Keynote Closes...

[kfitting]

marek, the author of Keynote, an information organizer, has announced he is done coding projects (http://www.tranglos.com/forums/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=419). ; This is something I had kind of anticipated, though it still stinks because Keynote was such a great program (at least I never tired of advertising for it!).  I still haven't found a decent replacement for Keynote though I've tried many of them.  One idea that looks promising is neomem (www.neomem.org - go to the blog it's got the most recent news). 

Just to be a pain in the butt: mouser, I am now behind CHS turning into a notes manager , heh heh.  But, you should take a look at neomem's site.  Perhaps a collaboration would work... and now, I turn and run!  Just wanted to make a post to let people know that Keynote has ended.

Kevin

[mouser]

that's really sad to hear about keynote, i know it will be missed.

neomem looks very slick.

i have *NOT* given up work on CHS - in fact i do believe it will become one of our more popular apps eventually -
i just have to do more work on the others before i can devote myself back to it.  the absolutely best thing users could do who would like to see CHS turn into one of their favorite apps is help me figure out the best interface for it and help me prioritize a list of things that need to be added so we can as quickly as possible get it to be a useful application, and then refine it over time.

this last 2 weeks has been non-stop work by my on the back-end of this site, only some of which is visible on the outside..
i think i'm done with the site for a bit so i can return to releasing a new version of programs; in fact i'm going to make a post about my plans in a separate thread.

[kfitting]

Sorry mouser, I had no intention of appearing to point any fingers... just a little humor to counter the closing of Keynote.  On the other hand, I would love to talk about CHS interface however, whenever and wherever that discussion should take place!

Kevin

[mouser]

i didn't take your post that way at all - i just want to make sure that people who have been waiting for CHS to improve to understand that:

• i know it needs real improvement
• i am committed to making it a great program

[Nighted]

Keynote is abandoned?  Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

Hey wait, if it goes open source it could be for the best!  Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!

[kfitting]

I thought it was open source?  At least, you could get the source code from the website.  The problem is that the shortcomings need to be addressed by a complete rewrite to get away from MS RTF dll so I dont know how much the source code for V1.6.5 would help.  You may be able to correct little bugs or add minor features but you may as well just start over like Marek was with KN2.  I've been thinking about mouser's call for discussion regarding CHS interface for something like this and will post over in the appropriate forum within the next day with a discussion starter.I have no answers.... just discussion!  I love interface discussion!

Kevin

[mouser]

i just read the closing post by marek about why he closed the project,
and found it extremely touching and more honest than anything like it i've ever read.

he captures the paralyzing feeling that you can sometimes get as a programmer when you find yourself in the middle of a big project and are overwhelmed by too many choices and a lack of easy paths.

http://www.tranglos.com/free/closedown.html

[kfitting]

Yeah, that's what I thought when I read it.  Some of it was that he was a perfectionist, that makes it harder also.  Though that is also why Keynote 1.x was such a fine application!  For anyone interested in Keynote, go to http://novolibera.proboards80.com/ .  A gentlemen is starting work on a... well, apparently it's going to start as a note program, but spread to a lot more.  Right now it's vaporware, though it's vaporware with 2 screenshots!  Looks promising and from reading what the author wants to do, I think this could be a fabulous replacement for Keynote (though Keynote will still be viable for a while).

Kevin

[Darwin]

I wish I could write as eloquently in English (my first and only language) as Marek has in what is evidently his second langauge. What a thoroughly decent and honourable human being!

[jpfx]

I agree, I wonder how long it will take for someone to rip him off stateside.

[db90h]

I totally understand where this guy is coming from.

[Renegade]

I've seen it happen a few times where software that I use & love gets retired. What Marek did there was classy though. I've had software that all of a sudden, when I go to buy an upgrade or something, it's just GONE. No word from the developer - he just drops off the face of the planet and nobody can find him.

Being upfront is always best. Another developer that I bought software from (and updates) had to stop development to get a job. It was one of my favorite pieces of software and I was quite saddened to see it happen. But he was honest and upfront. That takes character. It's hard to admit when things don't really go your way sometimes. (I speak from some VERY hard earned experience there...  )

Well, all the best to him in the future.

[nevf]

Writing good software is hard and all consuming. Staying motivated day in, day out can be difficult. I applaud people that do this as a hobby, but I can well imagine them getting burnt out. IMO this is also one of the big issues with Open Source Software.

If you use free software you can't expect lots of updates and great support. Heck it is hard enough getting this from commercial software developers (present company excepted), who's lively hoods depend on delivering "good" products and supporting them. I know many will say that lots of commercial software is crap and gues what, they are right.

Keynote and PIM users should have a look at Surfulater. It does a lot more than just save Web content.  [/plug]