Exploring Glass encouraged me to revisit Flickr. The latter is technically better (despite the bugs and UC mishmash) but people are active on Glass. If I could have only one, it would still be Flickr. Why can’t that site be more successful? 📷

Isn’t this the most Microsoft-y thing? Jargon, complexity, and obfuscation. Classic.

I finished watching Physical on AppleTV+. The first half of the series had me engaged and interested, the second half left me feeling undernourished and somewhat confused.

Tot, redux: iOS Edition

By way of follow-up to yesterday’s review of Tot, I can confirm I’ve bought the iOS version.

2005 doesn’t seem all that long ago. (A shared post from Glass.)

With thanks to @keithpound I’m in at Glass. My username is canion over there, too.

I have succumbed.

Tot

Update: The day after writing this, I bought the iOS version of Tot.

My friend and Hemispheric Views podcast co-host Martin Feld is Mr. Default. He likes Reminders. He like Mail.app. He likes Calendar. Not for him the world of OmniFocus, MailMate or Fantastical. No sirree. Keep it simple, keep it made by Apple. Except… he uses Tot. I’m sure he uses Notes as well, but Tot. Not Drafts.

I installed Tot on my Mac when it was released, because as with anything made by The Iconfactory, it’s worth a look. I didn’t get it. It offers a 7 note maximum. It has limited Markdown support. Mostly, though, while the macOS app is free as in beer, the iOS version of the same app is AU$30.99. For a tiny notes app? So my exploration of Tot ended, and I went back to Drafts, and DEVONthink, and iA Writer, and Craft, and the list goes on.

Recently, I raised again my frustration with my note and file management “system”. Martin reminded me of Tot. So I’ve been giving it another try. This time, my verdict feels quite different.

The limitations seem useful. The restrictions seem like helpful guiderails rather than annoyances. This all comes at a time when I’ve cancelled my automatic renewal of Drafts - an app I appreciate for its power, but hate because of its interface.

I’ve been using Tot on macOS only over the past few days. At this stage I can’t comment on how it works on iOS because I haven’t spend the money. I think I will, though.

I’ve written this short article in Tot (yellow page). It’s delightful. And, icing on the cake, this is a Mac-Assed Mac app which has full support for all the niceties of macOS, including Services. I love using Brett Terpstra’s SearchLink service. Tot loves using it too. After a week of reading about 1Password ditching native code in favour of Electron, the joy of using a native app is sweeter than usual.

So Tot. Write in it. Put ephemera in it. Switch between plain text with markdown and rich text. Share it somewhere else. You’ve got 7 notes. Use them wisely.

This Twitter thread (which should be a blog, but anyway) from Rich Siegel regarding Electron on macOS should be required reading for anybody who takes even a vague interest in this stuff.

The situation in Afghanistan is deeply saddening. I think of all the women and children, in particular, who are now going to face extremely difficult lives, with no genuine prospect of relief. 😔

My sketchnote selfie done after watching the great Sketchnoting session at Micro Camp. @ChrisJWilson @cm

Beer in hand.

That time my son David got rocked in his pram by Luc Longley. A bunch of Perth people having a chat in Los Angeles.

Lover’s Lament. ❤️💔

Micro Camp is coming! ⛺️

Weekend plans.

In the process of cancelling my renewal for 1Password I noticed they were charging me more than their standard advertised rate. I was paying $5.49 per month, as opposed to their standard $4.99.

The March of Electron: 1Password Edition

I despise Electron apps. What is the point of having a superior operating system (macOS) if every app that resides on it is nobbled by not supporting basic elements of the underpinning system?

I see the short-term reason that developers must use: standardised code, cheaper for development, most users don’t know/care.

I also caution about the long-term losses: the damage to brand reputation, the disappointment of ‘power users’ and the risks that can occur from alienating this group.

It’s also hard not to see that this switch to Electron came shortly after 1Password accepted a huge venture capital stake. Investors want their returns.

Users who do care, such as myself, are the proselytising acolytes, however. I’ve recommended 1Password many times over the years, as well as being a paying subscriber of their Families edition more recently, after having bought multiple versions of their earlier standalone apps.

Rui Carmo at The Tao of Mac echoes my sentiments:

This shift away from fully native apps and the fact that they are removing iCloud support from version 8 in order to enforce the use of their cloud sync service (in an obvious lock-in ploy) was the last straw, so I just downloaded Secrets, paid for the Premium version ($19.99 for each platform) and imported all my 1Password data into it.

I have access to Secrets for macOS through my Setapp subscription. So I can try this out for a while, and if I like it I’m happy to buy the iOS version.

My current 1Password subscription is valid through to April next year so there’s no immediate pressure for me to shut down the 1Password account.

Pfizer jab #2 has definitely knocked me around, but totally worth it. I’m getting awesome 5G coverage, I missed a phone call from Bill Gates and the deep State have sent me a manilla folder with mission details inside! What a day! 💉

I’m maxinated! Starting to perhaps feel the affects of the second dose of Pfizer, but it’s a price worth paying! 💉