Yojimbo

Yojimbo is a new application by Bare Bones Software. It allows users to create and manage notes, bookmarks, passwords, serial numbers and web archives. A note is simply a piece of RTF text with a title. A bookmark consists of a title and an URL. A password consists of a title, an account name, a location (URL?) and a pasword. A serial number consists of a product name, an owner name, an email address, an organisation name, a serial number and comments. A web archive is the same as a bookmark, but the corresponding web-page is downloaded and presented/saved. Each Item also has a creation and change date. One can add a label and a flag to each Item.

As all of this is very reminiscent of a MicroContent Client

In conclusion this is a reasonably good MicroContent Client. I like the support for multiple MicroContent Types and I would like to more Types added (or maybe a plugin-structure. I also would like to see tags. The interface is pretty standard, although I miss smart lists and groups. The import and export support is extremely weak. Yojimbo is a good MacOSX citizen, I like the Spotlight support, but Imiss the more advance features Thus this Client may get 42 out of 90 points.

Yojimbo introduces a few new features for a MicroContent Client:

• Encrypting - notes can be encrypted;
• Inspector - in a windowlet a user can show the metadata for each Item. This windowlet shows the flag, dates and comments for an Item. I call this metadata as it is not part of the main structure of an Item;
• Quick Input Panel - a panel (really?) where a user can create a new Item;
• Drop Dock - one can drag files (text, pdf's) onto this drop dock and then it will be added to the library or the selected folder. One can also drag&drop unto the Dock icon, but there is then no selection option;

• MicroContent (5/10) - to what degree does the client support MicroContent Items?
  
  • Structure - YES, each of the MicroContent Types has structure;
  • Multiplicity - YES, the application understands multiple types: notes, bookmarks, passwords, serial numbers and web archives;
  • Flexibility - NO;
  • MicroWeb - NO, although clicking on a link reveals the corresponding web-page in the default browser;
  • Merged - NO, although one could call the downloading and storing of a web page populating;
  • Pick-list Fields - NO;
  • Title - YES, each type has a title;
  • Description - YES, each type has a comment field;
  • Tags - NO, although one can add a label to each Item. The user can extend the label-list. Each label is recognised through a background colour of the Item in the Items-pane;
  • Rating - YES, very simple: just a flag;
  
  
• Interface (6/10) - does the client have the characteristic layout?
  
  • View-pane - YES, it’s layout changes for each type.
  • View-pane Styles - NO;
  • View Window - YES, a single Item can opened in a separate window;
  • Items-pane - YES;
  • Items-pane Views - NO;
  • Items-pane Sorting - YES;
  • Items-pane Columns - YES;
  • Lists-pane - YES;
  • Browser-pane - NO;
  • Pane layout - NO;
  
  
• Item functions (7/10) - functions for managing individual Items.
  
  • View - YES;
  • Create - YES;
  • Edit - YES;
  • Mark - YES, an Item can be flagged;
  • Search - YES, one can search in specific fields;
  • Persistence - NO, although move to trash after opening determines the lifetime of a bookmark;
  • Access Control - YES;
  • Duplicate Control - NO;
  • Delete - YES;
  • Download - YES, the difference between a bookmark and a web archive is just the downloading of the web page;
  
  
• List functions (8/17) - Lists are called Collections;
  
  • Local Lists - YES;
  • Connected Lists - NO;
  • Shared Lists - NO;
  • Remote Lists - NO;
  • Handpicked Lists - YES;
  • Smart Lists - NO, although there are some pre-programmed smart lists;
  • List Metadata - YES, one can add comments to a List;
  • Statistics - YES, next to the List-name the totals are shown;
  • Directory - NO;
  • Add - YES;
  • Edit - YES;
  • Remove - YES;
  • Show - NO, but does not seem relevant;
  • Backup/revert - NO;
  • Refresh - NO;
  • Delete - YES;
  
  
• Group functions (0/9);
  
  • Unlimited Depth - NO;
  • Local Groups - NO;
  • Connected Groups - NO;
  • Shared Groups - NO;
  • Remote Groups - NO;
  • Directory - NO;
  • Add - NO;
  • Edit - NO;
  • Delete - NO;
• Import (2/6) - does the client allow for importing Items?
  
