Corkboard apps

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Posted by jaslar
Jul 26, 2015 at 04:30 PM

I was updating some apps on my old iPad 2 and saw “Index Card Board for iPad.” On the one hand, I can see the appeal: index cards are a natural metaphor, with a kinesthetic sense of manipulating the data. And I’ve played with some other similar apps (there was one free one from Google Store I messed around with for awhile). But given the thread wherein it seems a lot of people have just moved to actual sticky notes, and the fact that I never feel drawn BACK to these apps, I wonder if anyone is actually using them, on what platforms, why, and what you would recommend.

Posted by Paul Korm
Jul 26, 2015 at 07:29 PM

I formerly used Index Card for iPad from DenVog software. It is now at v4 and is a nice build. I say “formerly” because I never think of using it anymore. Mainly because Ulysses on OS X and iPad—with its concept of relocatable “sheets” for text snippets—superseded any need for a cork board app. With Index Card you get the pleasure of moving things around in an interesting metaphor, but are left with the work of doing something with the results. Ulysses (and most mind mapping apps for that matter) are much better at the “doing something with the results” aspect—i.e., they produce documents that can be shared freely with others who are not locked into the Index Card mode.

The Index Card app and its relatives seems to me a case of “look what I can do with this software! But why do I want to do it?” I like post-it notes as a very useful thing in a face-to-face meeting with collaborators—but not useful locked inside a computer screen.

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