Recent Posts

601

GOE 2007 Challenge Downloads / Re: Evaluweight - GOE Challenge 2007 Entry

« Last post by dr_andus on January 13, 2014, 09:46 AM »

The AHK is fine. Nice tool! Although I had trouble exporting and re-importing into Excel. The columns and the rows got inverted and the column headings weren't aligned, just listed in a row below. Also, the calculated results weren't exported in the text file. Could it be because I only filled in data in the first 3 columns and left column 4 and 5 blank?

602

GOE 2007 Challenge Downloads / Re: Evaluweight - GOE Challenge 2007 Entry

« Last post by dr_andus on January 13, 2014, 09:32 AM »

I've just downloaded the Zip file and got the following AVG alert:

603

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 13, 2014, 05:13 AM »

However, I do think that for a single note use, and with minimising the extra cost being important, the choice really comes down to Android or Chromebook.

-Dormouse (January 13, 2014, 04:54 AM)

Thanks for your suggestions. In the end I have decided to go with the HP Chromebook 14. I was able to get it for GBP250.10 at the HP Student Store.

Key selling points vis-à-vis other (incl. forthcoming) Chromebooks: largest screen on the market (14in); largest keyboard, white, so it's illuminated by screen when dark; most RAM (4GB); best battery life (9.5 hrs); free 3G+ connectivity for 2yrs, free 100 GB Google Drive storage for 2 yrs; boots in few seconds and afterwards it's instantly on, when woken from sleep. Most software in Chrome App store are free (though I'm sure it won't be like that forever). Edit: forgot to add that I can also install Linux on it.
 
It will be mostly for use at home and in the office. Otherwise I still have my iPod Touch for taking notes when I'm out and about.

604

Living Room / Re: YouTube finally forces creation of google+ A/C to comment

« Last post by dr_andus on January 10, 2014, 11:19 AM »

A few months ago,  I bought a Nexus 7 tablet and put both of my Gmail accounts on it.  But the account from which I have logged into PlayStore to buy apps is my first Gmail account.  Well, a few days ago I tried to post a review of an app that I bought and love.  I tried to post it from my main Gmail account, but I was told I had to join Google+ to post a review.  So I switched to the secondary Gmail account, only to be told "you have to install the app before you can review it."  Apparently, even though both Gmail accounts are on the tablet, and both are in my name, only the first account is recognized as having the app

-cyberdiva (January 10, 2014, 10:09 AM)

Hm, I was thinking of doing something similar with a Chromebook I was planning to get. But this now makes me wonder how easy it is to operate with two or more Google/Gmail account identities within one Chrome machine...

Mind you, I'm not on Google+ and neither do I want to get on it.

605

PBOL / Re: Latest Progress Bars of Life - Version 2.00.00 - Jan 3, 2014

« Last post by dr_andus on January 10, 2014, 07:59 AM »

Thanks for that!

606

General Software Discussion / Re: [concept feedback] Workload management software

« Last post by dr_andus on January 09, 2014, 06:41 PM »

This description of productivity issues and solutions might be relevant here:

The Long and Winding Road to WorkFlowy

607

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 09, 2014, 09:36 AM »

I don't know if you've looked into rolling your investment into your new platform, but that's what I've done and its kept the cost of the iPad manageable.

-wraith808 (January 09, 2014, 08:19 AM)

Thanks. That's a good point and an interesting strategy. It looks like on eBay UK my version goes for about GBP100, which could knock off a quarter of the cost of buying a new one with double the memory. Though I' still need to spend on the keyboard.

Or, I could keep my iPad 1 for the things it can still do, and for fast note-taking go for the Chromebook, which would still be cheaper than the above option, and with some added benefits.

