As a general rule I prefer to have things digital. I do most of my work on and in a computer so it makes sense that the important information I have is in the computer. A real world sticky note or notebook a physical encumbrance and a source of extra cognitive load which I only want to use when there is an overwhelming functional or ergonomic advantage in doing so. I want digital to be the default.
Obviously there is a whole section of the software development industry devoted to creating tools to help you keep notes on a computer. Evernote, DevonThink, Google Keep, Apples Notes app are all great products and I use a few of them daily. Sometimes though I just need a scratch pad to note something down; a name, a phone number, an IP address. Things that do not need to be stored forever. Things that do not need to entered into some grand system.
Normally I handle this by opening a text editor and making a note. But this is not what that tool is for. If I want to keep the note for a while I need to save it. If I want to get it back, I need to find the file and open it.
Scratch, as the name suggests is a textual scratchboard. It sits in the menu bar and it has a single document that is persisted between the app opening and closing. That's it. You open it, type or paste in some text and you close it. When you need something you open it, and there it is. Right where you left it.
If you would like to give it a try, you can download the latest build here. It's also available on Github for you to adapt to your requirements.
Please let me know what you think.