I know I go on about this a lot, but it’s ridiculous that the Apple Journal app isn’t on macOS or iPad. I want to use it—it’s just too limited as it is.
I know I go on about this a lot, but it’s ridiculous that the Apple Journal app isn’t on macOS or iPad. I want to use it—it’s just too limited as it is.
I tried a version with Daft Punk lyrics, but it didn’t quite work. So here’s this one instead. #art
Even after a year without gaming, The Forgotten City still pops into my head—it was brilliant. I’d love a show or film based on it… might even play it again, one day.
As someone who used to create YouTube videos, I feel compelled to say that when you watch reviews from content creators, they’re almost always just telling you what they want from a product. The iPad doesn’t need macOS; a phone or laptop is fine if it works, regardless of CPU or RAM.
Friend Wing linked this to me this morning. A very interesting list of websites, dare we say blogs.
I experienced some strange micro.blog problems today. Older posts weren’t showing up, which might have been a theme-related issue. Thankfully, everything seems to be working fine now.
Sir snail gave them all the time they needed… #art
Recent changes to products I use have left me suspicious of application pricing. This, coupled with the capitalistic obsession of locking users into services, has led me to overhaul almost all of the software I rely on for productivity. I’m mad as all heck about it, and I hope the following paragraphs serve as a warning to those who haven’t yet noticed this creeping trend.
I realise that what I’m about to describe is exactly why the free software movement exists—something I learned during my decade of running Linux. Somewhere along the way, I forgot that lesson. But recent demonstrations of greed from software I once adored have reminded me in no uncertain terms.
When I purchased GoodLinks, it cost £15. That wasn’t a subscription or a limited-time offer—it was a one-time purchase. The app was offline, server-free, and didn’t rely on ongoing revenue to function. At the time, nothing seemed off.
But this simple, seemingly honest purchase was the beginning of my distrust. It made me realise how easy it is to fall into the trap of assuming that apps will stay as they are.
GoodLinks lets me capture links and articles, saving them locally and syncing through iCloud. Then, almost a year ago, the app transitioned to a subscription model. It caught me off guard. Suddenly, I needed to pay £5 a year to access new features. The first feature? Article highlighting—something I’d genuinely wanted.
In hindsight, I would have paid for it, begrudgingly. Since I had purchased the app within a year of this change, the feature was unlocked for me. But the way this was rolled out lacked transparency, or feature roadmap and that left a sour taste.
Even more frustrating is that, in the time since, no new features have been added. Users are effectively paying £5 a year for a single upgrade. That feels disingenuous—an opportunistic move to extract a little extra cash from loyal customers.
Next on my list is the RSS reader, Reeder. For years, it was a shining example of excellent design and fair pricing. You paid once per major version, and that was it.
Now? It’s free to download, but costs £10 a year (or £1/month) to use. It has changed—dramatically. The classic feed-based layout is gone, replaced by a timeline-style interface that feels more like a social network than a reading tool.
I tried switching to News Explorer, but I didn’t love it. And so, reluctantly, I returned to Reeder—not because it’s better, but because I actually like the new timeline… Annoying!
The previous version, now branded Reeder Classic, is still available, but it won’t receive real development. This feels like a false compromise. The developer is relying on loyalty and nostalgia rather than improving the product.
While I don’t expect the subscription cost to skyrocket overnight, even modest annual increases (1–2%) add up over time. And that’s assuming the model doesn’t shift again.
The only upside? Switching RSS apps is relatively painless.
Now we come to DEVONthink. This is the one that really ticked me off.
DEVONthink isn’t just a notes app. It’s a document management platform—a digital brain. I’ve loved it. Trusted it. I paid over £100 for the app, and it maintained a stable business model for years. My entire digital life has been stored in its databases. It always felt safe.
Until now.
With the release of DEVONthink 4, the pricing model changed—and not in a good way. The update brought a confusing, opaque “modern” pricing scheme that hasn’t been properly explained. Users are being asked to trust the developers, but there’s been no clear communication of how much it will cost year on year.
You can opt out of paying and stay on the version you’ve got—but for someone who relies on this app for mission-critical tasks, that’s not a gamble I’m willing to take. macOS updates and hardware shifts make old software unreliable, I can’t afford to risk data loss.
Currently, the cost of staying “licensed” appears to be around £100 a year. That’s not pocket change. And it’s very likely to increase. For me, this isn’t sustainable.
I depend on productivity tools for organising my life, work, and commitments. These recent changes have shaken my trust in proprietary software and made me reassess almost everything I use.
So, I’ve made some changes.
Yes, I know Things 3 is unlikely to go subscription-based—it’s practically legendary for resisting the trend. But I’d have said the same about DEVONthink a month ago.
The biggest change? Leaving DEVONthink. I explored every option. Most were subscription-based. The free ones could flip to paid. Even apps you “buy once” could pivot overnight.
Eventually, I realised there was only one viable option: Apple Notes.
It’s not a research platform. It lacks DEVONthink’s smart sorting and relational features. But it works. After migrating around 800 notes, my conclusion is: It’s fine.
I plan to stick with it. I’ll resist the temptation of shiny new tools and focus on stability. With an all-Apple setup, Apple Notes offers the most stable pricing model I can find (free with OS) as long as I stay on a Mac.
There’s one exception to my new anti-subscription stance: read-it-later apps.
Safari’s reading list isn’t enough for my long-term archiving needs. So I’ve stuck with AnyBox, which I paid for with a “lifetime” license a couple of years ago. The terms were very clear: one-time fee, full access, forever.
Yes, it’s a gamble. But until Apple offers something better—or Apple Notes adds clipping—I’m staying put.
I feel bad. My bad experiences with proprietary apps have made me less willing to pay developers—even those with good intentions. But I need a stable, sustainable workflow for my own sanity.
Have you run into similar frustrations? Have the tools you rely on shifted beneath your feet? I’d genuinely love to hear your experience.
Had a fantastic day at the safari park today. Was great fun. Drove many miles but now I’m home and ready to spend my evening writing.
West Midland Safari Park. 📍
Safari adventure begins ☺️