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Looking for information manager that combines strengths of X1, Evernote, TreeProjects, GloboNote, My Notes Keeper, Clipboard Help & Spell,
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Posted by 22111
Nov 8, 2014 at 07:23 PM
“would be ideal to have each note saved in it’s own encrypted file for easy synchronizing using services such as google drive or dropbox. Having to synchronize one huge database file every time there is a small change would be a mess”
As is said above, very simple macros could successfully mock a missing in-built instant note function.
No index-relying search tool (X1, etc.) “reads” any PIM format, not even (and astonishingly so) the quite widespread though SQLite format, which means by choosing any PIM, for all its content, you deliberately renounce upon any better search functionality such dedicated search tools could have, and exclusively rely upon the strength (or weakness) of the inbuilt search tool of the specific PIM; of course, external tools could only show hits within their specific context, and a click on that hit there would NOT bring the record/item in question to the screen, within the PIM: You would have to search again there. (This double search would not be devoid of sense in many cases, though, since more sophisticated external search could perhaps better show you the relevant hit(s), and showing their context, you could then do an internal search that would be better targeted. As said, this is not possible at this point in time since those external tools do not even index PIM records.
Syncovery has both cloud copying and delta copying (which relies not on specific db records but on specific (= not copying again and again unchanged) hdd sectors, and if it combines cloud with delta (i.e. if it’s able to apply delta to cloud synching, too), it will partly solve your cloud synch problem at least.
It derives from the above that for the time being, pc users who refrain from using a PIM but try to contain their stuff in X1-etc.-readable formats instead, with multiple groupings made possible by tagging strategies, are not doing totally wrong. (Since as explained above, even X1-or-similar’s over-due integration of the SQLite format would not resolve the problem of identification of / navigation to the relevant db item containing the relevant hit. Or then, X1 (or some other tool) would also retrieve the respective record ID, of which display could then be triggered by an API of the PIM in question. Chance is such a thing will not come tomorrow, X1, etc.‘s markets numbering in millions, PIM’s markets being 3 zeroes smaller. In other words, a willing PIM would probably have to pay X1 for doing such (technically easy) integration, and that would not help for Copernic users.)
This splicing up of your stuff - for one, individual files that are searchable by X1 and consorts, and then all the stuff put into your PIM - is the biggest problem for data integration PIM users face; hence the interesting approach of UR and such to extend their internal search to external documents, by indexing them internally.
And instead of asking for image editing within a PIM, UR’s concept of integrating a pic viewer could of course be extended to integrating the pic editor of your choice, by simply displaying its window within the PIM’s content frame (as UR does with Word e.g.).
Currently, there are some systems on the market which splice up your PIM’s “records” into multiple individual files; all of them are plain-text only, but technically, it would be easy to do the same with rtf, html or xml files, and as plain text files, these would be searchable without problems by X1 and consorts and thus re-integrate with your non-PIM stuff. In a word: PIM not as a distinct data repository anymore, but as a dedicated tagging-and/or-sorting structure.
You would have X1 or similar, you would have your file system, and you would have a very light PIM overlaying your file system, in order to get better grouping functionality as your file system offers. Or then, replace ntfs with something compatible but much more powerful.
In other words, PIMs are just crutches for trying to overcome the incredible lightness of MS’s thinking work into what a file system should deliver.
And Caleb, thank you so much, you made my day!
Posted by WSP
Nov 8, 2014 at 11:00 PM
If you ever succeed in finding an information manager that does all those things, I hope you’ll let the rest of us know about it. Meanwhile, I would say that Evernote and OneNote can each do about 75 percent of the items on your list, in slightly different ways.
Posted by Daly de Gagne
Nov 9, 2014 at 06:43 PM
Workflowy and Gingko are definitely worth looking at.
Workflowy could be a kind of info HQ with links to other applications as needed.
Gingko provides another perspective for a whole bunch of things from information management to creative work.
The key aspect, especially if you have crores of files (seemingly - oops, a crore is 10 million), is having a fast, simple, present everywhere central registry - a map as it were. Workflowy can do that.
So can a notebook and a fountain pen. And I am not talking about hybridized analogue/digital notebooks which Moleskine creates and sells at horrendous prices. Each individual, though, is responsible for amounts to be spent on, and numbers of, fountain pens and inks. For this I highly recommend Canada’s own WonderPens.ca - reasonable prices, great service. Also GoultetPens.com in the US. I believe both companies, though unrelated operate with similar commitment to customer service and personalizing the fountain pen/notebook experience in a good way.
Posted by MotionTwelve
Nov 9, 2014 at 08:37 PM
I appreciate all the suggestions. As 22111 commented, leaving everything in unrestricted formats definitely has many advantages. With a more powerful file manager like Directory Opus or XYplorer, you can replicate many of the outlined features such as fast-as-you-type file name filtering or quick previews (both Dopus and XYplorer support Quick View Plus from Avantstar which is another example of Oracle Outside In’s technology). However, the biggest disadvantage using such standard approach is that you have to deal with the files individually. In my case, for instance, I have to constantly switch between files back and forth while making frequent changes. With most advanced information managers, I can quickly arrange my urgent notes and have them available with one click, without the need to worry about opening and saving or figuring out if it’s already running, etc. The only way I could see that using file manager approach would work if I had 50 files open at the same time, which would be such a mess on the sreen.
Like per my previous post, there are some mangers that are getting very close (i.e. AML Pages). For instance, if UltraRecall or RightNote had the ability to undock individual notes and improved their search and editing, I would be set.
Also, like someone else mentioned, another option to improve more advanced editing is to use the native apps (MS Word, Excel) right inside the main manager window, just like TreeProjects does.
Posted by Dr Andus
Nov 9, 2014 at 09:39 PM
Have you looked at InfoQube?