Starting fresh
Started by Stephen Zeoli
on 1/9/2007
Stephen Zeoli
1/9/2007 7:11 pm
Hello, everyone.
I just purchased a new laptop computer and see this as an opportunity to free myself from CRIMP clutter. I'm going to try very hard to limit the number of programs I install on my new machine, which will be my primary writing and research tool. Ah, but which programs make the grade? Here is my preliminary list of CRIMP-related software that I'm considering:
- Zoot: my favorite means of gathering random bits of information
- OneNote 2007 when it comes out: for assembling data into projects
- Brain Storm: for rapid note-taking and brain storming
- The Journal: for daily journal and other writing
- Idea Mason: for research notes and composition
You'd think with those tools, I should be able to manage all my information and writing needs (besides final layout). Am I forgetting anything crucial?
What would your "start fresh" list look like?
Steve Z.
I just purchased a new laptop computer and see this as an opportunity to free myself from CRIMP clutter. I'm going to try very hard to limit the number of programs I install on my new machine, which will be my primary writing and research tool. Ah, but which programs make the grade? Here is my preliminary list of CRIMP-related software that I'm considering:
- Zoot: my favorite means of gathering random bits of information
- OneNote 2007 when it comes out: for assembling data into projects
- Brain Storm: for rapid note-taking and brain storming
- The Journal: for daily journal and other writing
- Idea Mason: for research notes and composition
You'd think with those tools, I should be able to manage all my information and writing needs (besides final layout). Am I forgetting anything crucial?
What would your "start fresh" list look like?
Steve Z.
Kenneth Rhee
1/9/2007 7:35 pm
Stephen,
Getting a new "toy" (oops, a serious productivity device) is exciting.
I would suggest instead of Onenote 2007, Evenote 2.0. It's currently in beta, but it's getting better.
Ken
Getting a new "toy" (oops, a serious productivity device) is exciting.
I would suggest instead of Onenote 2007, Evenote 2.0. It's currently in beta, but it's getting better.
Ken
Stephen Zeoli
1/10/2007 2:32 am
Kenneth,
I guess my new laptop is half toy -- maybe more than half. Maybe it's just an excuse to do more CRIMPing.
I've been impressed with Evernote, and the additions to version 2 seem interesting. As for choosing EN over OneNote, I find the notebook metaphore works well for the project management for which I use ON. Also, I find I use the screen clipping function of ON very often. Actually, if I were to replace any of my programs with EN, it would more likely be Zoot, because it mimics some of Zoot's folder features with its categorization. But I am too comfortable with Zoot to change now. I'll keep an eye on EN, however. Thanks for the suggestion.
Steve Z.
I guess my new laptop is half toy -- maybe more than half. Maybe it's just an excuse to do more CRIMPing.
I've been impressed with Evernote, and the additions to version 2 seem interesting. As for choosing EN over OneNote, I find the notebook metaphore works well for the project management for which I use ON. Also, I find I use the screen clipping function of ON very often. Actually, if I were to replace any of my programs with EN, it would more likely be Zoot, because it mimics some of Zoot's folder features with its categorization. But I am too comfortable with Zoot to change now. I'll keep an eye on EN, however. Thanks for the suggestion.
Steve Z.
Kenneth Rhee
1/10/2007 2:52 am
Stephen Zeoli wrote:
I've been impressed with Evernote, and the additions to
version 2 seem interesting. As for choosing EN over OneNote, I find the notebook
metaphore works well for the project management for which I use ON. Also, I find I use
the screen clipping function of ON very often. Actually, if I were to replace any of my
programs with EN, it would more likely be Zoot, because it mimics some of Zoot's folder
features with its categorization. But I am too comfortable with Zoot to change now.
I'll keep an eye on EN, however. Thanks for the suggestion.
You are welcome. Have you tried the new universal clipper with EN2? It works extremely well. I believe EN' s category feature might be more efficient/effective for managing projects than OneNote, but YMMV. You can create Notebook-like or hierarchical categorization with EN.
Ken
Cassius
1/10/2007 3:43 am
Stephen Zeoli wrote:
I just purchased a new laptop computer and see this as an opportunity to free myself from CRIMP clutter... Am I forgetting
anything crucial?
Steve Z.
Steve, you are forgetting one thing. If yours is like my new one (Toshiba) that I got in late November, it is full of junk, trial software that is a PitA to get totally rid of.
