I PIMLite News Postings

This document contains the messages posted in various forums of CompuServe and mainly Internet. These messages acted as the filtering mechanism in selecting the applicants for the beta program. The messages were posted as deliberate "teasers" to boost general awareness of the project as well as attracting beta testers. It is my belief that a subtle campaign such as this (hopefully not seen as too "pushy") over a period of months helps boost the general awareness that "something that does X is out there". This "market awareness" helps lay the ground for the release of the product — it is known and half expected, rather than being just another shareware release.

These beliefs have not been tested empirically. As the executable betas are rolled out I will be sending out further messages, and hopefully building this expectation. I've also been reticent about boosting the product too much until it is "more real". This is both from a net credibility point of view and to stop me feeling so guilty that the release is taking so long.

93/07/26

Section: S/6 General Business (also sent to Internet comp.sys.mac.apps) To: All Subject: PIM in dev, how release?

G'day all

I'm working on a Personal Information Manager that's the seed for a range of products. The current design (about 60% implemented) is basically a ThoughtPattern replacement, with multi-user, multi-document capabilities and a better Word Processor.

Should I release a Lite version as shareware, or go chasing distributors?

With the shareware version, I was thinking of including a list of features planned for the first commercial version. Would this entice you to pay the shareware, given a guarantee of a cheap upgrade to the commercial? Does it appeal in general to have that kind of feedback?

What are my chances of getting shareware payments from US clients (I'm in Australia) and would you all be more inclined to pay if Visa/Mastercard offered?

Note, the basis for this product is a multi-user classified advertisements system that's been in operation for over a year, running happily on Mac Classics (in less than 1Mb). This is NOT vaporware!

comp.sys.mac.portables Subject: PIM should load in RAM?

G'day all

I'm working on a Personal Information Manager that is in many ways a replacement for ThoughtPattern. A shareware version will be released byt I have ambition to do an "Aladdin" and have both shareware and commercial versions ongoing in the market.

How important is it to portable owners that such a product load its entire database into RAM?

This is NOT an organizer (at least not yet) that you would use for keeping calendars straight, and doing reminders. It is a tool for managing and classifying notes, with a reasonable built in WP. (If you've seen ThoughtPattern then imagine an improved word-processor, multiple windows, more flexible tags and multiple documents).

With this kind of tool, would those of you who are "on the road" want an Apple-Event based update mechanism for updating shared databases, or would a central fileserver model be sufficient.

Andy Dent

In billy@geohub.gcn.uoknor.edu (Billy McPherson) writes:

>I have been trying recently to get in touch with Bananafish software to
>inquire about their ThoughtPattern software, but all numbers have been
>disconnected. Have they been bought or changed their name or something,

Bananafish rotted (does that bring disgusting images to mind?)

Well, the varied stories indicate that financially and personally the author couldn't cope with getting v2 out the door despite having it in beta status at one of the Macworld's.

I'm working on a shareware replacement along similar lines but with more powerful word processing and more flexible database (and to all my beta testers, I apologise for the long silence - I've been involved in rewriting the Marksman code generator and didn't want to start the ThoughtPattern replacement until I had a better tool with which to develop).

My product will support most of the Macwrite v5 word processing - ie: embedded pictures, rulers, tabs etc. I've issued two paper betas so far for the human interface, which sent me back to the drawing board due to the highly varied reactions. Anyone else wanting to get involved in the HI betas is welcome - I'm now planning a much more ambitious first release of the software as all my testers convinced me that my initial version would not be sufficiently attractive/usable.

Andy Dent

I am conducting a round of "Human Interface beta-testing" at the moment. This involves mailing documents describing the program's function and appearance to the beta volunteers, who (eventually) respond.

I've run two beta rounds a few months ago and backed off for a while to think about the results, before starting the current round. This proves the value of the process - I got very mixed feedback from the initial betas.

I'm planning to start shipping runnable betas in mid-February, depending on the feedback I get from the current HI betas (and if I get most of my results by the end of January).

The product is in many ways a replacement for the (now defunct) commercial program ThoughtPattern. It provides a Macwrite5-level word processor embedded in a multi-user database. The database allows you to categorize entries with "tags". The tags can be nested to form descriptive hierarchies and "aliases" of tags placed in other hierarchies (like System 7 folders).

Tags are entered by the user, by hand or by selecting text with a "highlight pen". The model for the latter is that of marking up a book with a highlighter.

Tags are also able to be generated automatically, forming a complete word-index (with Stop-words list to trim the fat).

You can search by item title or by boolean combinations of tags, including date tags such as Last Modified.

Once this framework is in place, I'm planning further extension of the software to provide complete hypertext navigation, and generation of standalone hypertext documents. An interface for this that I've considered so far is to put the document into "hypertext mode" where the tagged items are all shown in a selected highlight style (color or text style) and clicking on them takes you to the next reference.

As preparation for the hypertext interface, each tag in the current database has space for a "base reference" note.

Now for the financials:

PIMLite is going to be marketed (agressively) as shareware. This will include deals with user-groups (50% of fees collected on my behalf) and site licenses for corporates and uni departments.

