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Anyone tried DEVONthink + Linux on a virtual machine?
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Posted by Larry_in_Bangkok
Oct 28, 2021 at 06:27 AM
The ball-and-chain around my work flow is DEVONthink, because it runs only on Mac.
I don’t love DEVONthink, but it has some powerful document search features that I’ve not been able to find in any other software.
Features that are critical to my work flow.
So I’m locked in.
I’m ready to buy a new computer.
New MacBook Pro models just appeared: very tempting.
But I don’t like what I see happening at the Apple company and I don’t want to spend my money in their direction—so I’m wondering about moving to Linux.
What about using virtual machine software to run DEVONthink on Linux?
Would it work?
Has anyone here actually done that?
After setting it up, do you still have your sanity?
And I’m thinking about hiring someone with Linux expertise as a consultant to attempt this.
“Spin up an instance” of VM on Linux, and then try DEVONthink on that.
Using DEVONthink is so essential to me that I’m willing to pay someone to try this.
Interested?
Lcameron1944@fastmail.us
Posted by MadaboutDana
Oct 28, 2021 at 12:14 PM
Just a thought, but in the same way as I’ve abandoned one single information repository for a powerful search engine (in my case, FoxTrot Pro), you may find you give yourself more flexibility if you abandon DEVONthink as a single information repository, and instead organise documents using a standard folder/file hierarchy, but then index/search them using a powerful search engine.
There are a number of (very) powerful search engines that run on Linux. It might be more productive/cost-effective to ask a Linux pro to configure one to your liking, rather than spend time trying to run DEVONthink in a VM?
Cheers,
Bill
Posted by Larry_in_Bangkok
Oct 28, 2021 at 04:16 PM
MadaboutDana wrote:
>It might be more productive/cost-effective to ask a Linux pro to
>configure one to your liking, rather than spend time trying to run DEVONthink in a VM?
—-
Good idea.
Very good idea.
Thank you, Bill.
Okay. Earlier today I posted a “Help Wanted” ad for a Linux consultant.
When I find one, will follow that approach first.
I already think it will work out better than my VM plan.
So Bill, next time you’re in Bangkok, please allow me to offer you a fine steak dinner, with all the trimmings.
We get excellent Wagyu rib-eye here, flown in from Australia.
Posted by MadaboutDana
Oct 28, 2021 at 05:56 PM
Heh, thank you, Larry – but alas, I’m vegan (although because that’s a trigger for many people – for reasons that, I confess, are totally unclear to me – I now generally tell people I follow a “plant-based” diet). But I’ll happily join you at a Thai restaurant – they usually do great vegan food!
One of the most common Linux-based search engines is Lucene (now Apache Lucene), which is also at the heart of a number of other search engines. But this space is evolving very quickly – there are some nice recent recommendations here: https://www.linuxlinks.com/desktopsearchengines/
I hadn’t realised DocFetcher is available for Linux, but it’s a nice engine (also runs on Windows/macOS) which you could easily install yourself (there’s also a pay-for Pro version).
I’ve not heard of Recoll, but it sounds pretty cool (the underlying Xapian is also highly respected).
Cheers! (we could drink several beers together, too!)
Bill
Posted by MadaboutDana
Oct 28, 2021 at 06:01 PM
More on DocFetcher: http://docfetcher.sourceforge.net/en/index.html (I’d forgotten just how powerful even the free version is)
More on DocFetcher Pro: https://docfetcherpro.com/about/ (here the Java is built-in, so need to install a runtime, and it only costs USD 40!)
Cheers!
Bill