In the meantime I looked into writing apps, Markdown apps, and text editors on Chrome, and there are actually several interesting ones (some of them with Dropbox sync and offline versions as well):

WordFlow by GRAVVITY - a kind of a WriteMonkey for Chrome

StackEdit - for Markdown

Caret -text editor

608

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 09, 2014, 06:02 AM »

Check the specs: The HP Chromebook 14 weighs over 4 lbs, nearly twice the weight of the Asus T100, which is a full Windows 8.1 device and includes a full version of MS Office 2013 in the $349 price of the 32GB version.  The HP has a bigger screen, but the same measly 1366x768 resolution, meaning that it is considerably less sharp visually. By comparison, the Nexus 7 has 1980x1200, the Nexus 10 has 2560x1600 resolution. The T100 also has better battery life (over 11 hours, supposedly).

-xtabber (January 08, 2014, 09:58 PM)

I hear ya. What I'm realising though that these kind of decisions are becoming increasingly difficult because a) people have very different note-taking needs, b) are locked into different OS eco-systems, and c) have a range of legacy devices.

In my case I primarily want to be able to type my own notes as quickly and conveniently as possible and be able to sync them across my devices. So in theory, the most basic machine that can turn on instantly, has a great keyboard, and has a decent plain text editor that has good syncing with Dropbox would do.

As I already have a Win7, 64-bit desktop PC, a Win XP Asus eee netbook, and an iPad 1 and an iPod Touch, I just don't feel the need for another full-on system. All my devices work fine, but they are not the best for taking written notes (e.g. writing a journal entry at the end of the day in my bed or while lounging on the sofa) because they're too small, or too big, or too slow or not instantly on.

This is why I'm feeling that it's crazy to spend GBP400+ for me on another device just so I can take plain text notes more conveniently. And this is why the HP Chromebook 14 feels right: it's the cheapest solution so far (by GBP100 from Asus T100), and covers the basics, plus the free internet access is a nice touch for syncing those text files when away from wifi.

Here's an interesting argument for the Chromebook:

The true value in ChromeOS is what it DOESN'T have. Critics say "a Macbook or Windows laptop will give you the same Chrome browser, plus a lot more as well!", but that misses the point entirely. Those laptops don't come with the killer feature of ChromeOS: the LACK of a traditional OS.

The lack of a traditional OS means you do not have to deal with the myriad frustrations of Windows, Mac or even Linux. You get instant on, constant updates, no registry corruption, no accumulated accretions and eventual slowdowns, no viruses and conflicts.  In theory, as long as the hardware holds up, a ChromeOS device will be as slick and responsive in five years as it is out of the box.

But actually it's possible to install Linux on the Chromebook, so that opens up a few more possibilities.

P.S. But the main thing that launched me on this quest was how quickly my iPad 1 became obsolete, and how much money it would cost to replace it, when I mostly just use it for basic tasks. I want out of the tablet obsolescence game, and Chromebooks are so cheap relatively speaking, that I won't feel bad replacing them in a couple of years time when a more powerful version comes out.

609

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 08, 2014, 06:51 PM »

I don't see any vents on the CB either.  with its SSD, you probably don't need them.  I certainly haven't heard any fans either.  

the worst part about my Chromebook is the fact it is a loaner.  st some point I will have to return it ... and then get my own.  But I am wanting one with a larger screen.  

-techidave (January 03, 2014, 05:34 AM)

Although I set out looking for a tablet + keyboard + app combination, I'm starting to lean towards the Chromebook idea. The new HP Chromebook 14 seems interesting. Bigger screen, bigger keyboard, more memory, faster processor (than the Samsung 303), and people are reporting 9+ hr battery life. There is a fan to cool the processor, but supposedly it's not too loud. Plus there is 2 yrs free (though limited) mobile internet access with one of the models.

The key benefits are the speed, half the price of the iPad Air + ZAGGKeys keyboard combo, instant on from sleep, battery life, integrated keyboard, not as heavy as a netbook/laptop.

Edit: here is an informative discussion of the pros and cons of the HP Chromebook 14.