  • Classic - NO;
  • Standards - YES, just plain text files;
  • Proprietary - NO;
  • Applications - NO;
  • Bookmarklet - NO;
  • Drag&drop - YES, I managed to drag&drop an URL into the Library and by dragging onto the Dock;
  
  
• Export (4/14) - does the client allow for exporting Items?
  
  • Classic - NO;
  • Standard - YES, as a text-file;
  • Proprietary - NO;
  • HTML - NO;
  • Print - YES:
  • Feed - NO;
  • Local - YES;
  • Connected - NO;
  • Shared - NO;
  • Remote: .Mac - YES, there seems to be a .Mac synchronisation option;
  • Remote: FTP Publish - NO;
  • Remote: RPC Publish - NO;
  • Drag&drop - NO;
  • Application - NO;
  
  
• MacOSX (8/15) - is the client a good MacOSX application?
  
  • Look&Feel - YES;
  • Menu - YES;
  • Toolbar - YES;
  • Alt-click - NO;
  • Ctrl-click - YES;
  • Drag&drop - YES, for adding Items to hand-picked Lists and for rearranging of columns in the Items-pane.
  • Services - YES, both text and URL’s can be passed on;
  • Dock - NO;
  • Spotlight - YES;
  • Dashboard - YES, it accepts files dropped on the Icon;
  • AppleScript - NO;
  • Framework - NO;
  • Menubar Item - NO;
  • Plugins - NO;
  • Languages - NO;
  
  
  
  

Readerware

ReaderWare is an application which helps a user to manage his book collection. I had a look at version 2.96 and checked the application against checklist version 1.3.

This application gets 35 out of 87 points. It has many features which one likes to see in MicroContent clients. I noted the following:

• The application has a pretty un-MacOS-X like feeling. They invented new interface layouts and elements. The application does not seem to conform to the Apple Human Interface Guidelines. Or does at least not use MacOSX standard stuff.

• MicroContent (9/10) - to what degree does the client support MicroContent Items?
  
  • Structure - YES, the structure is a combination between user supplied data and by external sources populated fields;
  • Multiplicity - NO;
  • Flexibility - YES, the user can add up to 10 fields;
  • MicroWeb - YES, clicking on an Item links to Amazon.com, and one can alos link to shop URL’s;
  • Merged - YES, through Amazon and many other book sources;
  • Pick-list Fields - YES;
  • Title - YES, this is the title of the book;
  • Description - YES, the Comments-field could be used for this;
  • Tags - YES, these are called ratings;
  • Rating - YES, but I am unsure what I can put there;
  
  
• Interface (6/10) - does the client have the characteristic layout?
  
  • View-pane - YES, one gets that pane by clicking on an Item;
  • View-pane Styles - NO;
  • View Window - NO;
  • Items-pane - YES, in tabular format;
  • Items-pane Views - YES, it has also a thumbnail view and a fish eye view;
  • Items-pane Sorting - YES, all fields appear in the table and can be used for sorting;
  • Items-pane Fields - YES, columns can be removed and dragged around;
  • Lists-pane - YES, as an option;
  • Browser-pane - NO;
  • Pane layout - NO, although a user can define views;
  
  
• Item functions (6/9) - functions for managing individual Items.
  
