(Then there are web programs. Does Quip, Qippa, Clibu, Nimburs, the CMS WebAsyst or other online programs ever work effectively in this manner? This is another question. I always think that the functionality will be reduced when you get to nitty-gritty stuff.)-Steven Avery
I don't really know if they work effectively. I never really consider them because I need to be able to work when I don't have access to net; so local is essential for me. Cloud is OK if it is on top of local.
I might well return to RightNote for this element, its Windows implementation I always felt was crisp and solid.-Steven Avery
Agreed, but I haven't been using it recently because it's not multi-platform. That won't bother you if you wouldn't use it on iOS. Very traditional approach and I like the spreadsheet and tables.
I like multi-platform, Evernote does that, but it is not really (to me, so far) a Research Assistant, like I think RightNote and Scrivener might be.
Can you explain a bit more of how you like the various products in multi-platform? My multi is mostly Windows PC and iOS Tablet. Are they keeping your info in the cloud, Evernote style? (Which does allow action when offline.) Is there a modest or large cost? Which one do you like the most.
I need a master research and/or writing assistant. (This is in addition to using Linoit as the visual traffic cop.) -Steven Avery
My usage is primarily Windows & Android, but also need iOS sometimes.
My views are largely the result of my experiences over the years and may not be entirely adjusted to now they are now. I am aware that you can (and people do) use both Evernote and OneNote to do everything, but it has never worked like that for me and neither are ideal.
I use Evernote for snippets. I find it much the best for webclipping (have tried OneNote & many others) but I find that Evernote works best. Have also used it for some writing, some classification & do use it for information storage. Especially stuff that isn't classified. The search seems pretty good. Works well on all platforms.
As Iain has frequently explained, you can use OneNote like that and I suppose that might work for me if I lived in it, though I doubt it. OneNote feels too heavy and cumbersome to do the stuff I do in Evernote.
But it is probably the best as a research assistant. You can put everything in it, and have it visually organised and available when you use it. But best if you are actually doing your work using OneNote (whereas you can use Evernote just as a data store). That's how I'm using it atm. Though I don't find it entirely comfortable (absolutely hate the strange limitations particularly tables). Probably doesn't work well unless you commit and use it a lot. I also use the Onetastic automations which are a great timesaver for some aspects. Have managed to set it up with a corkboard a la Scrivener, though huge amounts of time disappeared into designing the cards because of the strange limitations. I have not problem in using Evernote and OneNote together.
I think both can be made to work with Trello, which I'm about to try out more intensively.
I use a pen quite a lot in both Windows and Android and both OneNote and Evernote will work with it or with dictation.
I think I'm right in saying that they both offer local modes and encryption, but their advantages need the cloud so you have to be comfortable with their privacy and security for the information you put in.
Just my own experience. I know I haven't pushed Evernote as far as it can go, and that I'm only scratching the surface of OneNote; I've always given up before, but suspect I'll be sticking with it this time unless something better turns up.
I also use Google Keep a lot. Mostly because it is fast, reliable and easily accessible. But not really for research.
Costwise, I think that they can all be used perfectly well free, but have improvements available for cost. I have Office365 which gives me the other progs & a reasonable amount of storage. Am also subscribed to Evernote Pro, but don't think I would lose much reverting to free
I think the biggest problem with starting all these programs, apart from the surprisingly steep learning curve to get them rolling smoothly, is all the decision making around structuring the information and usage. In OneNote it is about what Notebooks, what sections and what you have on the pages, as well as all the entries on each page. Tags are an afterthought.
With Evernote, it is about Notebooks to an extent but a lot about tagging structures.
Other people must do it much better.
