The recurring question - what are you Circus Ponies fans using on the Mac?

Started by Jeffery Smith on 8/31/2017
Jeffery Smith 8/31/2017 7:33 pm
The demise of Circus Ponies Notebook sent me back to using the aging Aquaminds Notetaker (they are promising a new update). I'll probably continue using Notetaker hoping that they'll keep that promise.

Did any of you migrate to another notetaking app on the Mac?
MadaboutDana 9/1/2017 8:26 am
Yes.
Lots.
How many would you like me to list?
;-)

My current regulars:
- Apple Notes
- Notebooks (by Alfons Schmid)
- Bear (Writer)
- Outlinely
- Ulysses (has now replaced DayOne)

Cheers!
Bill
Stephen Zeoli 9/1/2017 5:26 pm
One possible answer to your question is Curio by Zengobi. If it is the "notebook metaphor" that most attracts you to Circus Ponies Notebook/NoteTaker, Curio might be a solution. I mention this now, because Curio is on sale for a short while longer:

https://www.zengobi.com/curio/

If the main attribute of Notebook is the outlining engine, then Curio may not be a good fit -- it does outlining, but not as the basis of all content as with Notebook.

Steve Z.
Jeffery Smith 9/2/2017 12:54 am
Okay, I have a confession to make. I have bought updates to Zengobi Curio every year for about 7 years now. And my problem with it is the same as the problem I had with PackRat for Windows several decades ago. The last version of PackRat had objects that you could put all over the screen any way I wanted them, and I wanted them to sit still! I like order, with objects on the screen not to move when I accidentally touch them with my mouse. I do like the different looks of Notebook and Notetaker, and when I choose something, it stays put.

Even worse, I've been a Tinderbox subscriber for about $500 worth of updates, and I still cannot get comfortable with it. Its interface has gotten nicer looking (it used to always be spoken of as "ugly" in reviews), but the documentation has been obtuse.

In short, I think I need to stop wasting my money on Curio and Tinderbox, and pray that Aquaminds will come up with something that convinces me that they are still in business. I do use OmniOutliner Pro for certain tasks, and might be able to twist my way of thinking to use it as a PIM.

I do appreciate the comments! My brain is always ultimately in outliner mode, since ThinkTank for Apple //e, and in every way, shape, and form since then. For years, my brain worked in MaxThink for MS DOS. Those were the days.
apb123 9/2/2017 7:33 am
I use Devonthink Pro Office. It is actually super powerful. I paid £!50 for it 8 years ago!. It is regularly updated.

In my opinion this is the best solution out there. Zengobi curio I have tried but it is a bit too freeform for me and there is no online solution/ios solution.


Jeffery Smith 9/2/2017 3:56 pm
Do you use it on one computer, or are you syncing it to iCloud?

Jeffery

apb123 wrote:
I use Devonthink Pro Office. It is actually super powerful. I paid
£!50 for it 8 years ago!. It is regularly updated.

In my opinion this is the best solution out there. Zengobi curio I have
tried but it is a bit too freeform for me and there is no online
solution/ios solution.


Bob Spies 9/4/2017 9:15 pm
I've turned to OmniOutliner and TaskPaper. Each has its strengths, and it's ALMOST transparent to move data between them.

It would be easier to standardize on one or the other, but I've been stranded too many times now by outliners that came to an abrupt EOL. Even though both products appear to be stable and well-supported, I'm hedging my bets.