I just stumbled across this forum last night and wanted to thank you all for providing such an amazing resource. You totally took up most of my Saturday night downloading and testing new software!

I am a long time productivity tools aficionado, starting with PC-Outline back in the 80's. I regularly use outliners, mind maps, note capture programs, project management programs, etc. and I am looking forward to participating in the discussions here.

I found the forum while looking for an outliner program as I find the one in Word is very poor. Based on reading your forum posts, I am going to try Noteliner for a while to see how it works for me.

Thanks again!

Many thanks! I cannot speak on behalf of others, but you definitely made my day.

Garland Coulson wrote:

You totally took up most of my Saturday night downloading and testing new software!

Well, if you can be thankful about something like that, you are most welcome to the club :-)

Garland,

I can only echo Alexander's sentiments and say welcome. This group is like an oasis for me.

As for Noteliner, it is a very good tool (though, like all modern outliners, it fails to live up to the best of the DOS outliners). I hope you'll update us on what you think of it.

Steve Z.

Another welcome from me.

But also an admission. I've read many contributions to this forum that suggest the good ole' days of DOS outliners were some kind of Golden Age.

I'm sorry - this may sound treacherous. But I just don't see it myself. Outliners only really became interesting once the GUI was invented. I'm sure that's why there are so many more older Mac outliners around! I've used DOS outliners and been mildly impressed. But I didn't start to rely on outliners for info management purposes until early experiments with Ecco Pro back in, oh, whenever it was. Not least because the GUI also introduced the multitasking interface, which meant you could use your outliner alongside your word processor/spreadsheet program/database etc. etc.

Sorry! I realise I've probably cause upset and various favourite contributors to the forum are now weeping into their coffee/milk/organic fruit juice! Sorry!

A contrite Bill

MadaboutDana wrote:

Sorry! I realise I've probably cause upset and various favourite
contributors to the forum are now weeping into their coffee/milk/organic
fruit juice! Sorry!

A contrite Bill

What! No mention of tea? Decaf, no less! You should be contrite, Bill! ;)

In all seriousness, I also started "experimenting" with Ecco Pro back when it was released in 1993, and almost nobody had heard of Outlook. I would agree that the combination of a GUI and a program like Ecco was a key turning point for me, but I was never really a fan of DOS (I started computing on a 128k Mac in 1984), and I never had a chance to try Grandview, a program beloved by many. So, I am not certain if DOS was considered a Golden Age because of notalgia, or just an appreciation of all things uncomplicated. Now, back to my weeping!

--Ken

Ken wrote:

... I never had a chance to try
Grandview, a program beloved by many. So, I am not certain if DOS was
considered a Golden Age because of notalgia, or just an appreciation of
all things uncomplicated. Now, back to my weeping!

--Ken

For those who are new here or missed it the first time or didn't give a fig back then, I posted an appreciation of GrandView on my blog several years ago (in fact, I think it was my first software-related post). You can find it here if you'd like to learn more about GV:

http://welcometosherwood.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/grandview/

Steve Z.

It is a truly elegiac piece, which very nearly made me feel nostalgic myself when I read it... despite the fact I've never actually used GrandView!

As for tea - you're right, Ken! My mounting sense of guilt is inexpressible!

Thanks for reposting the link, Stephen. It was a well written post, and gave ma an idea of what GV was capable of offering.

Now that I have had my morning fill of chocolate, Bill, all is forgiven. ;)

Be well,

--Ken

Ok, now that I have introduced myself and shown myself a total noob, I have to ask.

What is CRIMPing? :) I see many comments mentioning it, and I am getting a general feel for what it is about from the context, but I need to know the secret club jargon!

Garland Coulson wrote:

Ok, now that I have introduced myself and shown myself a total noob, I
have to ask.

What is CRIMPing? :) I see many comments mentioning it, and I am getting
a general feel for what it is about from the context, but I need to know
the secret club jargon!

Compulsive-Reactive Information Management Purchasing (I think!)

As manifested by trying out and purchasing many different information management programs, in a never-ending quest for the perfect outliner / notetaking program.

jimspoon wrote:

Compulsive-Reactive Information Management Purchasing (I think!)

As manifested by trying out and purchasing many different information
management programs, in a never-ending quest for the perfect outliner /
notetaking program.

Ah, I understand perfectly. When I feel the need for a new tool, I go on a research rampage, trying and testing tools for days until I find the best one. Then I am always testing new ones as I come across them to see if they might be better than my existing choice.