-sc
Jack Crawford
1/10/2007 7:36 am
Steve
My only other suggestion would be a mind mapper. If you're working on projects, a visual image is often very useful. I use MindManager occasionally when I need to, but there are plenty of other good and less expensive alternatives out there.
Enjoy your new toy!
Jack
My only other suggestion would be a mind mapper. If you're working on projects, a visual image is often very useful. I use MindManager occasionally when I need to, but there are plenty of other good and less expensive alternatives out there.
Enjoy your new toy!
Jack
Stephen Zeoli
1/10/2007 1:57 pm
Cassius wrote:
Steve, you are forgetting one thing. If yours is like my new one
(Toshiba) that I got in late November, it is full of junk, trial software that is a PitA
to get totally rid of.
-sc
I know what you mean about the junk software. Last year I got a new desktop computer, and it was full of that crap. My new laptop is a Dell Latitude D420. The Latitude line is marketed to businesses, and so they leave it free of that junk. This fact was part of my buying decision. But Dell didn't make it easy. When I called to order it, they wouldn't accept my order because I'd called the consumer number. So I ordered it online without a problem. Weird.
Steve Z.
Stephen Zeoli
1/10/2007 2:02 pm
Jack Crawford wrote:
Jack,
Good suggestion. Most of the top line mind mappers are too expensive for the little I'd use them. I could put a copy of Freemind on, and I own an edition of Inspiration. But I think I'm going to wait and take a look at the new version of The Personal Brain when it comes out. I know it isn't exactly like a mind mapper, but could serve a dual purpose... listen to me, already breaking my pledge not to succumb to CRIMP!!!
Steve Z.
Steve
My only other suggestion would be a mind mapper. If you're working on
projects, a visual image is often very useful. I use MindManager occasionally when I
need to, but there are plenty of other good and less expensive alternatives out
there.
Enjoy your new toy!
Jack
Jack,
Good suggestion. Most of the top line mind mappers are too expensive for the little I'd use them. I could put a copy of Freemind on, and I own an edition of Inspiration. But I think I'm going to wait and take a look at the new version of The Personal Brain when it comes out. I know it isn't exactly like a mind mapper, but could serve a dual purpose... listen to me, already breaking my pledge not to succumb to CRIMP!!!
Steve Z.
Jan Rifkinson
1/10/2007 3:17 pm
Z, My list would be Zoot & the last program you mention. Zoot can take care of all the other functions.
--
Jan Rifkinson
Ridgefield, CT USA
--
Jan Rifkinson
Ridgefield, CT USA
Franz Grieser
1/10/2007 6:10 pm
Hi.
You call that a "fresh start"? *SCR*
Quite a long list, and a number of overlaps.
On Windows:
- Ideamason for keeping everything together, for outlining, storing notes and Web pages
- OpenOffice.org for writing, formatting (if necessary also for creating PDFs), calculating and presenting
- depending on the project: Mind Genius Business for team brainstorming and presentations
It might make sense to add Surfulator for pasting Web pages into Ideamason (also see Daly's post regarding Surfulator). I'll wait until Ideamason 3 is released to decide whether I need Surfulator or not.
A separate data base tool such as Infoselect or Zoot will probably not be necessary as Ideamason 3 has an excellent Search feature. However, I still cannot say how well it does when you have a whole lot of notes. Right now I "only" have about 100 notes in an Ideamason 3 project (current beta), search results appear immediately after pressing "Search".
On a Macintosh:
- Scrivener (www.literatureandlatte.com) as writing and organizing tool; it is a great mix of a word processor and a stripped down version of Ideamason (less bibliographic features)
- Devonthink Pro for data storage
- NeoOffice for preparing the manuscript for printing, for presentations and calculations
Bye, Franz
- Zoot: my favorite means of
gathering random bits of information
- OneNote 2007 when it comes out: for
assembling data into projects
- Brain Storm: for rapid note-taking and brain
storming
- The Journal: for daily journal and other writing
- Idea Mason: for
research notes and composition
You call that a "fresh start"? *SCR*
Quite a long list, and a number of overlaps.
What would your "start fresh" list look like?
