Forum Posts Feed
Question: What software is absolutely essential to you
< Next Topic | Back to topic list | Previous Topic >
Posted by Glen Coulthard
Aug 2, 2011 at 07:38 PM
I also use many of the programs listed here (CRIMPer extraordinaire)—but, I could never get my mind around using Zoot. The user interface seems non-standard and messy to me. However, I’ve downloaded the latest XT release candidate and will give it another go. Does anyone know of any good tutorials/videos for learning how to use Zoot in the real world?
By the way, I could not do without WebResearch by macropool - http://www.macropool.com/en/ - although I’ve also been known to use Surfulater.
—Glen
Posted by PIMfan
Aug 2, 2011 at 09:34 PM
Add me as another recent Zoot convert. I’ve been running betas and release candidates for over a month now, and have been quite blown away by the power and flexibility. It reminds me alot of a cross between InfoQube (in a more polished form) and Omea Pro (but still alive). It is flexible enough to be adopted to just about any use. I had previously tried Zoot back in the 4.0 days, but it never clicked for me and was limited to plain text at that time. Per a message from Stephen on this forum noting that the new XT version was in beta, I took a peek at it again. Somehow, without any direct intent on my part, it has become my tool of choice and is part of my daily workflow. A couple of over-the-top features for me:
- Ability to take notes about my notes. Very important when taking meeting notes and a thought jumps in my head that I don’t want to lose. I can highlight an item in my notes outline and add a comment to it for follow up or whatever - all without changing the context of the task at hand…very nice!
- Related item linking. When working in any item, I can create a linked item of any type and then see and manage it later. For example, taking notes in a meeting, I get an action item assigned to me. Rather than burying it in the text of my notes, I instead hit CTRL-L—> Task and voila - a new task is created that is linked back to my notes. And in case you’re wondering, yes, the meeting notes are an item linked back to the calendar event of the meeting. All the linking and context association is incredibly valuable for me to see related items as a set of linked items without having to tag/associate them (although Zoot supports that too!)
- Custom fields and forms. I took the standard Contact type item and made an new item type called “Stakeholder”. I then added custom fields such as “Interest in Project”, “Commitment Level”, and others that relate to project stakeholders. I then used the custom forms capability to allow me to enter the fields data I want and remove those I don’t want. Now my workstream database has a list of stakeholders that have all the data I want about them, but none of the stuff I don’t want.
- Search….very fast, very powerful, and simple to save searches for re-use later.
It is truly a deep application, and I haven’t even enabled the Outlook integration yet - which I plan to do once I’ve configured it to my liking first. There is definitely a learning curve, but I like the challenge of learning a new tool. The OOTB databases (containers of like item types) have sufficient configuration that you could use it without ever customizing it and still get a great tool. You’d be missing out on alot of it’s power though. Much of what I’ve learned I’ve discovered just by clicking around on the interface. It also has some unique idiosyncrasies about it - but hey - don’t we all? :-)
Didn’t mean to thread-hijack, but you asked about real life use Glenn! Zoot has now worked it’s way into a position as the one tool that I can’t live without now….
Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Aug 2, 2011 at 10:07 PM
Glen,
I believe Tom Davis, the developer of Zoot, is putting together help files now—which is why the current version is still only a release candidate. Official release is supposed to happen in September, so I am hopeful there will be some help in the form of a help document and video tutorials. There is enough new in XT to make it necessary.
Steve Z.
Glen Coulthard wrote:
>I also use many of the programs listed here (CRIMPer extraordinaire)—but, I could
>never get my mind around using Zoot. The user interface seems non-standard and messy
>to me. However, I’ve downloaded the latest XT release candidate and will give it
>another go. Does anyone know of any good tutorials/videos for learning how to use Zoot
>in the real world?
>
>By the way, I could not do without WebResearch by macropool -
>http://www.macropool.com/en/ - although I’ve also been known to use Surfulater.
>
>—Glen
Posted by Steve
Aug 3, 2011 at 11:13 AM
I reviewed my post and can not believe I neglected my PIM - Intellect from Chaos Software. Granted, I’ve only used this since I rediscovered it in 2008 but now it is essential.
Steve
Steve wrote:
>Starting in 2008, I got a new computer that moved me from Windoze 2000 pro to Vista. In
>2009 I moved from my trusty Palm Treo 680 to the Windoze Treo Pro. Then last month I
>purchased the HP Touchpad.
>
>Through all these changes there were some programs I had
>expected to work on the new device or expected something similar. Yes, there may be
>alternatives to a certain degree butI have no interest in all the tweaking that
>invariably must be done to make the alternative program work. My list is:
>
>1.
>Roboform for all of my online websites and logins.
>2. NoteTab text editor. It also has
>a useful outliner function.
>3. Bonsai outliner.
>4. Lotus Wordpro. Yes, that’s
>correct, good old Wordpro. It works. It has all my years of templates in it. I know how it
>works. It is still my “go to” program when I create flyers and postcards for mailings.
>I’m using Atlantis word processor more for things like blog writing and stuff, but
>WordPro is still my fail-safe.
>5. Brainstorm
>
>BTW, If FORCED to choose Brainstorm
>or Bonsai I’d choose Brainstorm.
>
>Steve
Posted by JBfromBrainStormWFO
Aug 3, 2011 at 11:50 AM
Man Chaos Intellect that brings back memories, I’d totally forgotten my attempt to live in it years ago.
Is there any place where I can read about your workflow, Steve? I’m curious how you use Zoot and Intellect and others together.
I already got Alexander’s figured out… no idea you had posted so much about BrainStormWFO, Alex, you’ve been doing it for years. Respect.
I admit Cyborganize might currently be weak on file management, Ultra Recall or something else might ultimately be a solution I’d look at.
I’m finishing up a page that’s purely reconstructed from BrainStormWFO user reviews and testimonials, many of them from here. I literally just copied them all into BrainStormWFO, sorted them, and created a page from it.
It’s still rough but here’s the link, since I’m quoting several people from here. The quote attributions aren’t added yet. http://brainstormsw.com/outliner/265-2/