Other Sites
In researching and reporting news here on Applelinks, getting data for feature columns and articles here and elsewhere, I collect and process large amounts of text each week -- press releases; information downloaded from Web sites; my own drafts; and of course hundreds of emails. The email clients I use do a pretty good job of managing the latter for me.
One piece of software I've used every day for storing and managing research data is NotePad Deluxe. I think the name is a bit unfortunate, because it makes NotePad Deluxe sound like a slightly enhanced version of Apple's venerable Classic NotePad, when it fact it is a much more powerful and richly featured program.
NotePad Deluxe has a simple, very intuitive user interface, and stores its files in its own application folder in database documents that the user creates, names, and manages. It has also made a graceful and virtually seamless transition from Classic to OS X (NPD 2.3.3 is available for Classic users running System 7.5 or later, and the databases are compatible).
NPD Version 2.3.4, released yesterday, is mainly a Panther bugfix release. Changes include:
• Excessive memory usage and very slow (OS X 10.3) fixed
• Windows were not activated when switching to NPD (OS X 10.3)
• Better filetype recognization of media
• Support of two/three-button mice (OS X)
• Services may be bundles
• Some minor bug fixes
NotePad Deluxe databases are structured on three levels, all with a in a single database metafile:
1. The database itself
2. Topics
3. Notes
You can also have Sub-topics inside Topics.
Topics use the familiar folder metaphor and iconography within the in NotePad Deluxe Browser window. Notes are analogous to documents with in a folder, but in both cases these are virtual files contained within the database metafile. In other words, you can't find NotePad Deluxe Topic folders and Note documents as separate files in the Mac OS Finder.
The NotePad Deluxe interface window is divided into two side by side panes. On the right is the Browser, in which appear the virtual Topic folders and Note files within the active database. On the left is a text field in which data from what ever Note is currently selected in the Browser field appears. You can instantly select from among Topics and Notes by a scrolling and clicking in the Browser. You can also minimize the window and hide/show the browser side with a click.
New Topics and Notes can be created using menu commands or keyboard shortcuts, and you can delete existing notes in or topics by dragging them to the Trash icon in the interface window.
NotePad Deluxe also includes built-in support for This notepad supports styled text, inline-pictures, web links, file links, find and replace, real tabs, style formats, a hierarchical note system, built-in help, sorting, labels, and encryption, embedded pictures (pictures within notes), browser objects (QT movies, pictures, sounds, etc.), file links / aliases to external files, RTF import/export, export to single file, Quartz rendering in OSX 10.1.5 and newer.
NotePad Deluxe supports the use of multiple databases simultaneously. Each database, where the notes are stored, is handled in a separate window. In the browser your notes can be arranged, labeled, sorted, locked, printed, encrypted, and so on.
Simple text documents can be added simply by dropping them onto the program or into the browser. Drag notes to the desktop or use the browser popup menu to export selected items.
NotePad Deluxe saves your changes automatically when you go to a new note or topic. The notes are also saved when another program is activated. To save time and speed up the program, this kind of saving is only partial. Therefore changed data could be lost (but usually not) if the program crashes.
If Save prior to program switch is checked in the Preferences dialog, all notes will be completely saved as soon as another program is activated.
The Export Note command allows you to save the selected note as text or RTF or a variety of text editor or word processor documents.
A pop-up menu gives you a selection of file formats to choose from.
I really like this little program. It is well-engineered, thoughtfully-conceived, and obviously high-quality product. Recommended.
Version 2.3.4 system requirements:
• Mac OS X 10.0 or higher
NotePad Deluxe is $25.00 shareware
For more information, visit:
http://www.ibrium.se/npd.html
Download PPC version:
http://www.ibrium.se/npd/NPD_latest_version.sit.hqx
Download Carbon version:
http://www.ibrium.se/npd/NPD_latest_X_version.tar.gz
OS 10.3 Installs Report[/url] Panther Troubles[/url]Panther and Default Browser
OS 10.3 Installs Report
From Ken Russell
Aloha, Charles,
I have installed OS X 10.3 without problem on:
G4 800 (450 upgraded with Sonnet 800 processor), so it will install on 2nd party processors
IBook 700 14"
iBook Indigo 366 G3 clamshell
All with no problems.
I recommend that you Repair Permissions both before and after installing; and remove all startup items BEFORE installing.
I did an 'Archive and Install' on all of my systems, except for the problem iMac, on which I tried to do an Erase and Install; 2 partitions.
And the new format for Applelinks is not too bad... Take care,
Ken Russell
Thanks for the report and tips, Ken.
Charles
Panther Troubles
From Dan
Good Morning Charles,
I have been visiting the MacFixIt site, wow, Panther looks to be a mess ! Of course not all of those problems would likely ever afflict one person or one computer, but it sure does seem like Panther has enough problems at the moment to justify waiting a considerable time before spending any money to upgrade. In fact at this point I'm not sure I would even take a free copy of Panther.
Since you are a conduit of info for many people are you getting similar reports of problems ?
Cheers
Dan
Hi Dan;
Actually, most of the feedback I've been getting here at Applelinks has been pretty positive, and the new OS X 10.3.1 updater should address some of the troubles that are being reported on MacFixIt, MacInTouch, et al.
Every OS update breaks stuff, and some are worse than others (eg: 10.2.4; 10.2.8). My read on Panther is that it's about average in this regard, which is pretty decent for such a major upgrade.
I'm going to be making my Panther move soon.
Charles
Panther and Default Browser
From Brad Browne
Charles:
As someone who uses many browsers, I have tended to use Mozilla FIrebird as my default because it is more compatable with a lot of the sites I use for work and home. While Safari is fast, I still find some compatibility issues, such as my work email system (Novell Groupwise WebAccess).
I wanted to set Firebird as my default, but there doesn't seem to be an area in System Prefs wher I can change it vs. the fact you can In Jaguar, etc. I have investigated to see if there is a hack to do it.
Just an FYI.
Hi Brad;
I've been using Firebird a lot more over the past couple of weeks, especially with the new Applelinks interface, which it works nicely with.
I've still got Safari as my default, but as you note, FireBird is showing up int the Default Browser menu in Jaguar on my machine. I don't have panther yet, so I can't check that out.
I'm guessing that there may be something that the Mozilla folks need to add to the code in FireBird to make it show up in Panther.
Charles
***
Charles W. Moore
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