I know we post a lot of Linux tips here on Geek In Gear (which, truth be told, is mostly due to my being a big Linux geek), but fear not because I have been on the look out for some great Windows tips too! (I don't want anyone to feel left out - unless of course you  use BeOS!)

This tip involves using one of my favorite Windows apps to keep a log/journal/whatever. If you need to keep a file with dated entries than this is the simplest hack you can use. This cool notepad hack (though it is not really a hack, just a poorly documented feature) comes to us by way of Microsoft's Derek Dysart, who writes:

1. Open a blank Notepad file
2. Write .LOG (in uppercase) in the first line of the file, followed by Enter. Save the file and close it.
3. Double-click the file to open it and notice that Notepad appends the current date and time to the end of the file and places the cursor on the line after.
4. Type your notes and then save and close the file.
5. Each time you open the file, Notepad repeats the process, appending the time and date to the end of the file and placing the cursor below it.

This is a great way to keep class notes, a call log, or a journal. This hack seems to have been built in to notepad as far back as Windows 98, so there is a good chance that if you are running Windows, you can take advantage of this "feature".

Cool Notepad Trick [via Lifehacker]
computers software journal notepad Windows