610

N.A.N.Y. 2012 / Re: NANY 2012 - Pledge & Final Release: Stick A Note

« Last post by dr_andus on January 07, 2014, 04:00 AM »

Thanks, IainB. Here is the direct link to like Stick A Note on AlternativeTo.net

611

N.A.N.Y. 2012 / Re: NANY 2012 - Pledge & Final Release: Stick A Note

« Last post by dr_andus on January 06, 2014, 11:43 AM »

Hi Anand,

I really like Stick-A-Note. If you have the time, I suggest you add it to AlternativeTo.net as an alternative to GumNotes etc. When it comes to sticking notes to a specific document and application window, I find that SAN outshines the competition, so it deserves to be more widely known.

612

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Stick-A-Note + Universal Viewer - Mini-Review

« Last post by dr_andus on January 06, 2014, 06:01 AM »

Thanks, IainB. My problem with ConnectedText was of a slightly different nature. There are two ways of viewing a CT topic: in its main window, and/or in a floating window. The problem was that the same topic is displayed with different window titles, so that if I created a Stick-A-Note (or GumNote) in one or the other, it would only show up in that particular window.

However, eventually I figured out that if I remove all the superfluous window-specific text and leave only the topic title in the Stick-A-Note (or GumNote) header, then it would work with both. E.g. a topic in the main window would have:

ConnectedText - The Personal Wiki System - [project title:topic title]

while, in a floating window it would show

project title - topic title

So if I delete all the superfluous stuff ("ConnectedText - The Personal Wiki System - [project title: ...]" or "project title - " in the Stick-A-Note window, and only leave "topic title" for both, then the note would show up regardless which type of window is being used.

After a bit more testing I found that Stick-A-Note is more reliable than GumNotes. Sometimes document-specific GumNotes just would not show up when the given document or software window is called up, which defeats the whole purpose of having these notes. On the other hand, Stick-A-Note seems remarkably consistent, and the fact that it moves with its window makes it the winner for me.

Now if only Stick-A-Note had some kind of a basic note-viewer pane that could be called up with a shortcut, and the ability to export the notes (individually or collated into a single text file).  

613

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Stick-A-Note + Universal Viewer - Mini-Review

« Last post by dr_andus on January 05, 2014, 08:35 PM »

I have just done a quick trial of Stick-A-Note, Stickies, Notezilla, and GumNotes, hoping to be able to use them to annotate ConnectedText topics (when viewed in the main window and in floating windows). Stick-A-Note and GumNotes emerged as the most promising, as those seem to be the only ones that you can create as notes linked to a specific document window with a single hotkey. I did have some problems with not being able to attach a note so that it would show when a topic is called up both in CT's main window and/or in a floating window, but turned out that both Stick-A-Note and GumNotes allow you to edit down the title of the note to the actual title of the CT topic, and then it recognises them, no matter in what kind of window they are displayed.

Comparing Stick-A-Note and GumNotes directly, the advantage of the former is that it does follow the window when you drag it around. On the other hand, GumNotes' strength is that it does have a viewing window for all notes and also has quick text export functions.

614

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Code Sector software 50% off through January 7, 2014

« Last post by dr_andus on January 05, 2014, 06:40 PM »

been eyeing Direct Folders for some time

-lanux128 (January 02, 2014, 09:03 AM)

Rather than Listary?

-rjbull (January 05, 2014, 04:51 PM)

I have both but I end up using Direct Folders a lot more often for some reason.

615

Finished Programs / Re: SOLVED: "Dressed" links

« Last post by dr_andus on January 05, 2014, 06:37 PM »

Great add-ons, thanks IainB!

616

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 04, 2014, 12:43 PM »

Though I enjoy my Venue Pro, I think I'm getting an iPad Mini when i get a chance.  That same ecosystem that we as hackers and technologies skewer them for?  When you just need to get things done, and you're already used to it, it's hard to change to the wild west paradigm.

Oh... and what Markdown Editors do you use on the iPad?  Just wondering...

-wraith808 (January 04, 2014, 12:11 PM)

I've read quite a few reviews by now (and there is one iPad Mini 2 in my household), and my impression is that there is such a small difference in terms of weight and everything else, that if you want to use it for more serious work it's better to go for the iPad Air (larger screen, basically).

