Have you ever put something in a place where you were sure you would remember where it was and then you couldn't find it? I once did that with a gift for my wife (of 44+ yrs.) and it only took me four years to find it!

A problem I've encountered is: "Too Many PIMs." From what I've read here, some of you have way more than I have.

I think it was Thoreau who said, "Simplify!"

There is some information that you want to keep long-term, or that you might need to refer to years later. Can you find it? Will the PIM containing it open in your current OS?

Over the years, I've discarded many PIMs, usually because they proved inadequate or updates used new file formats and it was a pain to convert to the new format. If the info in the old PIM wasn't too voluminous, I exported/copied it to a current PIM. In some cases I kept the old PIM because of the volume of info in it.

However, I've decided that it is time for me to "bite the bullet" and dump some "no longer" or "hardly ever used" PIMs. Further, Ive decided to at least try to resist temptation That new PIM (or woman) might look VERY appealing, but do you really want to play around with the new "toy" and abandon the tried and trusted one you've had for (44+) years? Besides, you'll save disk space and $$, Euros, etc.! And new toys can be expensive! (Think of the time it will take you to get to really know it.)

So far, I've uninstalled two PIMs, and hope to have the determination to get rid of more.

PIM? What the hell is a PIM? Oh, venerable Cassius. Just because your toga has become dusty, moth-eaten, and out of fashion, it doesn't mean you should throw it out. We oldsters are obliged to keep our ancient PIM-ware around and in a respectable state of repair, if only to show these youngsters today what can be achieved using only an 8086 processor, 256K of RAM, floppy disks, a 300 baud modem, and no hard drive!

And let us not forget the wisdom of one of our contemporaries who warned: "Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes." You are quite right to "try to resist temptation" of the sirens who tempt to seduce us CRIMPers each and every day. I refer specifically to our younger outlining brethren who would have us entrust our most sacred data to the empty promises of "the cloud." Perdition awaits, my friend. Take heed of the Oracle of Silicon Valley, Brother Steve Wozniak, who has warned of the perilousness of this undertaking. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/steve-wozniak-cloud_n_1748269.html

Yea, verily, thou speakest sooth! Which is why I've been experimenting with a really rather neat little outliner/notetaker that has been mentioned in these hallowed pages before, but has developed quite nicely since: knowsynotes

Not only does it support text files, it also does Markdown (and HTML) and, in a rather unusual turn, supports CSV files in a simple spreadsheet-like grid. Even neater, you can sort spreadsheet rows into collapsible groups (based on a given column): neato! Finally, a full-text search function has also been added (together with a neat, tag-like keyword search function).

For those Cloud-fearing Faithful who prefer to keep their data in the simplest possible form, it's actually rather good - and compatible with droves of Android/iOS apps, too. With Knowsynotes and Dropbox (yeah, okay, bit of a Cloudalike compromise there), the world's your crustacean of choice!

And finally, it's currently on sale at USD 15, which is a bit of a bargain, I reckon...

Another nice feature - again, recently incorporated - is the ability to link to notes in a wiki-like way (also from spreadsheets), plus support for images. Actually that's two nice features.

Really a very nice little prog. Yes, I've just shelled out (mad? me? never!).

And yes, I do regularly try to simplify, but you know what? I'm fascinated by the whole UX thing. So I collect PIMs, outliners and other data management apps just to admire (or not, of course) the way they handle user interactions, or things like search.

That's why I'm currently using The Guide for drafting again. It's just so... satisfying. And the search function(s) are so well-designed.

If only it had (a) wordcounts and (b) spellchecking. But hey.

I for one will be rooting for you to succeed in your quest to pare down your PIMs, Cassius. This is something I'd love to be able to do, but it seems impossible. Oh, not paring down -- as I've done that. I mean paring down to one or two and sticking with them.

Sometimes I long for a simple solution, and I'll focus on an app like that (e.g. Yojimbo on the Mac). But then the short-comings of the simple version become evident and I swing back to the more sophisticated soltuion (e.g. DevonThink on the Mac). And then I like the versatile solution (e.g. Tinderbox on the Mac). And then I like the visual solution (e.g. TheBrain, Mac or PC). And then I want the universal system (e.g. Evernote, everywhere). And then I fall for the organic solution (e.g. ConnectedText on the PC). And by now I would kill for the simple solution, (this time, e.g. NotationalVelocity on the Mac). And the cycle begins again.

In truth, I've settled on a workable system on my Windows PC for my day job. TheBrain is mission central, where I gather most of my project and day-related information. Zoot is my catch all, especially for mildly structured data. And for notes I think I may need on my MacBook or iPad, I go to Evernote. Work is the place I need the most sanity, which may be why it's the place that has the most stability in terms of my info workflow.

The MacBook is more like my sandbox, where I dabble in so many different apps (though Tinderbox and Scrivener and some combination of Yojimbo and DevonThink are essentials, with TheBrain and Evernote important as well).

That's why they call it CRIMPing, I guess.

Steve Z.

Is it such a bad thing though to have different tools for different jobs? It's a normal fact of life in most professions.

Perhaps the issue with PIM software (and the computer as a desktop/workbench/workshop/office) is that it is not all that easy to keep track of where all the tools are, how they fit together, complement each other, communicate with each other, and what the different possible combination of uses (scenarios, workflows, tool-chains) might be.

I would like a separate piece of software that can keep easily track of all of the above (remember and can remind me of what tools I used, give me intelligent suggestions for tool combinations and workflows, e.g. on the basis of the various import-export capabilities).

One could create a manual version of this (a list or a table or a database), but it would be tedious, need regular updating, and would not be all that intelligent with suggestions.

MadaboutDana wrote:

[knowsynotes is] actually rather good - and compatible with droves of Android/iOS apps, too.

Of the Android apps you've mentioned on various occasions, which ones would you consider compatible with Knowsynotes? I can think of options for the text/markdown items, but what about the CSV files? Do you view/edit these directly with an Android app, or do you convert them to some other spreadsheet format first?

I have to confess I ignore the CSV files on Android - I suppose I could use one of my office apps (SoftMaker, QuickOffice) to open them, but on a phone? Why bother. I can still play with the Markdown files, however! Knowsynotes one weakness is half-baked support for Markdown Extra - yes, it does tables, but no, it doesn't support all the table functions (headers, justification etc.), although it does support full HTML tables too. I'm going to whinge to the (very nice) developer...