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Yojimbo vs Devonthink?
- Thread starter firefoxnx
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I asked this before too, no one repliedhope someone does this time..I was wondering which one is better too. There's also journler, which is donationware, if you're interested - it has nested folders/smart folders, which is nice.
I had the same situation a while back and I decided to go with Yojimbo. It really depends on what you are looking for.
I like it alot, really easy to save passwords, serials, notes, random web pages, pdfs etc. The best part is that for passwords and serials, they already have the specific fields pre-made (ie. a field for the serial, a box for description etc). Plus, you can encrypt specific notes/passwords etc.
It is highly customizable. You can choose a color to represent all your vacation related info for highlight. It also allows you to tag all your stuff however you want. The best part is that you can create a smart tag folder that has all your stuff that has a specific tag. They just updated with applescript and scripting support, haven't tried that yet. They just added a untagged smart folder option as well.
Only pet peeve that I have is that you don't have nested folders like Devonthink.
Hope this helps.
Thanks!
Great thanks for the helpful reply.
So far I have used Devonthink Personal for keeping track of web pages, clippings, notes, lists of things. Its tree navigation and the item count does not work right (Is this the AI they talk about?). I started using it after MacHeist. I have downloaded Yojimbo(trial) and its UI is much nicer. I might get it. I just need to move all my stuff over from Devonthink Personal.
Great thanks for the helpful reply.
So far I have used Devonthink Personal for keeping track of web pages, clippings, notes, lists of things. Its tree navigation and the item count does not work right (Is this the AI they talk about?). I started using it after MacHeist. I have downloaded Yojimbo(trial) and its UI is much nicer. I might get it. I just need to move all my stuff over from Devonthink Personal.
No problem, I haven't had problems with yojimbo's item count, but as i said before you don't get nested folders... unless there is something i have been missing!
I can't give a qualified answer how Devonthink compares to Yojimbo as I've never used Yojimbo. However, I use Devonthink Pro every day to save information from websites, notes I take, and code samples. It's even a home for technical ebooks and other documents now.
For pdf documents, I used Yep! like 2 weeks and I kinda liked it, but I didn't like to use a different application only to manage them. In addition, I now can search with the powerful search ability also within pdfs.
For pdf documents, I used Yep! like 2 weeks and I kinda liked it, but I didn't like to use a different application only to manage them. In addition, I now can search with the powerful search ability also within pdfs.
I was looking at Devonthink a bit more yesterday, do they handle pdfs? I am wondering cause it seems it CAN be very powerful with search abilities but would the program be bogged down if you have a huge database? Like when you open the app, it takes forever to load.
I use (bought) DevonThink Pro Office (DTPO). I use it to capture webpages, for writing (it's actually not a bad word processor if all if you want to do, at least initially, is write text), and importing/indexing a HUGE database of journal articles in .pdf format. The main database I use is 2.4GB, and the application loads very quickly. A second database I use indexes email content (largely because nobody, including Apple, seems be interested in figuring out a decent desktop search client that taps into Entourage or Mail - don't get me started on Spotlight).
Overall, DTPO is a pretty powerful software application. I was a huge user of Microsoft's OneNote before I switched (back) to Mac, and DTPO is superior in every regard save for some small UI issues that I don't like.
Nested folders are quite nice, but if you have quite a few layers and you're looking at it in tree view, can get confusing. There are ways around this in DTPO, though (i.e, not always using the tree view).
EDITED TO ADD: everything is searchable as well - including the pdfs that you import. This is hugely critical for me (as I say, a simple desktop search client for the Mac would get around this, but DTPO is much more than that).
Overall, DTPO is a pretty powerful software application. I was a huge user of Microsoft's OneNote before I switched (back) to Mac, and DTPO is superior in every regard save for some small UI issues that I don't like.
Nested folders are quite nice, but if you have quite a few layers and you're looking at it in tree view, can get confusing. There are ways around this in DTPO, though (i.e, not always using the tree view).
EDITED TO ADD: everything is searchable as well - including the pdfs that you import. This is hugely critical for me (as I say, a simple desktop search client for the Mac would get around this, but DTPO is much more than that).
Yojimbo
I know this is an old post but I was searching for Yojimbo!
I love it! Actually downloaded the demo a while back but didn't really test it out - seemed a bit basic. But like some Apple apps the interface simplicity belies its capability.
So, looked at it in more detail when I realized I need something like this and realized that the alternatives were perhaps OTT!
Two great features are the dotMac sync (between my iMac and MB) and the encryption facility for eg private notes.
Overall its got the right balance of features and ease of use for the average user. (Someone wanting to use it for in-depth projects say might need something more customisable like Circus Ponies Notebook).
http://www.barebones.com/products/yojimbo/index.shtml
I know this is an old post but I was searching for Yojimbo!
I love it! Actually downloaded the demo a while back but didn't really test it out - seemed a bit basic. But like some Apple apps the interface simplicity belies its capability.
So, looked at it in more detail when I realized I need something like this and realized that the alternatives were perhaps OTT!
Two great features are the dotMac sync (between my iMac and MB) and the encryption facility for eg private notes.