  • View - YES
  • Create - YES, either by hand or by ISBN-lookup;
  • Edit - YES;
  • Mark - NO;
  • Search - YES, although the implementation seems funny;
  • Persistence - NO, but does not seem relevant;
  • Access Control - NO;
  • Delete - YES;
  • Download - YES, the corresponding book covers are downloaded;
  
  
• List functions (1/16)
  
  • Local Lists - YES, the smart lists are local;
  • Connected Lists - NO;
  • Shared Lists - NO;
  • Remote Lists - NO;
  • Handpicked Lists - NO;
  • Smart Lists - YES, but all there are only Lists based on author and those are generated automatically. There is also a loan list and a shopping cart;
  • Recommendations - NO;
  • List Metadata - NO;
  • Directory - NO;
  • Add - NO, Smart Lists are created automatically;
  • Edit - NO;
  • Remove - NO;
  • Show - NO, but does not seem relevant here;
  • Backup/revert - YES, both an update and revert;
  • Remove - NO;
  • Refresh - YES, the merged data can be updated;
  • Delete - NO;
• Groups (1/8) does the Client support Groups?
  
  • Unlimited Depth - NO;
  • Local - YEs, the entire library presents itself as a group;
  • Connected - NO;
  • Shared - NO;
  • Remote - NO;
  • Directories - NO;
  • Add - NO;
  • Edit - NO;
  • Delete - NO;
  
  
• Import (3/5) - does the client allow for importing Items?
  
  • Classic - YES, CSV and Tab-delimited;
  • Standard - YES, Homebase-format;
  • Proprietary - NO;
  • Bookmarklet - NO;
  • Application - NO;
  • Drag&drop - YES, one can drag a URL of a book-page and it gets extracted and added to the library;
  
  
• Export (5/14) - does the client allow for exporting Items?
  
  • Classic - YES, CSV and Tab-delimited;
  • Standard - YES, Homebase-format;
  • Proprietary - NO;
  • HTML - NO;
  • Print - YES;
  • Feeds - NO;
  • Local - YES;
  • Connected - YES, it is mentioned that one can export to an iPod, but I did not find how;
  • Shared - NO;
  • Remote: .Mac - NO;
  • Remote: FTP - NO;
  • Remote: RPC - NO;
  • Bonjour - NO;
  • Drag&drop - NO;
  • Application - NO;
  
  
• MacOSX (1/16) - is the client a good MacOSX application?
  
  • Menu - NO, I miss the standard structure;
  • Toolbar - YES, but not the MacOSX implementation;
  • Alt-click - NO;
  • Ctril-click - NO;
  • Drag&drop - NO;
  • Services - NO;
  • Dock - NO;
  • Spotlight - NO;
  • Dashboard - NO;
  • AppleScript - NO;
  • Framework - NO;
  • Menu-bar Item - NO;
  • Plug-ins - NO;
  
  

MarsEdit

MarsEdit (1.1fc2) allows a user to create and publish blog-items.

This client gets 35 out of 87 points. The score is a bit low due to the fact that this is a very dedicated client. However I noticed that the checklist lacks some basic points that this Client supports:

• Create - the Client allows to create new Items. Really should be part of the checklist;
• RPC Publishing - one of the basic features of this Client. Must also be added to the checklist;
• Drafts - this is a predefined Smart List for Items that have not been published;
• Posting Options - it is possible to specify many options when publishing an Item (pings, open/close Item, comments, markup, etc). This is very specific;
• Image uploading - there support for uploading images;
• Enclosure support - one can add enclosures;

• MicroContent (7/10) - to what degree does the client support MicroContent Items?
  
  • Structure - YES, the structure is defined by the API’s with the blogging systems. Maximum structure consists of Title, Body, Extended, Excerpt, Keywords, a Category and a Date;
  • Multiplicity - YES, the actual structure depends on the blog-system;
  • Flexibility - NO;
  • Merged - NO;
  • MicroWeb - YES, the user can upload an associated file, such as an image, podcast, etc.;
  • Pick-list Fields - YES, if the blog-system supports categories, the user can pick a category;
  • Title - YES;
  • Description - YES, called body;
  • Tags - YES, called keywords;
  • Rating - NO;
  
  
• Interface (6/10) - does the client have the characteristic layout?
  
