We will not be actively maintaining the Linux client anymore

[Federico Simionato 1,028]

Hello folks!

Quick update to let you know that we are focusing on improving the experience on Evernote Web, and therefore we will not be actively maintaining the Linux client anymore. For the time being it will keep working for those who have it installed, but prepare for it to stop working in the future.

[WilliamL 657]

The one feature the web app needs for me is merge notes - so far only the desktop apps can do that for some reason. Only adding this as if Linux users need to use web app merge notes and maybe export notebooks (everyone ought to be able to back up their data!) would be good additions. 

[Boot17 1,485]

Even though I've only dabbled with Linux here and there and will probably never be an active user in the foreseeable future, I'm sad to see this announcement. On the other hand, I think it's good that a clear direction is given too.

I wish the web app had the 'Switch To...' command/shortcut as well as more keyboard shortcuts.

[gazumped 11,750]

I have one laptop with Linux - mainly because it's too old and limited to run anything Windows related.  Also felt I should get used to using the OS on general principles.  Sad that a native Evernote app is on hold - a lot of Linux users are going to say "I told you so" - but I guess more features in the Web client will somewhat make up for it.. Hope we can revisit when everything else settles down!

[ianfm 68]

3 hours ago, Federico Simionato said:

Hello folks!

Quick update to let you know that we are focusing on improving the experience on Evernote Web, and therefore we will not be actively maintaining the Linux client anymore. For the time being it will keep working for those who have it installed, but prepare for it to stop working in the future.

@Federico Simionato Will you make notes on Evernote Web available offline? Using a Chromebook and no Linux client means that there is no option to work offline anymore. Yes there is the Android app but that falls far short because of the constant bugs and lack of functions.

[PinkElephant 8,244]

Web runs in a browser. There is no chance with a browser as interface to make content available offline (apart from caching some recently used content).

[Jon/t 1,364]

13 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

Web runs in a browser. There is no chance with a browser as interface to make content available offline (apart from caching some recently used content).

Unless they build a full blown PWA. Probably won't as PWAs never really took off even though they work a treat. Locked in app-stores won the day!

[GLKD 0]

When I accept the update message (which I can't ignore) the new version is installed. When it tries to run I receive a variety of error messages such as "The procedure entry point GetPackageFamilyName could not be found located in the dynamic link library KERNEL32.dll. 

How do I update KERNEL32.dll (Win 7)?

[ianfm 68]

43 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

Web runs in a browser. There is no chance with a browser as interface to make content available offline (apart from caching some recently used content).

Well I'm not an expert but I use Google Drive, Gmail and Google calendar. All run in a browser and I use them offline regularly. So it is possible. 

[mjotad 27]

This feels a little like a chronicle of a death foretold, after seven months of no updates and no communication about the Linux client.  I think the decision is a great pity, but it is good to finally have a definitive and official statement on the matter.

For me this removes my last doubts about letting my subscription lapse when it comes up for renewal in October, after twelve years. I'm not willing to put more information into a system that won't give me an official method to export it if I so wish. Nor do I wish to have to pay the same (increased) price as Windows and Mac users in order to receive a more limited level of access to my notes.

I will say that it seems to show a limited view of what "cross-platform" means, and to be throwing away one of the clear tangible benefits of having made the switch to the common Electron framework for V10, with all the ructions that that caused. 

Still, at the least the situation is clear, and there are plenty of alternatives which do see the value in being truly cross-platform.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gazumped 11,750]

1 hour ago, ianfm said:

Google Drive, Gmail and Google calendar. All run in a browser and I use them offline regularly.

But you have to download and install some content on your system from each one in advance.  They (presumably) have an OS-friendly 'host' mini-app that gives you access to your data.  Evernote would have to develop something similar for their web service,  and it looks like they prefer to concentrate on other priorities for the moment.

Anyone who's currently part of the Linux Beta Test group will be able to work offline - and presumably will be able to use the Notebook export option to get a full copy of their current notes and notebooks.  (I'm not using my Linux system to be able to check).

For those of us (like me) who would like to have the extra security of a backup,  I posted a Feature Request - please vote if you agree!

 

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,981]

6 hours ago, WilliamL said:

The one feature the web app needs for me is merge notes - so far only the desktop apps can do that for some reason. Only adding this as if Linux users need to use web app merge notes and maybe export notebooks (everyone ought to be able to back up their data!) would be good additions. 

