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04 Nov 2008
Bento
Bento is a relatively new application under MacOSX. It recently got an update and is now called Bento 2. This application can be seen as a generic MicroContent Client. Bento is created by the makers of Filemaker, which is a true database application. Bento is fortunately much more simple and reminds much more of MicroContent. So let’s look at it in more detail.
Bento allows the user to create any MicroContent Type he likes. In Bento each MicroContent Type is called a library. The user can create as much types as he wants. Each Library consists of one or multiple fields. One can select from field types text, number, choice, textbox, media, time, date, duration, counting, rating, address, phone number, email address and URL. This shows the database origin of Bento. As nothing is preset, one can add any field, one can say that Bento supports Wild MicroContent.
The nice thing of Bento is that it can link to other MicroContent Types. These links are called Lists. Out of the box Bento recognizes File Lists, Message Lists, Address Lists, Event Lists and Task Lists. These Lists are by the way linked to the Finder, Mail, AddressBook and iCal applications. These fields are truly Lists as they can be linked to multiple Items.
Also nice is that one can export definitions of MicroContent Types, called Library Templates. So sharing of MicroContent definitions is thus easy for Bento users.
The main Bento screen is very straightforward and reminiscent of other MicroContent Clients. On the left one has the Libraries pane. Each MicroContent Type is indicated by booklike icon. The libraries such as Address Book, iCal Events and iCal Tasks are preset. For each Library it is possible to create handpicked and smart lists. Thus the small icon labelled ‘beer’ indicates a smart list from Capsules.
Below the libraries pane one can see a field pane. This pane allows to add and remove fields. The visibility of this field pane can be suppressed. Also the visibility of the entire library/field pane can be suppressed.
The top right pane is the standard Items pane in table format. One can drag columns around, set the sorting on a column. The nice thing of this implementation is that it works like a spreadsheet. And one can suppress the visibility of this pane.
This brings us to the view-pane. As expected this shows an individual Item. Each field is presented with its label. Note the Bookmarks and Tags Lists, which are presented as Item-panelets. Everything in Bento is editable. There is no separate edit-mode. Thus any field can be changed as needed. Some fields come with preset buttons, for external linking, etc. Below the view-pane one can see controls to add/delete/import/export/print Items.
Above the view-pane buttons allow to change forms or to change to items-pane. The layout of the view-pane is known as a form. And the user can define as many forms as he like. And this is another important feature of Bento. The user can design the view-pane form. Thus he can set which fields should appear on a form, where they should appear, etc. There is no separate design-mode either, anything can be changed, resized, etc. at will.
Naturally Bento can still be improved. I would like to seem integration with other applications, such as iPhoto, iTunes and iMovie. I would like to see some standard libraries for MicroContent Types such as bookmarks, blogs, recipes, etc. I would like to see support for tags as a field type.
Instead of the table format for the Items pane, I would like to see support other formats, such as a grid format for images. I have mixed feelings on the instant editability and designability. I would like to see some locking mechanisms to prevent errors.
The import and export facilities are reminiscent of a true database: csv and tab-delimited files. I miss XML support, such as RSS and OPML and a Internet publishing facility.
All in all a very good application for those who like to keep lists or have the need for a simple database. I guess I will be buy it.