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One text file/outline/mind map/tinderbox to rule them all?
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Posted by washere
Dec 27, 2017 at 11:20 PM
I installed, used for a while and uninstalled TheBrain many a times. IMHO the mega mind mapper was just the usual hype and worse a time killer for me, maybe OK for footnotes/research refs but there are much better specialist in that genre. I used TiddlyWiki a lot until early last year, then like the other wiki maker ConnectedText, I stopped using it. I found a couple of other better wiki makers but have no use any more for general purpose wiki files. More specialized these days, more focused in each tool area.
The OP title is specific, not just one genre, mind-map or just wiki etc, but one that ticks the boxes listed. The tool sought by the thread lists the first 2 requirements as a “text file” app and then an “outline"r etc etc. Interesting to see if there are any candidates proposed that not only will tick all those boxes but are good enough to be “The One”. I’m not searching anymore, will be surprised if there is anything new proposed I never heard of. Scrivener plus Scapple comes close, but they are not the one either. I assume to remain on-topic, candidate tools need to tick those genres he listed, presumably. It is in daily and long term usage that one discovers the dark horse, the dirtied golden fleece, the unassuming one.
Posted by Mark Nevarrik
Dec 28, 2017 at 12:25 AM
Dr Andus wrote:
>This is what WorkFlowy is. It works very well for me. Key advantages are [...]
>
>It doesn’t have any negatives for me, as I accept its limitations.
I like Dr. Andus’s approach, in that the more you try push the limitations, the less focused it can be any particular application.
The best thing about using a big single file for your notes is having it all in one place, and the security that if someone better comes along you can export your plain text investment. What that does, is prevent you from taking too seriously the upfront optimization problem of what system to use.
When I wrote Indigrid (freeware for Windows), I wanted to see how far I could take plain text for that reason. Even though it is one big plain text outline, you can open multiple sections of a single big file in different columns. https://innovationdilation.com
But I think what would be most interesting is how I could open it up so that other third parties can extend it, with the only limitation that it must stay plain text, so that you can always have your data grow with you, no matter how many times you outgrow your tools.
Posted by Amontillado
Dec 28, 2017 at 02:18 AM
The Brain is an interesting thing, and I like the premise. I used it a few years back, and I would probably use it today instead of DevonThink save for one thing - I see too many rough edges in The Brain.
The idea of an arbitrarily large mind map with automatic folding and hoisting is pretty cool.
Posted by Jon Polish
Dec 28, 2017 at 12:37 PM
I use Ultra Recall every day. Everything (web clips, attachments, links, etc.) is in a single file and it is very reliable. MyInfo also meets your criteria and is similar but simpler in my opinion. TheBrain and Scrivener are interesting options too, but the data is kept in multiple files. If you are looking to add scheduling, tasks and notes, there is EssentialPIM. It stores everything in one file. For complex outlines nothing beats InfoQube. Like Ultra Recall, I rely on IQ every day.
Jon
Posted by Lothar Scholz
Dec 28, 2017 at 03:01 PM
I have no problems with single file apps. I do my whole buisness from a single file, a VMWare disk image file :-)
What is really the showblocker for me to use single apps is the bad or non existing way to automate the notes file processing, especially import/export. A one to rule them all don’t need a 100% export but everyone else does. And as long as i can’t guarantee this is will not fill one up with all information.
For example i recently bought Curio and i’m very disappointed that as an information drawing tool it does not let me get any access to the visual information.