As for Markdown editors on iOS, I haven't been able to try the most celebrated ones (Editorial, Byword) because they don't work on iOS 5 that I have. When it comes to iOS note-taking and writing apps, Markdown rendering doesn't matter to me all that much because as long as I can write in plain text, I can write in Markdown, and then I can transfer it via Dropbox to my PC and use my tools there to process the Markdown.

My favourite plain text note-taker used to be Nebulous Notes because it gave me the most control over syncing via Dropbox, so I could decide what is online, what is local, and what needs to be overwritten and when. Unfortunately lately it became too slow on iPad 1. It also has good macros for the on-screen keyboard.

If I need to write something longer, I'd use iA Writer, which has beautiful font and a clean full-screen view (but poor syncing options). For very short notes, I would use WorkFlowy (which unfortunately just today 'upgraded' itself to view-only in iOS 5, which sucks).

I also tried a bunch of other editors/writing apps (Daedalus, Texts, PlainText, Notebooks), but I thought iA Writer and Nebulous Notes were better. BTW, all of these can do Markdown rendering, except WorkFlowy (which is more of an outliner, to-do manager).

617

PBOL / Re: Latest Progress Bars of Life - Version 2.00.00 - Jan 3, 2014

« Last post by dr_andus on January 04, 2014, 09:24 AM »

Great, thanks! I love the Zeno alerts...

A feature request/suggestion: it would be nice to have an option to display the end date (or time) for an event, in parentheses. E.g.

Sue's birthday: 3 wks remaining (25-Jan)

or an example without "remaining" and using a different format:

Sue's birthday: 3 wks (25/1)

I know that it's a bit of a hassle that people around the world display dates in different order (25-Jan, Jan-25, 25/1, 1/25). I'd prefer it the British way, but can live with a US version.

Thanks for considering.

618

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 04, 2014, 08:38 AM »

Finally, while I don't use an Android editor with your requirements, and so can't give you any recommendations, here is a place to start looking.

-xtabber (January 04, 2014, 07:22 AM)

xtabber -thanks for your thoughts and suggestions. Actually capturing notes on the go is not a problem, as my iPod touch 4th gen. is highly portable and great for that. It is more for the home and for work when I don't want to turn on or wake a PC/laptop/netbook. My old iPad fit the bill, but I didn't have a good keyboard for it.

I'd be more interested in the forthcoming Nexus 10 (2) with a keyboard folio case (but it would probably work with the Nimblstand as well). Big screen is better both for writing and for reading and annotating PDFs, for instance. Good to see there are now some decent Markdown editors for Android too.

619

General Software Discussion / Re: Too many programs in my start menu!

« Last post by dr_andus on January 04, 2014, 08:25 AM »

Organize your Start Menu into folders.

-xtabber (January 04, 2014, 07:39 AM)

Classic Shell is another option. It seems to be fairly straightforward to create a new folder.

Edit: sorry, this is more relevant actually for Win7 users.

620

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 03, 2014, 11:25 AM »

I'm in the UK

-dr_andus (January 03, 2014, 05:28 AM)

Ah... that sucks.  

-wraith808 (January 03, 2014, 09:56 AM)

Nah, it's not that bad.   But many thanks for the extensive suggestions and links. I'll have a think about the various options.

Btw I have to agree with paulo -- if i was just wanting a device for notetaking, i'd prefer to be carrying out a small little windows netbook with a good built-in keyboard.

-mouser (January 03, 2014, 10:20 AM)

I think we're talking about very different types of note-taking. Yes, if I'm preparing for a big writing job while I'm mobile, I'll definitely take my Asus Win XP netbook with me. It's a replica of my PC workstation.