In future, I hope to attract enough interest from a US publisher to also put out a commercial version, but will continue to keep the shareware version current in the same style as Aladdin's support of Stuffit Lite vs Stuffit Deluxe.

Each beta tester will receive a complimentary licensed version of the shareware version, good for an eventual upgrade to the Pro version (which may be some time off).

PIMLite is commercial-quality software. Much of the product is already written, in the form of a classified advertisements publishing system that's been in use for nearly 2 years. The database and word-processing technology are proven and the remaining product development process is mainly one of a top class user interface being created, to satisfy a wide variety of users.

If you are interested in joining either the current Human Interface beta process, or beta-testing the runnable version when released, please let me know and I'll mail the betas to you. The HI betas are either plain text or binhexed Stuffit Lite archives containing self-playing documents.

Andy Dent

•----- Reply ------•

Neil

I'm working on a product (to be released as Aggressive Shareware) that's a sort of hypertext system, in many ways a replacement for ThoughtPattern.

The product is currently in a Human Interface Beta stage - I have about 30 people who are (hopefully all) responding to a series of design documents. The technology is pretty solid (Word Solution Engine/c-tree Plus) although I may jump ship from TCL to CodeWarrior (my CD is on the way) and has been in use for nearly two years in a classified advertisements publishing system, that runs in 900kb on Classics.

Many of my extensions to ThoughtPattern's capabilities (including multi-user) are aimed at supporting more hypertextual use. Do you (and others) think there's a market for Think Ref-like engine?

Andy Dent A.D. Software, Western Australia

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps Subject: Re: ThoughtPattern Distribution: na References:

In isidro@BBN.COM (Isidro Castineyra) writes:

>I own and like version 1.3 (or something) of ThoughtPattern. I was
>waiting for version 2.0, but I heard that Bananafish went out of
>business. My hope is that somebody has bought ThoughtPattern and plans
>to release a new version. Do you know anything about this?

I'm working (honest!) on a shareware replacement for TP. I'm in a human- interface beta cycle with about 18 active testers (out of 51 expressions of interest) and am about to release the final HI beta this week. The hi beta process has been drawn out over a number of months by my involvement in other projects, tardiness in response, deciding NOT to patent one of the innovations in the interface, my pet rabbit getting sick, too much coffee, ...

The product uses the c-tree ISAM engine (as used by Great Plains) and as used by me in a multi-user classified ads publishing system. It will have a far better word processor than TP (actually the same text engine, but with full ruler support) and more flexible database.

At the same time as the shareware version, I'm planning the commercial upgrade which will be released some time later (this is a HINT, publishers) and will continue to be published alongside. The commercial version will have a multi- user database. I'm still deciding what other features make the cut.

Anyone who's interested in joining the HI beta program (would need to promise a response within a few days) or the forthcoming executable beta, just email.

Andy Dent

In article <2juhd1$cvl$1@perth.dialix.oz.au> you write:

>In <1994Feb16.192139.27026@galileo.cc.rochester.edu> > scls_ss@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Eric Scoles) writes: >>helped. Structured testing situations, no matter how you may try to make
>>them clean and well controlled, just can't reproduce the world. That's what
>>beta testing is all about -- the software designers _assume_ that they
>>can't accurately and exhaustively reproduce real use, and they're right.
> >A couple of points on this, for the small developer:
>1) one of the reasons I teach courses once a month or so is to constantly
>expose myself to beginners - it's not as good money as I make from consulting
>but it gives me a constant reminder of these basic issues
> >2) even one-man-bands can do Human Interface beta testing. I'm working on a
>(Mac) shareware/commercial product that's a combination of word-processor >and database (like ThoughtPattern, if you knew it). I'm just completing the 4th
>...

In <2liugr$2c0@age.cs.columbia.edu> leland@cs.columbia.edu (Leland Woodbury) wri tes:

>I'm interested in what research has been done in comparing icons versus
>labelled buttons for user interfaces. Can anyone provide pointers?

"Tog on Interface" (Bruce Tognazzini, Addison-Wesley) has some comments on the need for labels as well as icons - a major point learned by Apple in making the changes for System 7.

Informally, I've been conducting a human interface beta of a new Mac product (a word-processing database, sort of replacing ThoughtPattern, if you know it). In one of my earlier HI betas, I asked this question and got about 50-50 preferences for labelled buttons vs iconic. However, I didn't provide any example icons so this was a theoretical answer - people weren't answering based on having found icons particularly easier/harder than buttons. The sample base was about 30 people.

BTW anyone's welcome to jump in to the beta - the HI that went out a couple of weeks ago isn't closed - about 120kb of binhexed descriptions and screenshot..

In <2mo3ca$t98@kaiwan.kaiwan.com> kintsche@kaiwan.com (Brad Kintsche Kacey Kints cher) writes:

I'm working on a product, to be released as both shareware and retail (US distributor NOT yet established, hint hint!) that would handle this.

Write Ideas combines a full-featured word processor with a flexible database. It allows you to tag word processed Notes with either arbitrary tags or automatically generated word indexes.

