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DevonThink alternative?
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Posted by Lucas
Mar 18, 2010 at 04:30 PM
I think Zotero is also worthy of mention here, although it’s more of a specialized app with major limitations in comparison to DevonThink. Aside from its power as a reference manager (it’s intended function), it does serve in many respects as a robust cross-platform database.
Zotero runs as a (free) multi-platform Firefox add-on, and in addition to references and notes, it can store any sort of file. The big (perhaps deal-breaking) limitation is that full-text searching of attachments is limited to PDF files, although eventually that may change. (There are some possible workarounds for searching non-PDF files, but I won’t go into it here.) Databases are automatically synced via the cloud, although for more than 300 MB (as I recall), one must either purchase reasonably-priced server space or use one’s own WebDAV server (which is what I do). Alternatively, one could store one’s database on a flash drive and tweak the settings so that Zotero always accesses the database from the flash drive.
Other features that make Zotero shine are its robust tagging and folder features (items can be assigned to multiple folders/subfolders), its facility with storing “snapshots” of web pages and with the creation of rich-text notes, and its powerful advanced search and saved search rules. (Also note that, unlike DevonThink and EverNote, file types are not changed upon import into the database.) Another downside that should be mentioned is that searching can become slow with large databases.
If one has no need for storing bibliographic information, Zotero might be an odd choice, but it’s an all-round impressive program (certainly the most powerful Firefox add-in I’ve come across), and the developers are responsive and helpful. Zotero doesn’t compete with DevonThink (and isn’t meant to), but it does overlap in certain key areas. As a cross-platform PDF and notes database, I consider it best in class.
Lucas
Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Mar 18, 2010 at 05:01 PM
Take the time to look at all the useful video tutorials at the web site. There are a lot of them, and they really do a good job showing all the thoughtful features that they’ve built into PersonalBrain.
For me, the weakest aspect of PB is the note editing window. It works fine, but it isn’t as supple as a full-featured word processor.
Steve
L. S. Russell wrote:
>Thanks you guys. That is kinda what I figured. I may give PersonalBrain another go.
Posted by Al Cantley
Mar 19, 2010 at 02:54 AM
Steve,
I agree that the PB notes editor is not ideal; therefore, I use Atlantis to do any serious editing or markup because of its power, ease of use and configurability. Atlantis, a rtf based word processor, allows the addition of a toolbar button that copies to HTML format flawlessly allowing quick paste into the PB notes window.
Al
Posted by shatteredmindofbob
Mar 19, 2010 at 07:44 PM
So am I to take that there is no DevonThink alternative for Windows? Or just no cross-platform alternative?
Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Mar 19, 2010 at 08:05 PM
shatteredmindofbob wrote:
>So am I to take that there is no DevonThink alternative for Windows? Or just no
>cross-platform alternative?
I was writing about cross-platform alternatives, but as far as I am aware (or can recall) nothing on the PC has the AI feature that DevonThink has. The AI is really DT’s distinguishing feature. If you don’t care about the AI, then there are a host of PC alternatives, and you can ask 10 people on this site and probably get 10 different responses as to which is the best one. I still think Zoot is the most powerful overall, though I am feeling my way slowly through the new version, which is now in beta.
Steve Z.