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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Applications > I'm looking for a general purpose database app to organize data

I'm looking for a general purpose database app to organize data
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Atheist
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May 23, 2007, 10:02 AM
 
I realize that is an awfully vague title but I'm not sure exactly how to state what I'm looking for. In the past I've always relied on my memory with respect to my work (software engineer) to keep track of all of the programming languages and techniques and configuration/administration tasks. But was you know, this industry changes daily and as I'm forced to continually learn new languages and concepts I'm finding it harder to keep it all straight. It's time to start organizing it in some sort of database. I'd like to be able to categorize things by keywords for easy searching and to be able to link to websites and also store screen shots. Maybe even link to email messages. For you Harry Potter fans out there... I'm looking for an electronic searchable "Pensieve".

Any ideas?
     
TETENAL
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May 23, 2007, 10:05 AM
 
NeoOffice comes with a database module.
     
zro
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May 23, 2007, 10:29 AM
 
Why not use something web based? There are lots of CMS packages that support "tags" or keywords, you can post a link or a picture with them. Best of all you could then access that information from anywhere.
     
peeb
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May 23, 2007, 10:52 AM
 
I think you are talking about something to organize notes and things, and I don't think NeoOffice is going to make that very easy. Presumably you have tried just using spotlight?
Personally, I use Mark / Space Memopad for this - very simply, very easy, but you might try Scrivener - it's really a writing tool, but might do what you want, or Journaller, again, a notes organizer.
Possibly even OmniOutliner.
     
Mithras
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May 23, 2007, 11:49 AM
 
Sounds to me like you want one of the apps in the "info organizer" space. In very rough order from simpler to more complex, these include:

- Notational Velocity
- VooDooPad
- Journler
- Mori
- Yojimbo
- SOHO Notes
- DevonThink
- Tinderbox

I think the most popular out of these are probably Notational Velocity, Yojimbo, and DevonThink, but it's a very personal kind of decision.
     
Atheist  (op)
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May 23, 2007, 12:29 PM
 
Thanks Mithras... DEVONthink and Yojimbo are the kind of apps I was thinking of. I'll give them a try...
     
OreoCookie
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May 23, 2007, 01:41 PM
 
Although it is geared towards media files, iView MediaPro also handles pdf files, office files (.doc, .rtf, .xls, etc.), various text file formats (.txt, .html, .xml, .php), so this might also be worth a look.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
techtrucker
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May 23, 2007, 06:08 PM
 
I needed the same thing you're describing...tried out many apps and settled on Yojimbo. Now I's be lost without it, esp. the Drop Dock.
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Mithras
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May 23, 2007, 07:12 PM
 
OT: techtrucker, weren't you considering moving to somewhere new awhile ago? Did that happen, and if so, how'd it go? Where'd you pick, and why?
     
techtrucker
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May 23, 2007, 07:24 PM
 
Mithras,

Surprised you remember that!! I am still actively researching our move, I've been so busy at work I don't have a lot of free time. I was thinking about starting a new thread on the lounge for more feedback. Basically we're tired of NJ, have jobs that could be found just about anywhere, have no kids, and want to move somewhere where we can live more comfortably. We're not city people, we're more into nature, outdoors, etc. Lately I've been researching the southeast, still some good deals in real estate down that way. But I love the western US, spent a lot of time in CO, AZ and CA. So to sum it up it's still a work in progress!

Thanks for asking, sorry for being off topic.
MacBook 2.0 160/2GB/SuperDrive
Lots of older Macs
     
   
 
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