I just checked, and I can definitely merge notes in the Web client. I selected as many as 60 notes, and the blue menu bar that appeared included Merge as an option. (Which I didn't do!) Don't know when the Web client got this ability, but I think it was awhile ago.

[PinkElephant 8,244]

The ability to merge notes in the web client was added last year, if I’m not mistaken. I would have to look up the version number. But since the web client updates by itself, everybody should have it since a while.

What we don’t expect, we don’t try. I found out more or less by accident myself.

[rafikiphoto 22]

15 hours ago, Federico Simionato said:

Hello folks!

Quick update to let you know that we are focusing on improving the experience on Evernote Web, and therefore we will not be actively maintaining the Linux client anymore. For the time being it will keep working for those who have it installed, but prepare for it to stop working in the future.

Very recently I asked support if they could confirm EN for Linux would continue to be developed. I received a lot of vague assurances. Glad I didn't believe them and cancelled my subscription.

[ianfm 68]

9 hours ago, gazumped said:

But you have to download and install some content on your system from each one in advance.  They (presumably) have an OS-friendly 'host' mini-app that gives you access to your data. 

 

All you have to do is select the offline option. I don't have to do anything in advance. It just works. 

[James Bradley 4]

I was a beta tester and would love access to the Linux client even if it unsupported and will eventually break.

Please consider open-sourcing the linux client? The Linux community is built on open source and I suspect they would be willing to support the linux client.

[Tony Ballantyne 211]

https://blog.tonyballantyne.com/2023/07/16/au-revoir-evernote-hello-obsidian/

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,981]

15 minutes ago, Tony Ballantyne said:

https://blog.tonyballantyne.com/2023/07/16/au-revoir-evernote-hello-obsidian/

TBH, probably the most tepid expression of being done with Evernote I've ever seen. 🙂

[Mia 39]

Might I ask, is Linux necessary in running OS smoothly within EN App & EN Web (if needed) working on iOS & OS ?   

Daily Driver: Samsung Galaxy 23 Ultra, adjuncts-  iPad Pro (little storage) & old iPad Air 1st Gen.                          Made mistake investing in Samsung Device, didn't I?  iOS runs like a dream compared to Android.

Thank you to all of you, BTW...

 

[PinkElephant 8,244]

There was a Linux client as a beta, but it was announced now it will not be promoted into an official release. 

On Linux it’s back to use the web client for now.

On mobile I agree: The iOS client runs pretty good, the Android client has more trouble.

[prashantjain25 2]

🌟 "Evernote's Linux Drop: 🧐 Irony in Software Industry 🌐

Evernote's decision to drop Linux support raises eyebrows 🤨, especially when they use the same Electron codebase. 🤔 It makes you wonder: Are sales and marketing folks transitioning to CTO or CEO positions without a hint of software savvy? 🤯

Sometimes, it feels like companies blame R&D for their own missteps. 🤷‍♂️💻 Can the staff say the same about Windows and Mac support, advocating for the web instead? 😬 It's like they're charting a course for their own doomsday! ☠️💡 #SoftwareIrony #TechIntrigue #EvernoteLinuxMystery"

[s2sailor 2,288]

21 minutes ago, prashantjain25 said:

Evernote's decision to drop Linux support raises eyebrows 🤨, especially when they use the same Electron codebase. 🤔 It makes you wonder: Are sales and marketing folks transitioning to CTO or CEO positions without a hint of software savvy? 🤯

Not really, I think it is a sound move.  I understand there are Linux advocates out there, but what is the marketshare as compared to Windows and Mac?  Wherever you look, it is small, real small.  Plus there are numerous Linux distributions.  Which one(s) do you support and test?  I have some experience in this and it can be a nightmare.   They do not all behave the same.  In making decisions on where to place your limited development resources, this one makes sense, at least to me.

[prashantjain25 2]

The current state of affairs baffles me. Just as Linux was gaining momentum and Ubuntu was becoming the universal choice for newcomers, the decision to withdraw Evernote seems utterly nonsensical. It's not a matter of whether the market share is substantial enough; history has shown that even when Mac was a newcomer, software thrived. The culprits here are the commercial OS vendors exerting undue pressure, and the suffocating grasp of patents that stifle Linux's growth.