But here I'm talking about ad hoc notes, ideas that occur to you when you least expect them (which is why I keep talking about taking notes at night while I'm in bed). In those situations I would use a tablet when I'm home or at work, and a PDA/smartphone (iPod Touch in my case) everywhere else, because I can just whip them out and take the notes before I forget them, even if I'm in the gym changing room or out shopping. Carrying around a netbook would be too taxing, and I'd forget what I wanted to write down by the time I'd boot it.

More and more of google's apps are designed to work offline.  1st generation of stuff, you had to be online, but now they are seeing one of the errors of their ways and changing it.  and they do have a dropbox app too!

-techidave (January 03, 2014, 10:24 AM)

Thanks. I'm wondering though if Google Chrome apps have really 'arrived' yet. I looked at the top rated note-taking and distraction-free writing app reviews in the Chrome store, and a lot of users mention losing data due to sync problems or forgetting to save it, which has never happened to me on iOS over the past 3 years (well, ok, there was the Simplenote incident, but I mean with my other apps of choice). It suggests to me that the Chrome system hasn't quite reached maturity the way iOS did.

621

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 03, 2014, 09:37 AM »

well Doc, I was leary of the Chromebooks to at first.

-techidave (January 03, 2014, 05:34 AM)

Does Chromebook have any nice writing apps (preferably plain text with markdown) that also work offline and sync with Dropbox?

622

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 03, 2014, 08:17 AM »

On another forum someone just suggested Nimblstand, which extends the Apple Wireless Keyboard (which is the best keyboard I've ever used - I use it with my PC) and seems to work with most tablets (though it has a bit of a problem with iPad Air, but they offer a free fix for it).

It does not offer protection for the tablet and it's not backlit, so Zagg and ClamCase might still have an edge. I read somewhere that the Zagg keyboard is the closest to the Apple Wireless typing experience (of the keyboard cases on the market).

623

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 03, 2014, 07:59 AM »

As my main concern is writing, I would pick up a netbook over a tablet anytime.

I do a lot of writing, most of it txts (writemonkey!) synced through dropbox. I also have some Scrivener projects, synced through dropbox.

-paulobrabo (January 03, 2014, 06:42 AM)

Please note that I'm not just looking for a writing machine in general. For that there is my PC (where I also use WriteMonkey, Outline 4D, Gingko app, Scrivener or Dragon NS for various writing tasks).

I want a portable and cordless note-taking/writing solution that I can use when I expressly do not want to turn on my PC or my netbook. It might be the weekend when I don't want to turn on my work machine, or the middle of the night, when I just had an idea before falling asleep, or sitting on the couch, or being out and about, or at a business meeting.

Originally I bought my Asus eee PC exactly for this reason. However, eventually the ever-increasing booting or waking-up time with Win machines just put me off from using them. The competition to what I am looking for is pen and paper, which are instantly on.

624

Living Room / Re: Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 03, 2014, 05:28 AM »

You might try a clamcase instead of the zagg.

-wraith808 (January 02, 2014, 08:07 PM)

Thanks. Looks good but it's not out yet for iPad Air and also I'm in the UK, so I suspect it will take a few more months to get here.

Did you consider using a digitizer with a tablet solution?

-wraith808 (January 02, 2014, 08:07 PM)

Interesting suggestion. Do you have any particular tablet + software in mind to do this with? I presume this would use handwriting recognition? The last time I used that was with my Palm T|X...

i might suggest adding to the list of requirements, that the setup also make it easy to sync such notes between machines, that would be a nice benefit.

-mouser (January 02, 2014, 10:29 PM)

Yes, actually that's why I said plain text with Dropbox. To me that seems to be the best option, as long as the app does a good job of managing local copies (Nebulous Notes does).

if apple ALREADY has an app that does exactly what you want, get it.  if not, go with android.

-superboyac (January 02, 2014, 11:29 PM)

iOS do seem to have some very nice apps. I'd be perfectly happy with Nebulous Notes if it hadn't stopped working properly with iPad 1. My main concern is not the app but the rapid obsolescence of Apple hardware.

the most flexible android tablet is the nexus 7.  if you need bigger and can wait, wait a little longer to get the next large nexus that comes out, nexus 10 or whatever.

