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Cadaver · Jun 28, 2004, 04:44 PM

http://www.karelia.com/watson/watsonFAQ.html

This blows. Watson was (is) a great application. I hope they didn't sellout - oops, I mean sell - to Microsoft.

kcmac · Jun 28, 2004, 05:33 PM

Who even uses it?

I was an early registered user. Honeymoon didn't last.

Nice at the time but relevant today? MS can have it.

Weezer · Jun 28, 2004, 07:08 PM

Originally posted by kcmac:
Who even uses it?

I was an early registered user. Honeymoon didn't last.

Nice at the time but relevant today? MS can have it.

The EyeTV integration is fantastic, I'm gonna be very sad if I lose that

Chuckit · Jun 28, 2004, 07:47 PM

But keep in mind, Apple's recent actions aren't in any way harmful to developers.

cpac · Jun 28, 2004, 08:06 PM

regardless of the morality of Apple's konfabulator imitation - with any luck, it's Apple that bought out Watson - (new channels in sherlock could easily be an unlisted feature that hasn't yet been announced)

kcmac · Jun 28, 2004, 08:37 PM

Originally posted by Chuckit:
But keep in mind, Apple's recent actions aren't in any way harmful to developers.

And Sherlock killed it? Who uses Sherlock either?

Come on. Watson did not come first.

cpac · Jun 28, 2004, 08:50 PM

Originally posted by kcmac:
And Sherlock killed it? Who uses Sherlock either?

Come on. Watson did not come first.

Well it did for much of what it did.

And as for who uses it - I'm one - almost daily between the movies, yellow/white pages, air schedules, stocks, ebay, and Apple Support. If they had the package tracking and TV listings (that work) of Watson, I think it'd be great.

Stradlater · Jun 28, 2004, 08:53 PM

Originally posted by kcmac:
And Sherlock killed it? Who uses Sherlock either?

Come on. Watson did not come first.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle told me that Sherlock and Watson were the bestest of friends. Friends do not kill friends! It is a mystery, however, where Watson has really gone.

MacGorilla · Jun 28, 2004, 09:36 PM

I used it from day one. When I heard the news, i fired up sherlock for the first time since I installed Mac OS X. Sherlock really does stink.

The rumor is Sun bought.

mrtew · Jun 28, 2004, 09:36 PM

I use Watson every day. I'm going to want my money back if it goes away! (Good luck eh?)

jokell82 · Jun 28, 2004, 09:38 PM

I also use it every day. It still has a huge following, despite being very similar to Sherlock.

Chuckit · Jun 28, 2004, 09:46 PM

Originally posted by kcmac:
And Sherlock killed it? Who uses Sherlock either?

Come on. Watson did not come first.

As I've pointed out before, Apple gave Karelia an award for Watson's innovation. This "Watson really didn't do anything Apple hadn't already thought of" argument doesn't hold water. Apple itself clearly disagrees with you.

yukon · Jun 29, 2004, 03:00 AM

Whoa, I thought Sherlock ended in OS 9, I never really paid attention. Just ran it, looks different now.

Sorry, just thought it was killed off, hadn't seen it since DP4/OS9. Obviously I don't use it ;-)

JKT · Jun 29, 2004, 04:48 AM

I use Watson every day too, but what most people fail to realise is that it isn't the app that is the important thing, it is the modules. Sherlock is a good app, but it lacks the modules I use in Watson and that is the only reason I continue to use Watson every day and Sherlock only infrequently. If the developer of Watson had any sense they would have abandoned their app on the release of Sherlock and developed better modules for Sherlock and sold those instead of their app (with current Watson users at the time getting them for free). Likewise Konfabulator - if they have any sense, build better widgets for Dashboard than those on offer/expand what is on offer and sell them instead. Hell, it works for the folks developing plug-ins for iMovie and themes for iDVD...

Maflynn · Jun 29, 2004, 06:21 AM

I completely forgotten about sherlock. It was only after the konfabulator comments did I remember that I have sherlock on my machine.

Mike

kcmac · Jun 29, 2004, 06:58 AM

Originally posted by JKT:
If the developer of Watson had any sense they would have abandoned their app on the release of Sherlock and developed better modules for Sherlock and sold those instead of their app (with current Watson users at the time getting them for free). Likewise Konfabulator - if they have any sense, build better widgets for Dashboard than those on offer/expand what is on offer and sell them instead. Hell, it works for the folks developing plug-ins for iMovie and themes for iDVD...

diskgolfking · Jun 29, 2004, 08:30 AM

Originally posted by JKT:
Likewise Konfabulator - if they have any sense, build better widgets for Dashboard than those on offer/expand what is on offer and sell them instead. Hell, it works for the folks developing plug-ins for iMovie and themes for iDVD...

Arlo and company are going to have to shift to a new business plan sooner or later anyway. At a certain point there just aren't going to be enough more people wanting to buy Konfabulator. I own it and am very happy with it. But I really don't see them adding any new features that would convince me to spend any more money on it. So they've got my $25 and now they're done. At some point they were going to have to find a new way to make money off it (or something else). So while Dashboard might stink for Konfabulator, it may actually offer some new and interesting opportunities. Silver lining people! Silver lining!

Krypton · Jun 29, 2004, 09:25 AM

If you read their faq carefully:

You will notice that Watson will become a new app.

Existing users will be able to upgrade to this new app (which is hinted at being Java/web based).

voyageur · Jun 29, 2004, 09:42 AM

I find Watson very useful. It's always open on my desktop. Meerkat, VersionTracker Weather, Phone numbers, Reference, TV listings, Package tracking....I use all of these. If they added a Flights tracker like Sherlock has, that would be nice.

Does anyone have a good guess as to which "large company" is buying it?

Angus_D · Jun 29, 2004, 10:59 AM

It was Sun.

Krypton · Jun 29, 2004, 11:43 AM

Originally posted by Angus_D:
It was Sun.

At least they'll get some serious money for it.

(BTW, as you're in the developer loop how are Apple doing with random Panther crashes?)

BZ · Jun 29, 2004, 12:11 PM

Been using Watson for years. I use it every day and will miss it when it is gone.

That being said, it has not really changed at all since they released it besides a few tweaks. If Sun comes out with a better version with an upgrade price, I am in. If not, I will go back to the world of Sherlock.

BZ

Angus_D · Jun 29, 2004, 02:23 PM

Originally posted by Krypton:
(BTW, as you're in the developer loop how are Apple doing with random Panther crashes?)

Which particular random Panther crashes would those be?

turtle777 · Jun 29, 2004, 02:35 PM

Originally posted by Stradlater:
... were the bestest of friends.

And that's the bestestest of superlatives I've seen

-t

Krypton · Jun 29, 2004, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by Angus_D:
Which particular random Panther crashes would those be?

[7 page Panther freezes thread

There's also a very long thread over at Ars and the Apple forums about this.]

dampeoples · Jun 29, 2004, 02:47 PM

I don't really like either one, but I use Sherlock since it's free if I need it.

Synotic · Jun 29, 2004, 02:54 PM

Originally posted by Krypton:
If you read their faq carefully:

You will notice that Watson will become a new app.

Existing users will be able to upgrade to this new app (which is hinted at being Java/web based).

I quite like Watson as it is. I can just see them ruining it by making Java/web based just so it can be "cross-compatible".