Bike 1.0 (37) Preview

Bike
#1
  • Added Item > Group menu item
  • Added Item > Duplicate menu item
  • Changed to focus on item when bike link is activated
  • Changed move to end of paragraph to move to end of current line, not start of next line
  • Changed move by char cursor animation to flash (instead of slide) when changing lines
  • Changed insert line cursor animation to flash (instead of slide) when starting from char == 0

If all goes well this should be the first update that you can do automatically with Sparkle. Bike > Check for Update… should do the trick I think.

3 Likes
#2

The Sparkle update worked well.

1 Like
#3

Good effect – thanks !

ditto

1 Like
#4

I have purchased many programs that you created and then discontinued; the only question for me: it’s promising, as usual, but for how long?

#5

Assuming people like and buy Bike then I expect it to be around and updated for a long time. I have years worth of features that I want to, and think that I can, add without unbalancing the core Bike interface.

Bike’s sales model is different than what I’ve used in other apps. The direct purchase version is 1 year of free updates, then renew license at a discount to get future updates. App Store version will be subscription. A big issue that I ran into with past apps was that after a time sales would drop to very low levels, updates didn’t really effect that too much. I’m hopefully that will provide a more sustainable income stream. The direct download model should reward and encourage me to make new updates that users want.

#6

And, of course, every application design (like every Michelangelo draft of the David) nourishes the next.

I, for one, am already using Bike not only for outlining thoughts and plans in the form of outlines with unique and linkable node ids, but also where I would once have used WriteWoom (fast unformatted drafting with minimal noise) and even FoldingText (generating Markdown-formatted documents, with a Bike → MD script), though FoldingText is still around and has a new owner and developer.

The longevity of any application (and TaskPaper’s, for example, has been long) is up to us. Development requires resource.

#7

I know you’ve said you will continue to support TaskPaper. But for those of us who run our lives off outlining apps (and are willing to pay for the privilege), is it reasonable to think of Bike as a successor to TaskPaper? And maybe eventually a challenger to OmniOutliner?

#8

I know you’ve said you will continue to support TaskPaper. But for those of us who run our lives off outlining apps (and are willing to pay for the privilege), is it reasonable to think of Bike as a successor to TaskPaper?

Yes, Bike is my next try at outlining and where I’ll be putting the most of my time. I have a long list of features that I want to add. I see TaskPaper as mostly done, I will do bug fixes and keep it synced with latest version of macOS, but I don’t have any major new features that I want to add.

And maybe eventually a challenger to OmniOutliner?

Depends on use. For my use Bike already replaces OmniOutliner, but I don’t expect Bike to ever duplicate OmniOutliner’s entire feature set. For example big parts of OmniOutliner such as columns and it’s formatting rules is not something that I expect to add to Bike. (I do expect Bike to get TaskPaper like stylesheets, but I think that’s a different thing)

Jesse

#9

I’m late to the party. Wish I’d found TaskPaper years ago. It is perfect for my task list and has even replaced my Markdown editor for writing up my daily log document. I like the TaskPaper file format and the way the TaskPaper app supports and enhances it on the Mac. It is a complete app with everything I need.

I’ll be keeping an eye on the Bike app to see what new horizons you open up.