Forum Posts Feed
Rightnote and Evernote
< Next Topic | Back to topic list | Previous Topic >
Posted by WSP
Apr 17, 2013 at 01:05 AM
I’m certainly not ready to take the plunge on Rightnote, but I do think it’s worth watching.
May I offer a somewhat cynical dissent about “synthesis” (which seems to be increasingly the Holy Grail of this forum)? There are certain kinds of data that lend themselves to analysis through a spreadsheet or a heavy-duty database program, but the sort of information that I collect—mainly historical and literary in nature—really can only be interpreted by the human mind. I like a two-pane program because it makes simple hierarchical relationships clear, and through cross-linking and tags I can work out other connections. But the interpretation of what it all means (i.e. its synthesis) is a strenuous intellectual task that I’m not prepared to outsource to any software.
At a more practical level, I should add that I wrote my last book using MyInfo (an excellent two-pane note-taker), and right now I’m working on another book with most of my notes in Evernote. There’s no doubt that Evernote is organizationally challenged (despite its other virtues), and I’m struggling a bit with it. But I do believe and hope that eventually someone will create a better front end for my thousands of notes in Evernote.
Bill
Posted by dan7000
Apr 17, 2013 at 09:53 PM
I’ve looked at the RN/EN combination too and have come to the same conclusion as stated above - good idea, but not ready for primetime. Also, I don’t want my notes tethered to one windows machine as they are with Rightnote.
I have high hopes for TuskTools TreeLiner. http://www.moreproductivenow.com/tusktools_treeliner.html
It looks like what a lot of people are asking for: a way to reorganize your EN notes in new ways, including an outline.
But sadly, I signed up for the private beta about 6 months ago and still have not heard anything.
Posted by Dr Andus
Apr 17, 2013 at 11:34 PM
WSP wrote:
>May I offer a somewhat cynical dissent about “synthesis” (which seems to
>be increasingly the Holy Grail of this forum)? There are certain kinds
>of data that lend themselves to analysis through a spreadsheet or a
>heavy-duty database program, but the sort of information that I collect
>—mainly historical and literary in nature—really can only be
>interpreted by the human mind. I like a two-pane program because it
>makes simple hierarchical relationships clear, and through cross-linking
>and tags I can work out other connections. But the interpretation of
>what it all means (i.e. its synthesis) is a strenuous intellectual task
>that I’m not prepared to outsource to any software.
Sure, but a software tool can still help you with a) analysis and b) synthesis of qualitative information, especially when it becomes a huge mass of qualitative data (which is the issue here) and when the work might need to be carried out at multiple sites.
Analysis is usually done with granularising (breaking up text, cloning etc,), tagging, categorising, ordering hierarchically, then ordering the tags, categories etc. themselves. Multiple search options facilitate this process. Producing customised reports of the results of analysis is also helpful. Linking items (and to other files etc.) can be used both as parts of analysis and synthesis. Tools for abstracting conclusions would be required.
Synthesis then could be understood as rearranging the material (or the findings it yields) into a new shape, once one is informed by the results of the analysis, possibly to answer a central question or to make a new point or create a new piece of work. Synthesis would require having good visualisation options of the analysis results, ability to rearrange hierarchies easily, link items in a new arrangement, and generally produce the new work.
Professional qualitative data analysis (CAQDAS) software now address many of these issues, though not equally well. The tools we seem to be discussing on these forums tend to focus on (specialise in) some sub-aspects of these CAQDAS tools (and often do them better), but individually lack the integration of analysis, reporting, and synthesis that CAQDAS tools have.
I wish the two worlds (academic CAQDAS tools and the world of PIM, outliners, note-takers etc.) would borrow ideas from each other more..
Posted by Vincek
Apr 18, 2013 at 02:59 PM
dan7000 wrote:
>
>I have high hopes for TuskTools TreeLiner.
>http://www.moreproductivenow.com/tusktools_treeliner.html
>It looks like what a lot of people are asking for: a way to reorganize
>your EN notes in new ways, including an outline.
>
>But sadly, I signed up for the private beta about 6 months ago and still
>have not heard anything.
Dan7000,
v1.0 of TuskTools is now available for a free trial:
http://www.moreproductivenow.com/tusktools_calendar.html#Download
I think I’ll give it a whack.
Vince
Posted by dan7000
Apr 18, 2013 at 05:03 PM
Vincek wrote:
>
>dan7000 wrote:
>>
>>I have high hopes for TuskTools TreeLiner.
>>http://www.moreproductivenow.com/tusktools_treeliner.html
>>It looks like what a lot of people are asking for: a way to reorganize
>>your EN notes in new ways, including an outline.
>>
>>But sadly, I signed up for the private beta about 6 months ago and
>still
>>have not heard anything.
>
>Dan7000,
>
>v1.0 of TuskTools is now available for a free trial:
>http://www.moreproductivenow.com/tusktools_calendar.html#Download
>
>I think I’ll give it a whack.
>
>Vince
>
The free trial is for a product called TuskTools Calendar. That’s just a calendar app. TuskTools TreeLiner is an outliner—check out the link I posted above for a demo video that looks really cool. Unfortunately I don’t think TreeLiner is available anywhere.