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Mac or Windows or Chrome or Linux for outlining?
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Posted by Ken
May 18, 2018 at 05:49 PM
The three big questions that come to mind are as follows:
—Are you using a specific software package that requires a specific OS?
—Do you want to be cloud-based or computer-based for file storage (or both)?
—Do you have specific laptop requirements (battery life, size/weight, screen size keyboard, etc.)?
Answers to those three questions would guide me closer to my decision.
Good luck,
—Ken
Posted by jaslar
May 18, 2018 at 06:20 PM
Truly, Dr. Amdus, I’m fine having people reference their use cases. I often learn a lot that way.
Dynalist serves as my default work dashboard, project notes, and a work preparer. I mange and log the day’s work, which then becomes a searchable database for various projects, press calls, talking points, and logistics. I haven’t really delved into true project management, but sometimes I think I ought to, at least if it feels easily extensible from an outliner.
Most of my documents are short: blogs, policy statements, essays, journal entries.
For a professional book I’m working on, in markdown, my favorite writing tools have been org-mode and Editorial. Google Docs might be ok if I could rearrange things in the outline pane.
So I suppose I’m just looking for general musings from this thoughtful group of people about where their tool chests have wound up living over the years.
Dr Andus wrote:
jaslar wrote:
>> it’s more about
>>writing and daily management than comprehensive task and project
>>management
>
>You may need to provide a bit more detail on what kind of writing and
>outlining you do, otherwise you run the risk that people will just chime
>in with whatever their particular preferences are.
>
>Once you have defined your specific needs more narrowly, then it might
>even be possible to identify the specific piece of software and form
>factor (which might override the OS question).
>
>E.g. is it about outlining and writing short pieces (e.g. for online
>consumption, blogging, journal entries) or large documents (theses,
>novels etc.)?
>
>Then other considerations kick in, such as the need for a specialist
>notes database software or academic referencing software that may only
>be available on one OS or the other.
Posted by Stephen Zeoli
May 18, 2018 at 06:26 PM
That’s an impossible question to answer satisfactorily, because the outlining apps on all platforms are disappointing—at least to me. The ones for Mac tend to be more powerful, I guess, especially if you’re using it as you say for writing and daily management (Dynalist is great for daily management, not outstanding for writing.)
The app that has the potential to be excellent for your purposes is Notetaker 4—a MacOS app from Aquaminds. I say “potential” because it hasn’t been released, though a recent blog article from the developer mentioned a summer release. I also say “potential” because who knows if it will be any good? Notetaker 3 hasn’t been updated in several years and when I run it under the latest OS release I sometimes get a warning that it needs to be updated… though it seems to run fine.
Tinderbox is another great outliner that could handle your needs, but is expensive and takes some effort to learn (effort which never seems to end).
I’m sorry. I know I’m just muddying the waters and not helping. But the truth is there is no clear cut answer. I wish there were.
Steve Z.
Posted by Ken
May 18, 2018 at 08:43 PM
I would be almost as concerned about the hardware as the software, especially with respect to things like the keyboard if you type a lot. I have been looking at machines recently and am surprised for what passes as a good keyboard. These new thin laptops have flat keys with minimal travel as there is no room for for anything but, and given that Apple now has a class action suite for its butterfly keyboards, I think that it may finally be catching up with some companies. I know that software is first and foremost, but if I had to spend all day typing on a bad keyboard, it would just drive me crazy.
Good luck,
—Ken
Posted by Dr Andus
May 18, 2018 at 10:08 PM
jaslar wrote:
>Most of my documents are short: blogs, policy statements, essays,
>journal entries.
>
>For a professional book I’m working on, in markdown, my favorite writing
>tools have been org-mode and Editorial. Google Docs might be ok if I
>could rearrange things in the outline pane.
>
>So I suppose I’m just looking for general musings from this thoughtful
>group of people about where their tool chests have wound up living over
>the years.
If money is no object, and if you’d want an all-in-one machine, then I’d suggest the Pixelbook.
Firstly, you’d get probably the fastest and smoothest web browsing on the planet under Chrome OS (for your online outlining and writing), with direct Google Drive integration, with one of the best screens, keyboards and touchpads on the market.
Secondly, it’s a convertible with an active pen input, so you would have the option of writing by hand, using the Android app Squid that has been specially optimised for this device (and the Samsung Chromebook Plus/Pro).
At the same time you’d have access to a second OS, Android, for anything you can’t find a web app for.
Thirdly, direct Linux support is coming within Chrome OS, so you may be able to run org-mode there at one point (hopefully soon). So that’s a third OS within the same machine.
(I can’t afford a Pixelbook, but I got myself a used Samsung Chromebook Pro, specifically for the purpose of handwritten input. I’m currently testing it.)