In a world where technologies like Qt and Electron exist, uniformity should not be an issue. We have the tools and capabilities to create cross-platform applications effortlessly. For corner cases like Outlook Calendar and other such tools, one can easily employ non-proprietary formats, ensuring that data is accessible from anywhere, regardless of the operating system. This decision not only warrants rebellion but also highlights the unnecessary barriers that proprietary software imposes on the tech ecosystem.

[eric99 1,004]

1 hour ago, prashantjain25 said:

 The culprits here are the commercial OS vendors exerting undue pressure, and the suffocating grasp of patents that stifle Linux's growth.

Don't blame the OS vendors, the real culprit is the Linux community itself: there are over 600 active Linux distributions and counting 😵. To the outside world there doesn't seem to be such a thing as one 'Linux OS'

[PinkElephant 8,244]

These are the market shares for the personal computer market, source Statista.com :

and for comparison Summer 2018:

 

Oh yes, Linux has doubled its market share, up to a whooping 2.9% …

And this is split among uncountable flavors, from barebone to Windows/Mac - simulating releases.

If there would be endless resources, probably no issue. But resources usually are not endless, and better used in a focussed way.

[gazumped 11,750]

I don't think suspending the Evernote Linux development is intended as any sort of a slight to the software market.  It's a realistic business decision for a company that is currently changing and updating its core product in pretty radical fashion.  The existing Linux Beta is already several versions behind the newly released public versions,  and those have several continuing issues that have not yet been tied down. 

It makes sense not to waste time making repeated changes to the Beta to try to keep it up to date.  Best to get the main product to a fully reliable version,  then convert that version.

I'd be sure there will be a Linux option - just not (probably) this year.  At least the various improvements Evernote is making filter through to the browser,  so all is not lost - though accepted;  the browser version is a little less capable than the installed app.

 

[Peter Quiel 9]

That's a very unfortunate decision for me. Makes it easier for me to find the motivation and switch finally.

[PinkElephant 8,244]

Motivation should be found in where you go, not what you leave.

If the main driver of a decision is to move away from something, the „best alternative“ can occasionally be something better, but in most cases it‘s only „next best“. And „next best“ can be a lot worse, which unfortunately often will only show in the rearview mirror.

[upnix 36]

Are you planning to tell your Linux beta testers, some of whom are are still under the impression they're beta testing viable software?

[gazumped 11,750]

3 hours ago, upnix said:

Are you planning to tell your Linux beta testers

The forums here are mainly supported by other users,  so "we" don't have any testers that we're aware of.  Linux users are part of the general Evernote community so hopefully will be aware that things are not progressing.  (The last Linux version being 10.29 might have been a clue...).  If any questions come up in the forums we'll let the posters know the position.   The current web version is now much more advanced than the Linux client,  but if an existing tester finds the beta version is useful,  then they can continue to use it.

[upnix 36]

20 hours ago, gazumped said:

The forums here are mainly supported by other users,  so "we" don't have any testers that we're aware of.  Linux users are part of the general Evernote community so hopefully will be aware that things are not progressing.  (The last Linux version being 10.29 might have been a clue...).  If any questions come up in the forums we'll let the posters know the position.   The current web version is now much more advanced than the Linux client,  but if an existing tester finds the beta version is useful,  then they can continue to use it.

My question was directed to the thread's original author, who appears to work at Evernote.

The Linux Beta testing program was a pretty formal program, with agreements and a private forum. By abandoning that whole group, Evernote seems to be making light of the time and effort beta testers had/have been putting in for the benefit of Evernote.

[PinkElephant 8,244]

Who participates in a beta program does so out of his own motives: Early adaptor, possibly influencing the course of development, sheer interest etc. A beta program needs to be formalized, doing so is just professional, nothing else.

A beta is no commitment to release a final product (software, service) to the users. In this case the Linux client project was started by the former management and under the old ownership. Both has changed by EN being sold to another owner, and relocated from the US to Italy.

It is obvious the beta program did not even "fly" under those who started it - the low release count tells it all. What do you expect now - a lot of words about how things went wrong, and why it had to be abandoned ? It's over, Linux user need to use the web client in the short term, as they always did (myself as well), and reevaluate their positioning in the longer run.

[gazumped 11,750]

1 hour ago, upnix said:

My question was directed to the thread's original author, who appears to work at Evernote.

- He effectively seems to be the CEO - he's "Head of Product".

