My Digital Documents 2011 on BDJ Today 4-7-12

[bob99]

My Digital Documents 2011 is on BDJ today for 75% off. Regularly $99.99.
http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/my-digital-documents-2011/

Their web site is http://www.mydigitalapps.com/

There's been a few topics & discussions here before on document catalog programs. I searched but nothing came up where this one was mentioned. This looks interesting and I'm going to try and make time today to download the trial.  In the mean time I was wondering if anyone here has already tried it and what they think?

Partial description from their web site:

My Digital Documents 2011 is an easy to use application that allows you to organize, store and retrive electronic files.  The Category Explorer is a hierarchal representation of a directory structor, so it's easy to organize your documents the way you want.


    You can create as many document databases as you need without limitation.

    Protect any document databases using powerful 256 bit Encryption.

    Use Version Control to save incremental changes of the files you work with... Recover earlier versions of the file with the ease and piece of mind My Digital Documents 2011 provides.

    Set a backup location and backup your document databases with the click of a button.  Each document database remembers its own backup location!

    Scan documents into your document database using the built in Scanning software.

    Search for documents by supplying a key word to locate them or use the powerful Document Tagging feature.

    View multiple documents (See supported document views) simultaneously or one at a time.

    Support for Very Large Files up to (but not limited to) 50 MB.

Disclaimer: No affiliations with the program, developer or BDJ

[J-Mac]

Well, the professional version of this program is on Bits today for $99.

Does anyone have this? While I have searched fruitlessly for a decent document management program for home use, this one appears to not be the one for me. The discounted price of $99 is half off their regular price of $199! Pretty hefty, especially since - like most software - only minor updates are included free. And in their words,

"Upgrades to future versions of the software will be free up to the next major version. For versions after that, upgrades will require additional payment, which will not be discounted."

(Emphasis mine)

No discount at all for major upgrades? That's a policy I don’t think I could accept. I tried to find a version history to see how long between major upgrades but there does not appear to be any version history on their web site. I guess I could read through the last few years of their blog to see if that reveals when each new version was announced, but...  nah, I don’t really feel like doing that!

I don’t mind spending a fair price for software that I believe I will use to the fullest extent I can, but without knowing when I will be burdened with another large upgrade cost - gotta figure at least $199 or even more when it is released - and without being able to see when and how often they have released major upgrades in the past, I have to pass on this one.

However I am still interested in hearing from anyone here who is using this.

Thanks!

Jim

PS - Whatever happened to the document mgmt. software that Wagglesoft said was forthcoming? Anyone know more about that?

[wraith808]

Waggleimage?  Or was there something else?

[J-Mac]

Waggleimage?  Or was there something else?

-wraith808 (January 26, 2013, 09:48 AM)

No, when asked about a full document management system for all documents, not just scanned PDF files, the developer posted about an upcoming software, WaggleDMS, that they were working on. Looks like they are still working on it; web site says it is in "closed beta".  Here's the link: http://wagglesoft.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17&Itemid=19

And here's where he described it on DC:  https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=15801.msg254064#msg254064

Jim

[wraith808]

Ah... that does look cool.  The only think I struggle with in those cases is the integrated database.  I think I've come to the point where I'm sure that I just like pointers to the documents on disk.  I'm still struggling and looking, however.

From the Website for the Pro version:

PROFESSIONAL EDITION
My Digital Documents 2012 Professional Edition is a Multi-User version that utilizes Microsoft SQL Server™ and is suitable for both home users (for you power-users) as well as small and medium size businesses.

Very little technical knowledge is necessary to setup Microsoft SQL Server, (we’ve made that easy by providing a step by step tutorial) in our Support section.

You can store individual files in excess of 750MB each into your databases!

If using SQL Server Express 2012 your databases can reach a maximum size of 10GB.  Much bigger if you’re using Microsoft SQL Server Standard or higher (sold separately).

Limited security permissions prevent other users from inadvertently deleting other users folders or files.

[johnk]

I spent some time recently reviewing the various options for a document organiser, and ended up going with Filecenter.

One of my criteria was that the program should use the Windows file system for storage, rather than move or copy the files to a separate database. That did limit the options.

In many ways, Filecenter is just a pretty interface to the Windows file system. Its UI, based on "Cabinets" and "Drawers", just represent folders and sub-folders. The Standard version ($49), doesn't even have a built-in search engine (it uses Windows Search or one of a selected number of other third-party options, if you have them). PDF is its main focus, but it will store any type of file, and the built-in viewer will preview many of them.

It works well, it encourages me to be methodical, and it offers everything I need (scanning, filing, searching, previewing) in one program. May not suit you, but worth a look.

[wraith808]

Thanks for the response.  I had a no-go from the first, as it's priced per computer.  The standard version also seems to be $49 until the end of the month; then its $99 just a heads-up for anyone else that wants a look.  I will say, however, looking at it, it does look nice.  I just have two computers and a laptop that I need to organize between (one of the reasons that I don't look at the internal db ones anymore).  I'd like something where I could put my files on my NAS and point to them there from any of the computers.  The search continues...

[40hz]

I use BenubirdPDF for document organization when I'm running Windows. It seems to be very similar to this app. It's also free.
 

[johnk]

I did take a look at Benubird and I'm sure it's a fine app, but unless I'm mistaken, Benubird creates its own database, rather than using the Windows file system. I want a system where changes I make in Windows folders are immediately reflected in the document management program, which is why I opted for Filecenter.

[40hz]

I want a system where changes I make in Windows folders are immediately reflected in the document management program, which is why I opted for Filecenter.

-johnk (January 26, 2013, 12:43 PM)

Makes perfect sense to me why you'd prefer it that way and why you selected what you did.

I was more referring to the functionality of the system which is to manage documents when I called it similar to MDD. 

[wraith808]

I did take a look at Benubird and I'm sure it's a fine app, but unless I'm mistaken, Benubird creates its own database, rather than using the Windows file system. I want a system where changes I make in Windows folders are immediately reflected in the document management program, which is why I opted for Filecenter.

-johnk (January 26, 2013, 12:43 PM)

I think that benubird can work with the local file system, though it doesn't use it in place, but rather uses it's own folder structure.  It was just slow for me when I first tried it, and the monitoring process used up too much CPU for me.

[J-Mac]

Both Filecenter and Benubird are PDF organizers only though, I believe. WaggleDMS supposedly will manage all types of documents along with PDFs. Which is exactly what I have been looking for!

Jim