Here are two PIMs with learning curves which are nearly flat, and priced at free:

TreePad offers a very nice freeware version, and versions with more functionality for purchase. Here is download page for the freeware version: Look for TreePad Lite 3.0 for Windows on the page.

Jree Pad is an open source Java clone knockoff of Treepad. It comes as a jar file., and requires a little bit of extra work to configure. If this stumps you, use treepad instead.

Choose the city closest to your current location from the list below, and download the two files (jar and manual). The manual loads into the Jreepad program.

• Atlanta. Georgia
  • jar file
  • manual
• Minneapolis, Minn.
  • jar file
  • manual
• Maclean, Virginia
  • jar file
  • manual
• Phoneix, Ariz.
  • jar file
  • manual
• Seattle, Wash.
  • jar file
  • manual