  • View-pane - YES;
  • Viewpane Styles - NO;
  • View Window - YES, there is a preview mode;
  • Items-pane - YES;
  • Items-pane Views - NO;
  • Items-pane Sorting - YES;
  • Items-pane Fields - YES;
  • Lists-pane - YES, a drawer;
  • Browser-pane - NO;
  • Pane layout - NO;
  
  
• Item functions (7/8) - called a Post.
  
  • View - YES, in input and preview mode;
  • Create - YES;
  • Edit - YES, the user can edit and update an Item;
  • Mark - YES, the Client keeps track whether an Item has been posted or not. An Item that has not been posted will be kept as a draft;
  • Search - NO;
  • Persistence - YES, only a limited number of Items is kept;
  • Access Control - NO;
  • Delete - YES;
  • Downloading - YES, it is possible to synchronise with Items on the server;
  
  
• List functions (8/15) - called Weblogs here.
  
  • Local Lists - YES, the Client keeps a copy of the published Items locally;
  • Connected Lists - NO;
  • Shared Lists - NO;
  • Remote Lists - YES, but only for the Weblogs managed by the user. The weblog can be downloaded from the weblog-system;
  • Handpicked Lists - YES, the user must specify the Weblog where he wants to add a post;
  • Smart Lists - NO
  • Recommendation Lists - NO;
  • List Metadata - YES, all the information related to the Weblog and -system;
  • Directory - NO;
  • Add - YES, this is creating a new Weblog;
  • Edit - YES;
  • Show - NO;
  • Backup/Revert - YES;
  • Refresh - YES;
  • Remove - NO, an Item is fixed to a List;
  • Delete - YES;
  
  
• Group functions (0/9)
  
  • Unlimited Depth - NO;
  • Local Groups - NO;
  • Connected Groups - NO;
  • Shared Groups - NO;
  • Remote Groups - NO;
  • Directory - NO;
  • Add - NO;
  • Edit - NO;
  • Delete - NO;
  
  
• Import (2/6) - does the client allow for importing Items?
  
  • Classic - NO;
  • Standard - NO, although note that one can synchronise with a weblog-system;
  • Proprietary - NO;
  • Application - YES, one can create posts from NNW or compatible RSS-browsers.
  • Bookmarklet - YES, via a Bookmarklet;
  • Drag&drop - NO;
  
  
• Export (1/12) - does the client allow for exporting Items?
  
  • Classic - NO;
  • Standard - NO;
  • Proprietary - NO;
  • HTML - NO;
  • Print - NO;
  • Feed - NO;
  • Local - NO;
  • Shared - NO;
  • Connected - NO;
  • Remote:.Mac - NO;
  • Remote:FTP - NO;
  • Remote:RPC - YES, basically the purpose of the app;
  • Drag&drop - NO;
  • Application - NO;
  
  
• MacOSX (5/14) - is the client a good MacOSX application?
  
  • Look&Feel - YES;
  • Menu - YES;
  • Toolbar - YES;
  • Alt-click - NO;
  • Ctrl-click - YES;
  • Drag&drop - NO;
  • Services - NO;
  • Dock - NO;
  • Spotlight - NO;
  • Dashboard - NO;
  • AppleScript - YES;
  • Framework - NO;
  • Menu-bar Item - NO;
  • Plug-ins - NO;
  
  

DTV

I had a look at version 0.7. This client allows a user to manage videoCasts. This analysis is based on checklist version 1.1.

This client gets 22 out of 82 points. This does not seem very high, but this application is only a remote viewer. So much functionality is not necessary. There is some functionality that is not on the checklist:

• Prefined smartlists - the client has two lists called Downloads and New Videos. These are smartlists that had been predefined: one for videos that have not yet been viewed and one for videos that are partly downloaded;
• Directory - The Channel Guide shows possible Lists that a user might add to his own Library. It thus only shows the Lists and not the contained Items. The Channel Guide is a remote group with lists. This concept can be extended to other MicroContent Clients as well;
• Shows - it is possible to view multiple Items in sequence. Thus when one video has ended, the next video starts. This concept can also be extended to other MicroContent Types and Clients;
• Full screen viewing - an Item can be seen in a full screen mode. This is also useful for other MicroContent Types and Clients;

• MicroContent (4/10) - to what degree does the client support MicroContent Items?
  