-superboyac (January 02, 2014, 11:29 PM)

Nexus 7 is too small. I'm really after a comfortable note-taking and writing experience (ability to see largest amount of text possible), so Nexus 10 would be more like it.

evernote is the easiest solution here, but it probably doesn't satisfy your more particular requirements.

Check out Simplenote:
http://simplenote.com/

-superboyac (January 02, 2014, 11:29 PM)

Thanks, but I'd prefer the plain txt + Dropbox combo, to keep things safe. Evernote is overkill and too pretty for my taste. I've had problems once with Simplenote and lost some data, so I'm not going back there.

keyboard shouldn't be an issue at all.  find the best bluetooth keyboard you like, and it should work fine.

-superboyac (January 02, 2014, 11:29 PM)

Do you have a concrete suggestion? The keyboard is an important part of the setup, it needs to protect the tablet and also prop it up safely for different writing positions and viewing angles.

@Paulo
Which netbook do you have? All the Windows (XP and 7) netbooks I tried, were not instant-on.

-fgrieser (January 03, 2014, 04:21 AM)

Same here. I also have XP and Win7 netbooks, and neither of them are instantly on. I want to be able to take a note as quickly as possible, e.g. even when I wake up in the middle of the night, so instant-on and off is essential.

how about a Google Chromebook?  I am using the Samsung Model 303 which is 11.6" screen and about as close to instant on as you will find in a laptop.

-techidave (January 03, 2014, 05:07 AM)

Really? I just can't imagine any of the netbook formats to be as instant as tablets are. Also, with netbooks there is the issue of blocking the vents, when resting it on fabric like a duvet...

Thanks very much for all the suggestions so far!

P.S. I forgot to mention that I am primarily concentrating on capturing written notes and doing writing with this setup. I'm not after an overall note-taking database, as I already have one. All text notes would end up in my desktop wiki (ConnectedText).

625

Living Room / Best note-taking setup with tablet and keyboard?

« Last post by dr_andus on January 02, 2014, 07:28 PM »

I'm looking for a tablet + external keyboard + note-taking/writing app combination that would provide the best note-taking experience.

My requirements:

- I should be able to switch on the tablet + keyboard instantly (even in the middle of the night) to be able to take notes as quickly as possible. Hence netbooks, laptops etc. that require boot-up are not suitable.

- The keyboard should attach to the tablet and prop up the tablet firmly, so I can type in most situations, such as on a sofa, bed, my lap, moving vehicles etc. (i.e. not just on a perfectly flat and motionless surface). The keyboard should also serve as a folio case and provide protection to the screen and possibly the entire tablet.

- The keyboard should be as close as possible in size and function to a decent keyboard (like the Apple Wireless). Backlit keys or keyboard would be preferable, so it could be used in poor or low light conditions.

- The app should be minimalist, distraction-free, plain text, recognise Markdown, and sync with Dropbox but also have local copies for off-line use.

I have an iPad 1 and my favourite note-taking app (Nebulous Notes) stopped working satisfactorily on it, and many of the interesting apps now require iOS 6 or above, which is not available on iPad 1 (stuck with iOS 5). There are also performance issues with the iPad 1 now.

As I own some iOS apps already, my instinct is to go for an iPad Air with ZAGGkeys Folio with Backlit Keyboard, also because there seem to be many interesting note-taking and writing apps on there (Editorial, Byword etc.).

However, I'm completely ignorant about Android and Windows 8 tablets, keyboards, and apps, and this could be an opportunity to consider if better alternatives might exist before I lock myself in further with Apple. Would anyone have any Android/Windows suggestions for the above?

My budget is roughly what a 32GB wifi-only iPad Air costs now, plus the ZAGG keyboard. So unfortunately the Surface Pro is out of reach, as it's double of that.

Also, please don't suggest to me to use a pen and a paper notebook.   I have tried that already, and it's a nightmare to try to find a note within the ten notebooks I have with 200 pages each. Cheerio!