On Windows:
- Ideamason for keeping everything together, for outlining, storing notes and Web pages
- OpenOffice.org for writing, formatting (if necessary also for creating PDFs), calculating and presenting
- depending on the project: Mind Genius Business for team brainstorming and presentations
It might make sense to add Surfulator for pasting Web pages into Ideamason (also see Daly's post regarding Surfulator). I'll wait until Ideamason 3 is released to decide whether I need Surfulator or not.
A separate data base tool such as Infoselect or Zoot will probably not be necessary as Ideamason 3 has an excellent Search feature. However, I still cannot say how well it does when you have a whole lot of notes. Right now I "only" have about 100 notes in an Ideamason 3 project (current beta), search results appear immediately after pressing "Search".
On a Macintosh:
- Scrivener (www.literatureandlatte.com) as writing and organizing tool; it is a great mix of a word processor and a stripped down version of Ideamason (less bibliographic features)
- Devonthink Pro for data storage
- NeoOffice for preparing the manuscript for printing, for presentations and calculations
Bye, Franz
Hugh Pile
1/10/2007 7:50 pm
An interesting thread.
I too very much like the look of Scrivener. But without a Mac, like others I'm reposing hopes in IdeaMason. It remains to be seen whether IM will remove the need for Zoot, plus one or other of Evernote or OneNote for non-plain-text material. I'm looking forward to finding out (in seven days' time?).
And in addition to the software already suggested, I'd add Dark-Room (http://they.misled.us/dark-room a very simple, free, full-screen text editor that is self-admittedly a clone of Write-Room for the Mac.
Finally, to protect against those irresistible attacks of CRIMP that can strike at any time, DoNotDisturb (http://www.seeplain.com/donotdisturb.htm
I too very much like the look of Scrivener. But without a Mac, like others I'm reposing hopes in IdeaMason. It remains to be seen whether IM will remove the need for Zoot, plus one or other of Evernote or OneNote for non-plain-text material. I'm looking forward to finding out (in seven days' time?).
And in addition to the software already suggested, I'd add Dark-Room (http://they.misled.us/dark-room a very simple, free, full-screen text editor that is self-admittedly a clone of Write-Room for the Mac.
Finally, to protect against those irresistible attacks of CRIMP that can strike at any time, DoNotDisturb (http://www.seeplain.com/donotdisturb.htm
Derek Cornish
1/12/2007 11:19 pm
Steve,
Looking over this thread, I thought it was striking how few people emphasized outlining. It was mentioned in passing (Brainstorm, IdeaMason, MindManger, Inspiration) but never really highlighted.
Maybe this just reflects our general pessimism about the likelihood of getting a Windows (the Mac is a different matter) outliner to rival Grandview, or maybe our hopes are pinned (eventually) on IdeaMason.
I've recently been using Brainstorm and PocketThinker a lot more than previously. I still find the lack of a proper editable "aerial" view a major defect, but in other respects it's growing on me. As for PocketThinker, it's quirky, still doesn't work properly with Outlook (one of its advertised features), but is surpisingly nimble - and cheap. I like using it a lot more than Inspiration - or, for that matter, NoteMap.
Hard to say why though. I think it is the very plain interface, and its use of opml, which is essentially plain text with a markup language (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPML This makes it quite a novelty for Windows outliners, AFAIK. Brainstorm doesn't use a markup language, but its files seem to have a similarly simple structure, which make indexing, searching, and displaying results an easier proposition.
Derek
Looking over this thread, I thought it was striking how few people emphasized outlining. It was mentioned in passing (Brainstorm, IdeaMason, MindManger, Inspiration) but never really highlighted.
Maybe this just reflects our general pessimism about the likelihood of getting a Windows (the Mac is a different matter) outliner to rival Grandview, or maybe our hopes are pinned (eventually) on IdeaMason.
I've recently been using Brainstorm and PocketThinker a lot more than previously. I still find the lack of a proper editable "aerial" view a major defect, but in other respects it's growing on me. As for PocketThinker, it's quirky, still doesn't work properly with Outlook (one of its advertised features), but is surpisingly nimble - and cheap. I like using it a lot more than Inspiration - or, for that matter, NoteMap.
Hard to say why though. I think it is the very plain interface, and its use of opml, which is essentially plain text with a markup language (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPML This makes it quite a novelty for Windows outliners, AFAIK. Brainstorm doesn't use a markup language, but its files seem to have a similarly simple structure, which make indexing, searching, and displaying results an easier proposition.
Derek