News and Reviews > Mini-Reviews by Members
PIM-related Mini-Reviews ("also-ran").
IainB:
Original Post:2015-12-12Last updated:2018-06-23
As a sufferer of CRIMP*, over the years I have trialled probably hundreds of pieces of software for PIMs (Personal Information Managers) - including Wikis, database tools and computerised card-indexes.
*CRIMP defined
Posted by Stephen Zeoli
May 10, 2006 at 01:05 PM
CRIMP stands for a make-believe malady called compulsive-reactive information management purchasing. Symptoms include:
• never being satisfied with your current system of information management
• continuously being on the look-out for something newer and better
• purchasing every new PIM program you learn about
• and secretly hoping you won’t find the perfect PIM, because then you’d have to stop looking for a better one
So, when someone speaks of succumbing to his or her CRIMP, it means acknowledging that they’ve purchased another PIM program even though they really don’t think they need it.
There must be a 12-step program for over-coming CRIMP, but who really wants to? It’s too much fun.
Steve Z.
From <http://www.outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/17/0/crimp-defined>
_________________________
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Usually, when I write a mini-review on DCF, I do as thorough a job as I can. Since that takes time/effort - due to the constipated nature of making tabled posts and embedding RTF and links and images in this forum - I usually only write about the particularly potentially good/useful software/service that I find, and, having made that not inconsiderable effort, I try to maintain/update the reviews from time to time so as they remain reasonably current and thus still potentially useful.
However, the "also-rans" have rarely warranted much of a mention from me.
Until now, that is. Earlier this year I changed my work methods and began to methodically use OneNote to capture more of my activities in a Journal form, and this included trials/evaluations of all PIMs and other software - i.e., including the also-rans. So, I am now slowly building notes on the also-rans, which is useful when I next see them available on (say) BDJ, as I can quickly see and refresh my memory as to what my conclusions were the last time that I looked at the software on sale or being given away, and without putting any real effort into it.
Thus, in the discussion thread below are presented my brief review notes (and perhaps other people's too) on the PIMs in the index:
* Essential PIM Pro (originally posted 2015-12-12 in the OP; later moved into the discussion thread)
* The Journal - an extended daily journal/diary system.
TaoPhoenix:
As a sufferer of CRIMP*, over the years I have trialled probably hundreds of pieces of software for PIMs (Personal Information Managers) - including Wikis, database tools and computerised card-indexes.
...
However, the "also-rans" have rarely warranted much of a mention from me.
Until now, that is. Earlier this year I changed my work methods and began to methodically use OneNote to capture more of my activities in a Journal form, and this included trials/evaluations of all PIMs and other software - i.e., including the also-rans. So, I am now slowly building notes on the also-rans, which is useful when I next see them available on (say) BDJ, as I can quickly see and refresh my memory as to what my conclusions were the last time that I looked at the software on sale or being given away, and without putting any real effort into it.
...
-IainB (December 12, 2015, 01:06 AM)
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Heh vive la difference!
I tend to use a few select programs and minimal features of even powerful programs. (I use exactly one (custom added?) feature of Mouser's SC Capture!)
This week as raved elsewhere, is another edition of the Ludum Dare game programming contest, and I have a blast just wandering around reviewing and adding feedback because I don't program. This time around I got some help from the regulars in the chat room and learned how to access the different server the #ludumdare channel is on.
Eek! I now had to access *two* channels on *two servers* (that don't even have the same control command structure!) But that's not enough. A few days back one of my "lazy" alter egos got jammed into cyberspace and locked up as well. And something else happened, some kind of ghost process from using the Kiwi client or something that has never been a problem on the DC channel but the LD IRC server took a snit and kicked me off in the middle of a convo.
>:(
So ALL THAT was finally enough for me to go back to using a desktop client. (When it was equal footing and "2 extra features" it wasn't worth it. When it became *three serious problems that wasted cumulatively a few hours of mine and people's time, BAH!)
So at least I had some half-baked IRC research from a few months ago, and that at least saved me like six hours of starting from scratch. But this time I had clearer use cases including how to register a nickname to get addl protections and stuff.
So with a few quirks and loose ends, my current "survey winner" is AdIIRC version 1-9-5. I won't go into a full review here. And not insignificantly there is a new version, but my comp is misbehaving again, and I don't want to mess much more with it during the LD weekend esp because I found my first star review entry game and I am debugging-playtesting it with the dev. And also there's some weirdness with .Net - I think it wanted V4.5 but I think I saw a thread MS is fiddling with supported versions.
So for this note, sometimes an "Also-Ran-Thing/category" can switch to become front runners. And I am just in general agreeing with Iain it's great to keep partially baked notes around to help avoid head-desking. He didn't want to forget why Essential PIM was useless - I suddenly needed a new front runner.
:Thmbsup:
rjbull:
It's worth knowing that EssentialPIM has a Free edition as well as a Pro, and that both are available in portable as well as installer versions. Both include an e-mail client. The comparison chart of Pro vs. Free is HERE. Further, Astonsoft offer Android and iOS EPIMs: they can synchronise with the Windows EPIM via local WiFi without using the Cloud. Speaking from the perspective of a four-day broadband outage, this is a Good Thing. Exactly how good depends on your view of the value of mobile devices, of course.
xtabber:
I used Essential PIM Pro for a number of years, after dumping Outlook. I never used EPIM for email (I never used Outlook for email either). My calendar and contacts are kept in several Google accounts and I wanted to be able to access them locally on the Windows desktop.
Both the calendar and contacts functions in EPIM are very good, but the sync with Google got to be too flaky a year or so ago, and I finally gave up on it. EPIM is actively developed, but the developers have an idiosyncratic bent and are not very responsive to problems or suggestions. I am currently using eM Client (again, not for mail), which seems to have no problem staying in sync with Google.
If Google sync isn't important to you, EPIM is an excellent standalone calendar/contacts manager that works well as a portable app too. I can't see using it as an information organizer however.
rjbull:
Both the calendar and contacts functions in EPIM are very good, but the sync with Google got to be too flaky a year or so ago, and I finally gave up on it.-xtabber (December 19, 2015, 06:33 PM)
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I prefer to avoid the cloud, and don't really need "everywhere availability" anyway. I like the ability to sync between Windows and Android locally.
I am currently using eM Client (again, not for mail), which seems to have no problem staying in sync with Google. -xtabber (December 19, 2015, 06:33 PM)
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In another thread, app103 was very pleased with eM Client's calendar. Softmaker have abandoned development, saying they would roll their enhancements into Thunderbird. Does Tbird include any sort of calendar? eM Client itself now seems orphaned. It might be nice if Softmaker split out the calendar as a separate entity.
EPIM is an excellent standalone calendar/contacts manager that works well as a portable app too. I can't see using it as an information organizer however.-xtabber (December 19, 2015, 06:33 PM)
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Pity :( They should address that.
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