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Nemo - it's like Outlook Calendar for files

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timns:
Anyone played with this:

http://www.nemo-docs.com/

I think it has some real potential. We should probably let Paul Keith loose on it for a start.

Freeware.

Paul Keith:
Basic Info
App NameNemo DocumentApp URLhttp://www.nemo-docs.com/App Version Reviewed0.96Test System SpecsWindows XPSupported OSesWindows XP/7/LinuxSupport Methodshttp://twitter.com/nemodocsUpgrade Policyhttp://www.nemo-docs.com/blog/Pricing SchemeFree DownloadReason for ReviewingLink

Intro:

timns described it better than me. It's like Outlook Calendar but for files.

Nemo - it's like Outlook Calendar for files


Who is this app designed for:

Hard to say. If you click on Nemo's Review Link, you'll get such ideas as:

Makeuseof.com

“I can see the calendar view being useful to anyone that is GTD-conscious (red: Getting Things Done) and may want to review files that s/he is working on.”

The Good

Google sync. I didn't actually try it but apparently it can sync with Google Calendar + Google Docs.

Linux version with .deb (i.e. click and install on Ubuntu for anyone coming from Windows)

The needs improvement section

The philosophy.

SpoilerThe application seems to be well praised and the marketing on the windows page as a file manager sounds good at first (the linux page is more honest: It's a new way of managing files. Or rather not manage files. Currently it's a cross between a calendar and a file browser with labels. It's a free/open source GTK application for Linux written in C#.)

...but eventually it becomes apparent that you can't create files and folders within it which is the main functionality of Outlook interfaces like these. Many of the reviewers also appear to be praising it not for the Outlook design but because it supports labels.

Unfortunately the developers seem to have forgotten that labels work for anything without folders not as a supplement to them especially when creation of said folders can be done in an actual file manager.

In the end, it becomes no more than a pretty "layer" file labeler before you actually want to mess with the files.

SpoilerUnfortunately here too it fails because Months/Weeks/Days are not how most people sort files otherwise most of us won't be trying to clear up our recent documents files.

What is worse is that it simply flat out loses to it's alternatives, not even because it's still in beta, but because their concepts were better.

RecentX for example goes a whole nine yards further in trying to understand the file organization behind Recent Documents and in turn becomes a decent launcher versus a file manager that is actually a file labeler.

Everything, Locate32 and DocFetcher on the other hand are much more meaner and faster file indexer.

Finally for labels...well there are several taggers but I personally use Ultra Explorer...but any file manager that supports bookmarks/favorites can work.

I mention these other softwares though not to downplay Nemo Documents but to show how it seems to be missing an identity. It seems it took one potentially great idea - making a Calendar View for files...and just stuck with it.

Why I think you should use this product

For the ideas, the experience and maybe a lesson in marketing.

As timns said, this is still a software with tons of potential. It's simply an application that will hook you in at first and just the concept alone makes any user a marketer for it when describing it.

It's just that cool whether it is from the screenshot, to the tagline or even upon hitting the page.

SpoilerIt's also a perfect example of a swing and a miss in terms of marketing.

This may seem unimportant if you are looking at it through the lens of marketing as advertising but if it's seen from a usability enhancing perspective, this concept's limitation as a file labeler simply could have been it's strengths...if only it unstuck itself with Outlook and only tried to import the cool options seen there.

Take JetStart for example. It's a launcher that's "nearly" the same functionality as Nemo but without a calendar view and a file indexer and is only limited to programs but it works well as a file labeler because it tries to work within the realms of a file labeler. (double click - search - add for example over slow file indexing)

How does it compare to similar apps

As far as I know, it is a program all it's own.

Conclusions

Nemo is a pretty file labeler for desktop users and those who are looking for a beautiful way to see their files should definitely check it out but those who aren't wooed by the initial interface should just skip it totally.

timns:
Wow - surely some record for fastest-ever review? Thanks Paul.

I'm hoping they'll address some of your concerns - it does still appear to be in beta, so maybe they're still gathering and improving requirements. The developers seem active on GetSatisfaction, so now may be the time to speak up.

arj:
This is Anders from Nemo Documents :)

First of all thanks for the review. We are always very interested in feedback, whether good or bad.

I'll address the issues raised a little later, will just let them sink in first. Just wanted to let you know that we are listening :-)

mouser:
Welcome to the site arj  :up:

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