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Another one bites the dust?
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Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Apr 25, 2012 at 07:54 PM
I just looked in on ndexCards to see if it had awakened from its long hibernation (over four years since the last small update), and found that the web site has expired:
http://www.ndxcards.com/versionhistory.asp
Some of us had high hopes for that application and its “index card” approach at one time. Is anyone still using the application?
Steve Z.
Posted by Daly de Gagne
Apr 26, 2012 at 01:15 PM
I used ndexCards off and on some years back. The software had made some improvements before it went into hibernation.
I recall someone saying a couple of years ago that the principal of the firm was ill. Other than that I don’t know anything about it.
Also, I again wonder whether IdeaMason has gone out of business. I downloaded version 4, found it much better than other versions, and sent an email asking about commitment to future development. That was well over a week ago, and I have heard nothing back.
Daly
Stephen Zeoli wrote:
>I just looked in on ndexCards to see if it had awakened from its long hibernation (over
>four years since the last small update), and found that the web site has
>expired:
>
>http://www.ndxcards.com/versionhistory.asp
>
>Some of us had high
>hopes for that application and its “index card” approach at one time. Is anyone still
>using the application?
>
>Steve Z.
Posted by Hugh
Apr 26, 2012 at 01:45 PM
I’m sorry if ndxcards has bitten the bullet. For me it was its particular combination of index cards and rudimentary outliner that held promise.
I’m also sorry if IdeaMason, resurrected, has gone. Its idea of bringing together outline, research and long-form writing always had potential, as Scrivener and others have shown. Perhaps the original concept was too early for the market and the resurrection was too late. Or maybe it was simply the execution of the concept that wasn’t quite good enough. In either case, it’s a pity.
I’m finding that in buying software in these difficult times one either (a) accepts what’s immediately on offer with no expectations at all or (b) looks very carefully at the probable medium-term sustainability of the developers. No more taking a punt on single-developer software if it isn’t quite there yet.
Posted by Cassius
Apr 26, 2012 at 10:39 PM
Even if a PIM has been around a long time, development may suddenly end. Jot Plus is an example that I have used for years, but its developer has said he has found more lucrative pursuits. Yet it is still being sold on its Web site, kingstairs.com .
Serious problems include:
A new OS version may not support a program that has ceased development. Examples: GrandView, GoBack.
The solution in this case is to, if possible, keep the old computer and OS, just in case you need the material you stored in the moribund PIM, or only use PIMs that can export to a standard program such as Word, and do the export in the old OS where the moribund PIM still works. (Luckily, GV files can be converted and imported into Inspiration with rather good results.)
In government and industry, new OS and software versions can result in extreme expenses and errors when a model developed in an earlier version of an OS or program (e.g., Excel) has to be rewritten for the new versions. My approach, in cases when the model was unlikely to be used much, or at all, was to keep the old computer with the old OS and software rather than to rebuild the model. Of course, this only works if the original model builders DOCUMENT the OS and software they used. Regrettably, this often/usually doesn’t happen.
Posted by shatteredmindofbob
Apr 27, 2012 at 09:21 AM
Cassius wrote:
>Even if a PIM has been around a long time, development may suddenly end. Jot Plus is an
>example that I have used for years, but its developer has said he has found more
>lucrative pursuits. Yet it is still being sold on its Web site, kingstairs.com
>.
>
>Serious problems include:
>
>A new OS version may not support a program that has
>ceased development. Examples: GrandView, GoBack.
>
>The solution in this case is to,
>if possible, keep the old computer and OS, just in case you need the material you stored
>in the moribund PIM, or only use PIMs that can export to a standard program such as Word,
>and do the export in the old OS where the moribund PIM still works. (Luckily, GV files
>can be converted and imported into Inspiration with rather good results.)
>
>In
>government and industry, new OS and software versions can result in extreme expenses
>and errors when a model developed in an earlier version of an OS or program (e.g.,
>Excel) has to be rewritten for the new versions. My approach, in cases when the model
>was unlikely to be used much, or at all, was to keep the old computer with the old OS and
>software rather than to rebuild the model. Of course, this only works if the original
>model builders DOCUMENT the OS and software they used. Regrettably, this
>often/usually doesn’t happen.
>
Huh. So that’s why so many government departments still runs Windows 2000