1 hour ago, upnix said:

The Linux Beta testing program was a pretty formal program, with agreements and a private forum.

...and set up years before Bending Spoons became involved.  They've taken the decision that while they're developing the 'core' features of Evernote,  it's not cost effective to try to mirror the  same work on a different platform.  When they're done getting the app sorted out,  they can look at adding more operating systems.  That seems to be a sensible business decision,  especially since Linux users will still be able to use the existing app for a period (while missing out on some of the new features) or go over to the browser version which is much more up to date. 

[Boot17 1,485]

It seems that since Bending Spoons is now principally focused on stability and performance that it makes sense to limit the scope of that to the more major desktop platforms. At least for now anyway.

It also seems that since the last version was 10.29 -- January 2022 (Edit: sounds like this version info is wrong and was just not updated on the release notes page...) -- that Evernote had already decided to put the Linux Desktop on hold indefinitely even before Bending Spoons got involved and now Bending Spoons is making the most informational announcement about it since that time instead of ghosting people on it -- (like what was kind of being done before?)

Edited September 26, 2023 by Boot17
strikethroughs and update per @mjotad comment below

[gazumped 11,750]

-Just checked out Evernote Web on my 'backup' laptop that runs Evernote Legacy - the web version has everything up to and including AI search (which may still be on rollout,  so YMMV) so I think I'll be deleting the Legacy version here to save some disk space and relying on the web for access anyway...

[mjotad 27]

On 9/22/2023 at 9:53 PM, Boot17 said:

It also seems that since the last version was 10.29 -- January 2022 -- that Evernote had already decided to put the Linux Desktop on hold indefinitely even before Bending Spoons got involved and now Bending Spoons is making the most informational announcement about it since that time instead of ghosting people on it -- (like what was kind of being done before?)

This is wrong. The last version released to beta testers was 10.53.2, well after the Bending Spoons takeover. In somewhat shoddy fashion, they didn't bother updating the supposed latest version shown in the sub-forum description beyond 10.29, but releases continued nonetheless. 

[rafikiphoto 22]

I recall them saying at the rollout of v10 that it is based on Electron which will "make it so much easier to provide a cross-platform product". Perhaps I was mistaken.

[agsteele 2,964]

14 hours ago, rafikiphoto said:

I recall them saying at the rollout of v10 that it is based on Electron which will "make it so much easier to provide a cross-platform product". Perhaps I was mistaken.

But that doesn't mean that they will support every platform. It seems that the development effort needed to pursue Linux for a limited return on investment wasn't something the Evernote owners were willing to make.

At least a clear statement of intent had been given and users know where they stand.

[soulj4 2]

Very pity to hear. Will cancel my subscription. 

[PinkElephant 8,244]

What was the important difference for you between the (beta) installed client, and the web client ?

[mjotad 27]

10 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

What was the important difference for you between the (beta) installed client, and the web client ?

1. Ability to export/backup notes

Less importantly, 2. Import folders

[PinkElephant 8,244]

If you are a hardcore Linuxer, you may not even have a Windows-Install in a VM. This would be option A, using the installed client in a VM.

Option B is this GitHub project, that doesn’t require any client. It runs a full export through the API. It can be installed on all major OSes, including Linux, or even run in a Docker install on a server.

https://github.com/vzhd1701/evernote-backup

[mjotad 27]

4 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

If you are a hardcore Linuxer, you may not even have a Windows-Install in a VM. This would be option A, using the installed client in a VM.

Option B is this GitHub project, that doesn’t require any client. It runs a full export through the API. It can be installed on all major OSes, including Linux, or even run in a Docker install on a server.

https://github.com/vzhd1701/evernote-backup

Thanks for the suggestions. I have, previously, used the legacy windows client in a VM to allow backups, before the linux beta was available. Problems with this: it's a sizeable overhead in disk space and memory just to use Evernote, and one of the places where I used the linux client was in crostini under ChromeOS where a windows VM isn't feasible.

The github project is a good tool, but there is no guarantee that Bending Spoons won't make changes to the API that stop it working. For me one of the absolute requirements of a service is the existence of an officially provided and supported method of getting my data out of it in reuseable form. This, amongst other things, is why I've never bothered trialling services like Nimbus.

