Current Application Updates

Here are the programs and subscriptions I’ve been using a lot recently:

##Evernote

As much as I’ve tried to “break up” with Evernote, it is simply too indispensable of a program. Being able to search within images and PDFs with no OCR overhead is incredibly useful. I don’t even bother to put stuff in the right folder — but adding a #tag when forwarding an email is very quick and useful. I’m not sure what program would have handled all the data from my bike accident as well. Making text files in a folder in the file system is not as convenient and harder to compare. This would be noise in DevonThink. The only time Evernote was NOT useful was when I had old information in it and hadn’t sent my new information over. That’s on me. I’m sorry, there is no better replacement for digital catch-all filing.

I have not used Evernote for anything academic.

##Hazel

As I’ve adopted more the “Give it a descriptive title and stick it in a folder philosophy” (maybe this is lazy, thanks Evernote!), Hazel has become more useful. I’ve begun using the desktop as a workspace for active files. Once done, I add the proper tag, and Hazel sticks it in the right place automatically. Very seamless and comforting. I use this for tutoring and dissertation work.

##Atext

This cheap word replacement app proves its utility time and time again.

##Alfred

Nothing more needs to be said.

##Skim

Skim has remained a durable PDF reader choice. Its annotation system is quick and the program runs very smoothly.

##Zotero

I would like to say I’ve been using BibDesk. The primary advantage of BibDesk is that I could store my documents in Dropbox and have them anywhere — and the open-source, quick nature is appealing to me. However, opening Dropbox on a PC destroys the relative links to all my PDFs, making BibDesk useless. BibDesk was a total time-sink and I’ll be returning to Zotero’s somewhat disappointing but still-comforting arms.

##Google Drive

I never quit finding new uses for one of the best programs in the modern computing era. There are many competitors but nothing can touch Google Drive.

##DI.FM

Having instant access to decent working-appropriate music without thinking about choosing songs keeps me focused.