  • Structure - YES, it is based on video file standards plus RSS;
  • Multiplicity - YES, multiple video formats are supported
  • Flexibility - NO;
  • MicroWeb - NO;
  • Merged - NO, not relevant
  • Pick Lists - NO;
  • Title - YES;
  • Description - YES;
  • Tags - NO;
  • Rating - NO;
  
  
• Interface (4/10) - does the client have the characteristic layout?
  
  • View-pane - YES, it replaces the Items-pane;
  • View-pane Styles - NO:
  • View Window - YES, one can see video’s in Full Screen;
  • Items-pane - YES, it has a tabular view;
  • Items-pane Views - NO;
  • Items-pane Sorting - NO;
  • Items-pane Columns - NO;
  • Lists-pane - YES, lists are called Collections;
  • Browser-pane - NO;
  • Pane layout - NO;
  
  
• Item functions (4/8) - Items are called Video’s.
  
  • View - YES;
  • Create - NO;
  • Edit - NO;
  • Mark - NO, there are however some unseen marks (new, viewed);
  • Search - NO;
  • Persistence - YES, a user can indicate whether an Item should be removed;
  • Delete - YES;
  • Download - YES, a user has control over downloading of video’s;
  
  
• List functions (5/15) - Lists are called Collections;
  
  • Local Lists - NO, although Create Collection is advertised in the Menu;
  • Connected Lists - NO;
  • Shared Lists - NO;
  • Remote Lists - YES;
  • Handpicked Lists - NO;
  • Smart Lists - NO, although there are a New Video, Downloads and My Collection predefined Smart Lists;
  • List Metadata - NO;
  • Directory - NO, the Channel Guide is a Group;
  • Add - YES, only Remote Lists;
  • Edit - NO;
  • Show - YES, it keeps playing video’s;
  • Backup/revert - NO;
  • Refresh - YES, called Update;
  • Remove - NO;
  • Delete - YES, only Remote Lists;
  
  
• Groups (1/9)
  
  • Unlimited Depth - NO;
  • Local Groups - NO;
  • Connected Groups - NO;
  • Shared Groups - NO;
  • Remote Groups - NO;
  • Directory - YES, the Channel Guide;
  • Add - NO;
  • Edit - NO;
  • Delete - NO;
  
  
• Import (0/6) - does the client allow for importing Items?
  
  • Classic - NO;
  • Standards - NO;
  • Proprietary - NO;
  • Applications - NO;
  • Bookmarklet - NO;
  • Drag&drop - NO;
  
  
• Export (1/14) - does the client allow for exporting Items?
  
  • Classic - NO;
  • Standard - NO;
  • Proprietary - NO;
  • HTML - NO;
  • Print - NO;
  • Feeds - NO;
  • Local - NO;
  • Connect - NO;
  • Shared - NO;
  • .Mac Publish - NO;
  • FTP Publish - NO;
  • RPC Publish - NO;
  • Drag&drop - NO;
  • Application - YES, there is a link with Email;
  
  
• MacOSX (3/11) - is the client a good MacOSX application?
  
  • Look&Feel - YES;
  • Menu - YES;
  • Toolbar - NO;
  • Alt-click - NO;
  • Ctrl-click - YES, but very limited;
  • Drag&drop - NO;
  • Services - NO;
  • Dock - NO;
  • Spotlight - NO;
  • Dashboard - NO;
  • AppleScript - NO;
  • Framework - NO;

WebnoteHappy

I had a go with WebnoteHappy Pro 1.0b26a. This application is still a moving target, but I have a go anyway. This is based on checklist version 1.4.

So in total that gets this application 45 points out of a total of 90 points. As this application is very young and not all checks are relevant, I guess this is a good score.