As a "hardcore Linuxer", who hasn't used Windows for more than twenty years, I'm accustomed to hacks and compromises to use Evernote in a Linux environment: running the windows client under Wine, using a VM, using Nixnote or various unofficial frontends for the web client, and accepting that some of its functionality just isn't available to me. With the very cheap grandfathered Premium subscription that I've had, I've been willing to put up with that. At the much higher price that I would have been paying from the end of October, I would expect the same level of access to my data as other users. Since that isn't on the new Evernote's roadmap, I have regretfully had to find an alternative. There are plenty of them which offer equal support to Linux, Windows, and Mac users. I am fortunate to have a found a solution which I've been able to adapt to my needs, but truthfully I would much rather have been able to stay with Evernote, higher prices notwithstanding.

 

 

[MountainDweller78 0]

18 hours ago, mjotad said:

Thanks for the suggestions. I have, previously, used the legacy windows client in a VM to allow backups, before the linux beta was available. Problems with this: it's a sizeable overhead in disk space and memory just to use Evernote, and one of the places where I used the linux client was in crostini under ChromeOS where a windows VM isn't feasible.

The github project is a good tool, but there is no guarantee that Bending Spoons won't make changes to the API that stop it working. For me one of the absolute requirements of a service is the existence of an officially provided and supported method of getting my data out of it in reuseable form. This, amongst other things, is why I've never bothered trialling services like Nimbus.

As a "hardcore Linuxer", who hasn't used Windows for more than twenty years, I'm accustomed to hacks and compromises to use Evernote in a Linux environment: running the windows client under Wine, using a VM, using Nixnote or various unofficial frontends for the web client, and accepting that some of its functionality just isn't available to me. With the very cheap grandfathered Premium subscription that I've had, I've been willing to put up with that. At the much higher price that I would have been paying from the end of October, I would expect the same level of access to my data as other users. Since that isn't on the new Evernote's roadmap, I have regretfully had to find an alternative. There are plenty of them which offer equal support to Linux, Windows, and Mac users. I am fortunate to have a found a solution which I've been able to adapt to my needs, but truthfully I would much rather have been able to stay with Evernote, higher prices notwithstanding.

 

 

Hi mjotad, Can you please tell me what the "solution" product is that you settled on. The deal breaker here for me more than anything is not having a local database on my PC. I've always saved things into the Evernote app on my PC (Legacy version) and synchronized that to the EV servers. This acted as my offsite backup but also provided comfort in knowing in the event something happened to Evernote (the company), I still had access to the local database. Thanks

[mjotad 27]

12 hours ago, MountainDweller78 said:

Hi mjotad, Can you please tell me what the "solution" product is that you settled on. The deal breaker here for me more than anything is not having a local database on my PC. I've always saved things into the Evernote app on my PC (Legacy version) and synchronized that to the EV servers. This acted as my offsite backup but also provided comfort in knowing in the event something happened to Evernote (the company), I still had access to the local database. Thanks

Hi MountainDweller,

The solution I have settled on is Obsidian. Linux is fully supported, and the "database" is local. I put database in quotes because your notes are stored as normal files rather than in a monolithic database file. For me this is an advantage, as notes are accessible using different editors should I so wish.

The notes are formatted in markdown. It's a format which seems to attract an almost evangelical following for some reason. While I'm not such a big fan of it, it has the benefit of being open and universal, and is a good basis for conversion to other formats if I move on from Obsidian at any point. 

At the moment I use the freely available Syncthing to synchronise notes between two Linux laptops, my NAS, a couple of Chromebooks (running it under Crostini), and my android mobile phone. It has worked perfectly so far. I could see myself paying for the Obsidian subscription service at some point in the future in order to support the company, but the current solution is fine.

The mobile app is a little bit more basic than the desktop client, but works well to access my notes on the move. It's rather slow to start up, though, which discourages me from using it for quick note creation.

When I saw the effective abandonment of the Evernote Linux Beta programme back in March, I took the decision to prepare for the inevitable and move my notes out. I backed up each notebook in Enex format, and used the Yarle tool to convert each notebook to a folder full of markdown notes. These imported very easily to Obsidian, with remarkably little loss of formatting or data. I think that of about 8000 total notes, maybe a dozen lost information in the conversion. I started trying to learn Obsidian and adapt my workflow to it (and vice-versa). Within a couple of weeks I had taken the decision to put no new content into Evernote.