The first version's export capabilities may be a little limited - I'm keen to finish a version that people can use immediately and then add the features for things like XTND etc. Does Xpress handle RTF format?

>1. The text eventually is imported into Quark Xpress, so the ability to
>keep formating and foreign characters is needed. I tried bringing the
>existing file into a MS Word 5.0 merge, but lost the foreign characters.

>2. Some of the "blurbs" and track listings have character formatings,
>i.e. some words italic or bold, some not. Also the paragraphs are at
>times 1,000 characters or more so the 256 limit in Excel doesn't work to
>wel.. No limits on size of notes. All normal character styles including strike- through and double-underline.

>3. Eventually I would like to include a link or the actual tiff file
>we scan of the CD cover. Each note can have a link to any other file. Notes can also have pictures pasted in directly.

>Is there a database that fits these specifications? Or am I dreaming?

You share the dream. Write Ideas is just finishing a series of human interface beta tests and development has commenced. It is based on a classified advertising system that has been in weekly use for the last 18 months, so the core is finished and well-tested.

Andy Dent (A.D. Software - Mac & VAX programming) 94 Bermuda Dve, BALLAJURA Western Australia 6066 Phone/Fax: 09 249 2719 (local) +619 249 2719 (International) Internet: dent@DIALix.oz.au Compuserve: 100033,3241

Newsgroups: comp.databases Subject: Re: ASKSAM--Any Users? References: <2noqsr$imv@ionews.io.org>

In <2noqsr$imv@ionews.io.org> devans@ionews.io.org (David John Evans) writes:

>I would also be interested in something like this. My wife has received a
>grant to do research in the States. She already has a small database,
>with mostly bibliographic data, but one field is large and mostly random;
>she is examining old texts and making annotations, so she needs a
>database that can deal with both structured [the biblio data] and
>unstructured [the annotations] data. She would like to have a way of
>searching the annotations once they are written. I don't imagine there
>will be more than a few hundred books she will be looking at.

>Thanks

>In article , >Steven Bradley wrote: >>I need some info on ASKSAM--a document filing and retrieval database. I
>>need to know how well it works for research projects, etc. (I'm
>>interested in using it for writing--articles,books and such) Any info
>>help. Info on other, similar programs also would be appr.ciated.

If either of you are running or able to access a Macintosh, the project on which I'm working should be able to help.

"Write Ideas" is a word-processor embedded in a flexible database. It allows you to generate cross-reference tags automatically, or assign your own tags. You can view and search tags in a number of ways (more viewers will be part of later releases) to retrieve a list of notes, and then walk through those notes, wandering down associated paths as you like.

Write Ideas has recently completed the beta testing of the Human Interface and the database construction is underway.

Anyone who's interested is invited to join the beta program, with responsive testers receiving a free copy.

Depending on the success of the Macintosh version, ports to Windows and other environments are planned. However, the initial focus is on a native Mac version that takes advantage of the system-wide AppleScript scripting language and the text-to-speach and drag-Manager services. (That are part of the Apple Advantage :)) ).

Andy Dent

From: rsluder@space.honeywell.com Organization: Honeywell, Inc. Date: 18 Apr 1994 17:38:41 GMT Subject: Information Managers

Not sure if this is the right group to post this to or not, so....

I just got a Duo Dock at work, and I'm hoping to eventually use the portable for almost everything (meetings, notes, etc.) and replace my engineering notebook. In particular, I want to be able to store/retrieve both text (Word/Excel) and graphics (MacDraw/PowerPoint) in some organized fashion. Also interested in day planning and e-mail interface (MS-Mail). However, I'm not that familiar with the information managers/databases available for the Mac, so I'm hoping to get some recommendations on what's good and what's not. I would appreciate your input!!

"Write Ideas" is a word-processor embedded in a flexible database. It allows you to generate cross-reference tags automatically, or assign your own tags. You can view and search tags in a number of ways (more viewers will be part of later releases) to retrieve a list of notes, and then walk through those notes, wandering down associated paths as you like.

Notes can be linked to files and thus used as a document retrieval system. Many of the tag management ideas in Write Ideas are there to also make it very usable as a PIM.

Write Ideas has undergone an extensive user interface beta testing round over the last 8 months, with 4 major user interface versions being tested (until all the arguments were over trivia). Coding has started on the executable betas.

Write Ideas is based on a multi-user classified ads publishing program that has been in commercial use for over 18 months, producing part of a weekly real estate magazine (no support calls for 14 months, and counting!).

Anyone who's interested is invited to join the beta program, with responsive testers receiving a free copy.

Depending on the success of the Macintosh version, ports to Windows and other environments are planned. However, the initial focus is on a native Mac version that takes advantage of the system-wide AppleScript scripting language and the text-to-speach and drag-Manager services. (That are part of the Apple Advantage :}) ).

Andy Dent (A.D. Software - Mac, DOS & Windows GUI dev.) 94 Bermuda Dve, BALLAJURA Western Australia 6066 Phone/Fax: 09 249 2719 (local) +619 249 2719 (International) Internet: dent@DIALix.oz.au Compuserve: 100033,3241

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