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turtle777 · 10:59 PM

What kind of software are you guys using to organize and manage your documents (text, PDF, Word DOC, images, URLS etc...)

I'm currently looking at the following apps:

DevonThink
Yojimbo
SOHO Notes
Journler

So far, I found DevonThink too ugly, Yojimbo a bit to underpowered, SOHO Notes too unstable, and Journler still in beta for Leopard.

*sigh*

I really like a lot of the features of SOHO, but all the comments online about bad customer service and unstable database keep me from evening trying further.

What I need is ability to import Word Doc w/o conversion, web pages, images, tagging, nice GUI and perhaps some handy keyboard shortcuts for quick import. The killer feature would be a shared database, accessible over the network. Only SOHO does that, but a corruption prone DB doesn't help.

Am I missing some magic bullet software that would just do all that and works reliably ?

-t

turtle777 · Mar 8, 2008, 10:15 PM

So nobody uses any of those apps, or has any insight on how to efficiently handle random pieces of information in OS X ?

-t

Doofy · Mar 8, 2008, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

What kind of software are you guys using to organize and manage your documents (text, PDF, Word DOC, images, URLS etc...)

Finder.

turtle777 · Mar 8, 2008, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Finder.

I almost thought someone was gonna come up with that.

Next up: sticky notes

-t

Doofy · Mar 8, 2008, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

I almost thought someone was gonna come up with that.

Well, it's there, innit?

I can't help feeling that these document management apps are just a geeky way of refreshing the computer experience, rather than anything useful - the computer equivalent of popping down to Ikea for a new couch to replace the perfectly serviceable existing one.

Can they actually do anything which a properly sorted directory tree and good search facilities (say, Spotlight) can't do?

OldManMac · Mar 9, 2008, 06:37 AM

In a couple of weeks, when I get my new iMac, I'm going to give Bento a try, although Doofy does have a point. I don't really need such a tool, as I am fairly well organized, but it looks intriguing and the few reviews I've read of it say it's good, so what the heck, I'll try it.

Mastrap · Mar 9, 2008, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Finder.

Agreed. I tried Yojimbo, and still have it installed, but I just don't find it all that useful.

turtle777 · Mar 9, 2008, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Well, it's there, innit?

I can't help feeling that these document management apps are just a geeky way of refreshing the computer experience, rather than anything useful - the computer equivalent of popping down to Ikea for a new couch to replace the perfectly serviceable existing one.

Can they actually do anything which a properly sorted directory tree and good search facilities (say, Spotlight) can't do?

Well, in general, I don't disagree, but it truly depends on huw much information you are trying to manage, and how diverse that information is.

Let's say you have a house renovation project, and you are gathering information about suppliers, pictures, layouts, URLS and all that kind of stuff, if you just dump it into the Finder and maybe certain subfolders, it will be still a bit tedious.

But what's worse, there is no good way of tagging information in the finder and easily retrieving it. Spotlight only goes half way here.

-t

imitchellg5 · Mar 9, 2008, 11:17 AM

Could you use Bento? Bento seems a bit overpowered for what you need though.

Love Calm Quiet · Mar 9, 2008, 11:42 AM

Bento is overpowered for doc mgmt?

If if might cope well with general purpose doc mgtm, Iuess I need to look into what it can do. I still use FM Pro 6 for little projects. And I know I'll prob need to upgrade when I move to an Intel Mac. I think I need to study Bento feature set (and stability of course).

turtle777 · Mar 9, 2008, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

Could you use Bento? Bento seems a bit overpowered for what you need though.

Thx. I'll have a look at Bento. I haven't heard about it before.

-t

turtle777 · Mar 9, 2008, 12:21 PM

Ok, so I had a look at Bento.

It is actually a GREAT idea and way of making a database accessible for Joe Public.

However, it seems to be a typical 1.0 software from Apple. I think I'd be all over it once 1.5 or 2.0 comes out. Right now, I'm not too sure.

I have to download the demo version and see what kind of "media" files are supported. The Bento Tech Specs page is a joke, no information listed there. I'll report back.

-t

Mastrap · Mar 9, 2008, 12:48 PM

Another possibility would be to pull this away from the desktop and go online instead. 37 Signals offers a whole bunch of online organizing tools. Most of them are free for personal use.

Personally I've got an install of AtiveCollab running on our servers and with the addition of google apps I can access what I need when I need it, from wherever I happen to be. I sync stuff to my MB, so in case I have no connectivity I can still access my info.

Yojimbo syncs with .mac btw, offering the best of both worlds.

Railroader · Mar 9, 2008, 01:02 PM

http://forums.macnn.com/applications/

turtle777 · Mar 9, 2008, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Railroader

http://forums.macnn.com/applications/

I thought about it, but this seems to be more broad than just one application.

I'm asking about people's tips, philosophy, approach and best practices as well, independent from the software package.

I understand the SW forum more as a "How to fix a problem" or "What app do I need to do this *specific* task" thing.

-t

turtle777 · Mar 9, 2008, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

Personally I've got an install of AtiveCollab running on our servers and with the addition of google apps I can access what I need when I need it, from wherever I happen to be. I sync stuff to my MB, so in case I have no connectivity I can still access my info.

Interesting idea. I'm gonna check that out.

-t

Mastrap · Mar 9, 2008, 03:42 PM

See if it works for you. ActiveCollab is a paid for package, but the 0.71 version (which works perfectly fine) is still available for download under an open source license.

mkral · Mar 9, 2008, 04:04 PM

SOHO Notes is horrible. I used to use the product (I forget what it was called before Chronosync or something) & it worked fine. I upgraded to SOHO notes because it was supposed to sync with .mac. It did nothing but cause problems. I lost a ton of notes & will never do biz with Chronos again.

vmarks · Mar 9, 2008, 10:38 PM

Some folks use circusponies notebook, other folks use marinersoftware's macjournal.

I've used some of the Devon products, but ended up falling out of the habit with them.

turtle777 · Mar 9, 2008, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by vmarks

Some folks use circusponies notebook

LOL, I never heard of that.

Checking it out right now.

-t

turtle777 · 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by vmarks

circusponies notebook

I'm really liking it. The concept is easy, the implementation seems quite well and robust.
It even attached Word docs w/o a hitch, so old stuff can be attached w/o having to re-invent or format it.

Anyone here using it and liking it ?

-t