Overall its got the right balance of features and ease of use for the average user. (Someone wanting to use it for in-depth projects say might need something more customisable like Circus Ponies Notebook).
http://www.barebones.com/products/yojimbo/index.shtml
have used both
I am using both because for me they server two different purposes. The whole point of Devonthink is using the combination of your understanding of how the information needs structured combined with the AI abilities of Devonthink to learn from you and make your research incredible. That said, if you use Devonthink as a catch all it turns into muddy water. So, I use Devonthink to keep structured research of the professional areas I need to have current and organized information for, which is Ministry and Social Media for me. When they were combined in Devonthink I would get weird search results because there are different meanings for words in those different worlds. (For instance both use the words Evangelist, but mean different things.)
Yojimbo is a much better place to put everything, basically because of its rapid capture ability, recognition of different data types (passwords, bookmarks, serial numbers, etc.), and tagging. So when I am just capturing snippets of information that are an area of comprehensive research Yojimbo is a life saver. Especially with it's .Mac syncing. I am sure some have used both DevonThink and Yojimbo for their one stop solution for data capture, but for me I use both for their strengths as I need them.
Does that help?
I am using both because for me they server two different purposes. The whole point of Devonthink is using the combination of your understanding of how the information needs structured combined with the AI abilities of Devonthink to learn from you and make your research incredible. That said, if you use Devonthink as a catch all it turns into muddy water. So, I use Devonthink to keep structured research of the professional areas I need to have current and organized information for, which is Ministry and Social Media for me. When they were combined in Devonthink I would get weird search results because there are different meanings for words in those different worlds. (For instance both use the words Evangelist, but mean different things.)
Yojimbo is a much better place to put everything, basically because of its rapid capture ability, recognition of different data types (passwords, bookmarks, serial numbers, etc.), and tagging. So when I am just capturing snippets of information that are an area of comprehensive research Yojimbo is a life saver. Especially with it's .Mac syncing. I am sure some have used both DevonThink and Yojimbo for their one stop solution for data capture, but for me I use both for their strengths as I need them.
Does that help?
At first glance, Yojimbo seems much more easier to use. The sidebar agent and browser macros install, and you're off and running.
I just downloaded DevonthinkPro and I find it a little confusing. For me, if something is that confusing, then I'm not going to use it (certainly not for organizing).
Yet, on the flip side, I've emailed Barebones about Yojimbo and different features I'd like to see - the responses were professional and quick, but it didn't seem like they were really interested in extending Yojimbo.
For example, the passwords fields. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to design your own custom form? Nested folders, a must. There are a few other features I suggested, too.
I think Yojimbo is what I'll stay with, but I really hope they will consider extending its capabilities.
One of my primary activities is archiving web pages. Articles, tutorials, etc. But a very annoying limitations of Yojimbo is that you cannot edit out certain objects like ads (according to Barebones, anyway). That is unacceptable, but the ease of use makes it tolerable.
In other products, like DevonThinkPro, it's useful to have scanning support - especially PDFs etc. I'd like to scan in receipts and keep them stored away for reference.
I'm open to anyone else's input.
Thanks!
I just downloaded DevonthinkPro and I find it a little confusing. For me, if something is that confusing, then I'm not going to use it (certainly not for organizing).
Yet, on the flip side, I've emailed Barebones about Yojimbo and different features I'd like to see - the responses were professional and quick, but it didn't seem like they were really interested in extending Yojimbo.
For example, the passwords fields. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to design your own custom form? Nested folders, a must. There are a few other features I suggested, too.
I think Yojimbo is what I'll stay with, but I really hope they will consider extending its capabilities.
One of my primary activities is archiving web pages. Articles, tutorials, etc. But a very annoying limitations of Yojimbo is that you cannot edit out certain objects like ads (according to Barebones, anyway). That is unacceptable, but the ease of use makes it tolerable.
In other products, like DevonThinkPro, it's useful to have scanning support - especially PDFs etc. I'd like to scan in receipts and keep them stored away for reference.
I'm open to anyone else's input.
Thanks!
Interesting thread to run across. I'm in the ministry so I do a lot of sermons, study sheets, outlines, etc. I'm debating over whether it's just easier to find them in the Finder or if I need a database. I still have Devonthink from a previous bundle, I've started playing around with it lately.
I'm interested in Yojimbo simply because of the name of it...
I'm interested in Yojimbo simply because of the name of it...
You might want to try Together. I use it to store and edit web archives. I highly recommend the program.
Anyone tried Yojimbo over Devonthink? I use Devonthink Personal (from MacHeist) but Yojimbo looks like its got some really neat features.
Lets just say I have used them all.
Yojimbo is the only app I continue to use. Its PDF and WEBpage capture is just "Better" than the rest. A recent upgrade to Yojimbo has also made it much quicker with its searching. And most importantly in the since Yojimbo's release I have been using it and NEVER lost any data.
One other up and coming program that you may want to look at is EverNote. Think of it as a cross platform Yojimbo. Looks promising but they still have a long way to go with the interface and webcapture.
Thats the idea behind Yojimbo.... Keep it simple. Its funny that you don't like that Yojimbo captures ALL of a webpage... That the thing I like about it and hate the rest because they dont capture everything. Somtimes I want the AD's
I've been using Evernote recently and really like it, in particular its ability to search photos, along with all the other expected features. This means that I can, for example, hold up a sheet of info in front of my iMac's screen and click the iSight button in Evernote to take a snapshot of it. If I do a search on a word, it'll include that photo if that word is in it. Pretty cool. Apparently it offers handwriting recognition, too, but I haven't experimented with that. (My handwriting's pretty idiosyncratic.)
Have, but haven't used yet, Yojimbo and Devonthink demos, so can't compare.
Have, but haven't used yet, Yojimbo and Devonthink demos, so can't compare.