That leaves some functionality that I did not cover in the checklist:

• Bookmarklet - this might be an interesting addition to the checklist. A bookmarklet should be able to extract a (or more) MicroContent Items from a web-page and add it to the client library;
• Search - should be added to the checklist;
• Tag typeahead - this function offers suggestions for tags based on already existing tags. I can imagine such a function in other MicroContent Clients as well;
• Words - this is a windowlet which shows a list of all words found in notes. For each word a count is given. Clicking on a word shows the related notes in the Items-pane. This seems like a generic function as well (this feature got dropped in one of the releases);

• MicroContent (5/10)
  
  • Structure - YES, the structure is titles, notes, urls, sources and tags;
  • Multiplicity - NO;
  • Flexibility - NO;
  • MicroWeb - NO;
  • Merged - NO, not relevant;
  • Pick-list Fields - YES, the tag field is an Open Picklist;
  • Title - YES;
  • Description - YES;
  • Tags - YES;
  • Rating - NO;
  
  
• Interface (5/10) - does the client have the characteristic layout?
  
  • View-pane - YES;
  • View-pane styles - NO;
  • View window - NO;
  • Items-pane - YES;
  • Items-pane Views - NO;
  • Items-pane Sorting - YES (to self: one should be able to set which columns one sees);
  • Items-pane Fields - NO;
  • Lists-pane - YES;
  • Browser-pane - YES;
  • Pane layout - NO;
  
  
• Item functions (6/10) - functions for managing individual Items.
  
  • View - YES;
  • Create - YES;
  • Edit - YES, but partly;
  • Mark - NO;
  • Search - YES;
  • Persistence - NO, not really relevant;
  • Access Control - NO;
  • Duplicate Control - YES, when adding a new Item a check on the same URL is made;
  • Delete - YES;
  • Downloading - NO, not relevant;
  
  
• List functions (8/17)
  
  • Local Lists - YES;
  • Connected Lists - NO;
  • Shared Lists - NO;
  • Remote Lists - NO;
  • Handpicked Lists - YES;
  • Smart Lists - YES;
  • List Metadata - NO;
  • Statistics - YES, for a selected List the number of Webnotes are given;
  • Directory - NO;
  • Add - YES;
  • Edit - YES, the title;
  • Show - NO;
  • Refresh - NO;
  • Remove - YES, but not quite clear;
  • Delete - YES;
  
  
• Group functions (5/9)
  
  • Unlimited Depth - YES;
  • Local Groups - YES;
  • Connected Groups - NO;
  • Shared Groups - NO;
  • Remote Groups - NO;
  • Directory - NO;
  • Add - YES;
  • Edit - YES, the title;
  • Delete - YES;
  
  
• Import (4/6) - does the client allow for importing Items?
  
  • Classic - NO;
  • Standard - YES, XBEL format;
  • Proprietary - YES, Del.icio.us. I miss the Netscape bookmark format here;
  • Application - YES, Safari and the global hotkey;
  • Bookmarklet - YES;
  • Drag&drop - YES;
  
  
• Export (2/13) - does the client allow for exporting Items?
  
  • Classic - NO;
  • Standard - YES, XBEL;
  • Proprietary - YES, bookmark file;
  • HTML - NO;
  • Print - NO;
  • Feeds - NO;
  • Local - YES;
  • Connected - NO, could that be relevant?
  • Shared - NO;
  • Remote: .Mac - NO;
  • Remote: FTP - NO;
  • Remote: RPC - NO;
  • Drag&drop - YES, this will create Webloc files;
  • Application - YES, one can open a browser;
  
  
• MacOSX (9/15) - is the client a good MacOSX application?
  
  • Look&Feel - YES;
  • Menu - YES;
  • Toolbar - YES;
  • Alt-click - YES;
  • Ctrl-click - YES;
  • Drag&drop - YES;
  • Services - NO;
  • Dock - NO;
  • Spotlight - YES;
  • Dashboard - NO;
  • AppleScript - YES;
  • Framework - NO;
  • Menubar Item - NO;
  • Plug-ins - NO;
  • Languages - YES, I counted four languages;