Official Simplenote client for Windows/Linux
Started by shatteredmindofbob
on 4/3/2016
shatteredmindofbob
4/3/2016 9:44 pm
Simplenote has finally released an official client for Windows and Linux.
Whether or not it's any good depends on how you feel about the web app, since it's quite literally the web app, running on the desktop.
It looks really good but I'm left feeling like it's a bit lacking in features compared to the ageing and pretty ugly ResophNotes.
There doesn't seem to be much in the way of keyboard shortcuts, or at least, they aren't made obvious. Though, the main thing it lacks is the ability to sit in the system tray and pop up a new note window through a global hotkey, which to me, is the main reason to use a simple note management app over one the power tools available.
That said, I'm not sure that feature would even be desirable for this app. It was developed using the trendy new method of basically bundling an entire Chrome installation to run the web app as a desktop app.
On the one hand, the practice leads to more desktop apps actually existing. On the other, they're big and use a lot of resources. I'd imagine there's a limit to how many such apps one could be running at once.
Also, ResophNotes has the advantage of being able to create plain text backups while functioning as a Simplenote client. While Simplenote has that features, it requires using the web app and downloading an archived file of all your notes.
Whether or not it's any good depends on how you feel about the web app, since it's quite literally the web app, running on the desktop.
It looks really good but I'm left feeling like it's a bit lacking in features compared to the ageing and pretty ugly ResophNotes.
There doesn't seem to be much in the way of keyboard shortcuts, or at least, they aren't made obvious. Though, the main thing it lacks is the ability to sit in the system tray and pop up a new note window through a global hotkey, which to me, is the main reason to use a simple note management app over one the power tools available.
That said, I'm not sure that feature would even be desirable for this app. It was developed using the trendy new method of basically bundling an entire Chrome installation to run the web app as a desktop app.
On the one hand, the practice leads to more desktop apps actually existing. On the other, they're big and use a lot of resources. I'd imagine there's a limit to how many such apps one could be running at once.
Also, ResophNotes has the advantage of being able to create plain text backups while functioning as a Simplenote client. While Simplenote has that features, it requires using the web app and downloading an archived file of all your notes.
shatteredmindofbob
4/5/2016 10:45 pm
One thing to note, though, is that the sync is pretty fast. I can write something in the Simplenote app on my phone and watch it get update on my desktop in real time.
Donovan
4/6/2016 7:40 pm
shatteredmindofbob wrote:
One thing to note, though, is that the sync is pretty fast. I can write
something in the Simplenote app on my phone and watch it get update on
my desktop in real time.
Wouldn't it be the same though with the web interface? I use the web UI all the time and fail to see where the actual "desktop software" has any advantages. If I'm offline, I can always save a text file until I'm back online. Or use any number of light text outliners until I get online. Or even use my Simplenote phone app which would sync right up with the web UI. All I see the desktop version doing is taking up more space on my computer. Am I missing something? I very well may be!
shatteredmindofbob
4/7/2016 3:07 am
Am I missing something? I very well may be!
Not really, hence my conclusion that Resophnotes is probably still better, though I'm hoping there's potential for it to improve in the future.
Thought it worth mentioning that this exists, especially since there doesn't seem to be much else to talk about here.
Alex Jenter
10/24/2016 4:44 am
I've tried the app and it's choking on my humble notebook of slightly over 1000 notes. That's sad.
I always make sure that the app remains at least usable even when number of notes goes up to 10,000 and beyond.
Disclosure: I'm the author of CintaNotes, another alternative Simplenote client for Windows.
We've decided to make Simplenote sync free in the next version of CintaNotes - so I hope it will
soon become a viable alternative to ResophNotes.
The feature set of our app is not a 1:1 map to Simplenote features though. CN doesn't have Markdown, pinning, and
version history. But in return CN has tag union/subtraction/intersection, tag hierarchy, tabbed sections and rule-based autotagging.
P.S. If you want to give CN a try, you can find it at http://cintanotes.com
I always make sure that the app remains at least usable even when number of notes goes up to 10,000 and beyond.
Disclosure: I'm the author of CintaNotes, another alternative Simplenote client for Windows.
We've decided to make Simplenote sync free in the next version of CintaNotes - so I hope it will
soon become a viable alternative to ResophNotes.
The feature set of our app is not a 1:1 map to Simplenote features though. CN doesn't have Markdown, pinning, and
version history. But in return CN has tag union/subtraction/intersection, tag hierarchy, tabbed sections and rule-based autotagging.
P.S. If you want to give CN a try, you can find it at http://cintanotes.com
Tomasz Raburski
10/24/2016 7:28 am
Alex Jenter wrote:
Disclosure: I'm the author of CintaNotes, another alternative Simplenote
client for Windows.
We've decided to make Simplenote sync free in the next version of
CintaNotes - so I hope it will
soon become a viable alternative to ResophNotes.
I use Resophnotes and Cintanotes Pro simultanously (with two Simplenote accounts). Cintanotes is great for keeping notes and scraps of information. What I love in Resophnotes is that you can keep notes in separate txt file, so they can be easily accessible to other minimalist programs (e.g. WriteMonkey, Subline Note)
MadaboutDana
10/26/2016 11:00 am
Yo, Alex, my man! So when's CintaNotes coming to MacOS? I used it all the time on Windows, but left when Win8 horrified the world. I'm now a very happy Mac user (along with an increasing number of other folks); but I still miss CintaNotes...
Alex Jenter
11/8/2016 11:32 am
Hi Dana,
Glad to see you here!
Unfortunately we don't have plans at the moment to port CN to Mac, the required effort is way beyond of what we currently can invest - sorry for that!
But we are keeping it in mind.
Glad to see you here!
Unfortunately we don't have plans at the moment to port CN to Mac, the required effort is way beyond of what we currently can invest - sorry for that!
But we are keeping it in mind.