Mac: Notebook vs Notetaker

Posted by Daly de Gagne
Aug 9, 2010 at 04:37 AM

As I continue to work with NoteBook, I am amazed to find out the link feature does not let me make a link within the same notebook or between different notebooks. Oops. (If I am missing something, and there is a way to do this, please let me know,)

Why do developers shoot themselves in the foot this way - especially when it involves information programs where one reasonably expects the need for there to be links?

I have set up a section for a project, and it itemizes action steps, ie to do items. So I wanted to make link from there to the to do page in the notebook where all my to do items are listed. Not possible.

So I have to copy and paste. And re-enter the due date.

In case I should mistakingly not go through this rigamarole with an item, the multidex picks up all items with a date as to do items. And I can use tags.

And as near as I can see, OmniOutliner has no internal linking capability either.

So perhaps I expect too much coming back to the Mac. In some ways it seems Mac programs have not improved all that much - or that the stuff coming to market is not fully thought out, or is based on what the developer sees as the minimum acceptable feature set.

But come on guys - internal linking is pretty basic. And easy to use tagging systems should be universal by now. It is the 21st century.

Much to my surprise NoteBook is holding up well in my frenetic comparing and contrasting - and so is OO for some things; so the short comings I mention are probably not going to be deal breakers. On the other hand, they do not make me feel are that positive about the developers of these respective programs. In fact, if may be forgiven a little cynicism, it seems they are coasting on the laurels of the Mac as an intuitive, user friendly system.

Daly