - just the common sence that there is only 24 hours in the day, so dont use it to just read information that you don't need - bookmark interesting blog post from RSS, and read them later when you need to.

Answer 6

I've been using Delicious quite a bit over the past 2 years and it's been a great help.

Answer 7

If you're primarily interested in blogs, what I think we need is a way to prioritize the information that we, personally, are interested in. There used to be an RSS reader called wTicker (now demised) that used Bayesian filtering to rate articles for you. Another product under development, Particls, would similarly watch what you read and highlight similar content.

What about other types of information, though? For example, the tasks that OneNote or EverNote, or more obscure tools like Zoot aim to facilitate?

Answer 8

I use Google Reader for the feeds. Split it up in multiple categories, 'A' with the more unique stuff, 'B' with the spam (Digg for example, easy to ignore because the important stuff shows up in 'A'), 'C' for my webcomics.

I always read the stuff in 'A', when bored I read 'C' and 'B' when I have spare time. It happens a lot of time that I'll mark 'B' as read just to get rid of it.

For work I'm stuck with Outlook, so I use the 'Tasks' function of Outlook a lot to get things sorted. Also a big believer of 'Inbox Zero' (http://www.43folders.com/izero).

Answer 9

It depends on the type of information you meant. The answers above contain most of the tools. But if you use ms office you shall explore Office OneNote.

Answer 10

I use a small number of tools and techniques, because it is easy to get distracted managing the information management tools, rather than managing the information.

1. Google Reader - The key for me was creating @work and @home labels, for the appropriate location.

2. TiddlyWiki - I keep track of all my notes for work projects in a TiddlyWiki file.

3. Delicious - I keep my bookmarks here. When I come across a link I want to read later (usually in my RSS Reader), I tag it @readreview. When I read it, I delete it unless it is useful reference, then I retag appropriately.

4. Local bookmarks - I store bookmarks on the browser toolbar in folders so I can middle-click and open all in tabs. Obviously these would be limited in number :-). I also have a bookmarklets folder.

I don't have a PDA. I have a pad of graph paper on my desk that I use for writing temporary notes and diagrams (permanent notes go into the TiddlyWiki). A lot of "productivity blogs" like to promote various tools, and some of these caught on for people, but I find my system is pretty simple and easy for me to manage. This makes it useful.

Answer 11

1. iGoogle: News, RSS, Wether, New Films, E-Mail widgets
2. ToDoList: every day work aspects
3. Local MediaWiki, for local company knowleges
4. Smartphone MS Excel for personal finances.