Tech Support Pits:

From Erika===
Dear Webby
Is there a PIM for use on a desktop and laptop computer 
that you can recommend?
All the ones I have tried so far are klunky and awkward,
and often expensive. 
Erika

Dear Erika
They are all klunky and awkward..
Especially until you get used to one.

Don't expect a PIM to be a total solution, unless you
make it yourself. I find a spreadsheet like Quattro or 
Excel comes closest to an ideal PIM. 
Prioritizing is a snap, you have layers for in-depth
recording and details, inside and outside links are easy,
and you have total flexibility.

The drawback is that you have to be reasonably comfortable
with spreadsheets.

Second best is PlanPlus from FranklinCovey.
It's basically just the good old Franklin Planner brought 
onto the computer. Like the Franklin Planner, it is based
on Benjamin Franklins concept of prioritizing instead of
focusing on time, like the DayTimers. 
It handles prioritizing smoothly, allows drag-and-drop
rescheduling, and all the other stuff that lesser PIMs 
and PDAs have. It also synchronizes with Palm OS
handhelds.

The drawback is it's price, normally around $100, but
occasionally discounted. (Right now they have a 25%
promo discount.) If I was to buy one, instead of using 
spreadsheets, that one would be my choice.

If you want a free or cheap PIM, ArtPlus has EasyNoter
for free at 
http://www.artplus.hr/adapps/eng/downloads.htm
It's definitely a lightweight, but surprisingly good for
a freebie. It has thoughtful touches like a link to the
HungerSite on it's cover, a smoothly working photo-album
that you can use for storing screenshots of maps or 
diagrams, but in the free version, limited to 640 x 480.
The Standard version is $25 and the PRO version is $35.
Those allow full screen operation.

Drawback is that prioritizing and rescheduling is rather
awkward. Scheduled but not completed items tend
to scroll out of the visible range, if you aren't watching
for them and re-schedule them.

However, other than that, it is quite good and beats many
$50 PIMs.

Have FUN!
Dear Webby