There is a learning curve to Obsidian, and it's easy to feel a bit overwhelmed initially. There are uncountable blogs and tutorials and YouTube videos all recommending hundreds of different plug-ins and themes and configurations and workflows. You can and should ignore almost all of this to start with. Keep it simple and try to just get stuff done rather than being distracted by all the shiny new toys. I have ended up with about six or seven plugins which make life a bit easier and make it a little closer to how I used Evernote. I am probably at least as productive as I was with Evernote, although I do miss the ease and slickness of the last Evernote linux clients.

 

 

[Shak 9]

Well, I just came to this news today after coming back from a vacation block! I'm one of the affected users, and a paying one at that.

There's something about the electron based version that I prefer over the web version, maybe it's the immediacy of the UI response, so I'm saddened to hear about this decision.

I'll make do with the web version, but at this point I must contemplate alternatives...

[mountaineer 0]

Quote

Quick update to let you know that we are focusing on improving the experience on Evernote Web, and therefore we will not be actively maintaining the Linux client anymore. For the time being it will keep working for those who have it installed, but prepare for it to stop working in the future.

After reading this, I wanted to hit the dislike button, but of course there isn't one.

Quote

Well, I just came to this news today after coming back from a vacation block! I'm one of the affected users, and a paying one at that.

Same here, and I'm very disappointed.

Federico and whoever else from Evernote might read this... you're going to lose paying users over this, myself included.

The whole point / appeal of Evernote, at least from my point of view, is that it's cross-platform. I use all major desktop and mobile operating systems: Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux distributions, iOS, and Android. I used Evernote on BlackBerry 10, too, back before BlackBerry, formerly RIM, quit supporting their mobile operating system.

Once upon a time, Evernote had the best BB10 integration of any service designed to save notes and capture information. And the Evernote BB10 integration kept working right until BB10 entered End of Life (EOL) status. That durability is why I became an Evernote user and stayed an Evernote user.

Not many people use Ubuntu or other GNU/Linux distributions compared to Windows and macOS on the desktop.

But you know what? If you really care about providing a best-in-class experience for your users, then you won't discriminate based on market share. Making sure your power users are fully supported and getting what you want them to get out of your product or service is worthwhile.

"We are focusing on improving the experience on Evernote Web" is simply not a valid reason for not offering a desktop app for GNU/Linux users. Obviously, you're not discontinuing your Windows or macOS apps in order to focus on the "Evernote Web" experience. 

I am more productive with a standalone note-creating app. It's easier and faster for me to create and retrieve notes from a standalone app than a browser tab, especially since I tend to have lots of browser tabs open at any one time.

What you are telling me with this announcement is that supporting my workflow is not a priority for Evernote, despite the money I pay you. 

Okay then... I'll take my business elsewhere.

Zoho makes a beautiful note-taking app for all platforms. Its desktop client for GNU/Linux is even offered as a .deb package. Sweet! Installation took seconds. Migrating my notes from Evernote wasn't difficult either, as they provide a migration tool. And it turns out that for less than the cost of one year of the Evernote plan I'm on, I can get three years of Zoho's premium notes plan. So that is what I'll be doing. 

So long, and thanks for all the fish. 

[PinkElephant 8,244]

It’s amazing that some users really believe designating themselves as „power users“ would ring any bells. I doubt it does. Each user has his own use cases, and the power to pick the right tool to support them.

If it’s EN, this here is a good place to talk with others. For those on their way out: Farewell.

[Celedon 7]

25 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

It’s amazing that some users really believe designating themselves as „power users“ would ring any bells. I doubt it does. Each user has his own use cases, and the power to pick the right tool to support them.

If it’s EN, this here is a good place to talk with others. For those on their way out: Farewell.

LOL

[PinkElephant 8,244]

@Celedon „LOL“ means you have nothing to say.

Then say nothing (Forum CoC, point 10).

[s2sailor 2,288]

10 hours ago, mountaineer said:

But you know what? If you really care about providing a best-in-class experience for your users, then you won't discriminate based on market share.

I mean no disrespect but that would be IMO a poor business decision.  They have limited development resources and their time would be better spent focusing on improving the experience for the most users possible.  Maybe they will add in Linux later but they still have some ways to go on the major platforms.

[gazumped 11,750]

Kudos for the Douglas Adams reference,  but 👋

[arguvant 28]

On 9/7/2023 at 3:19 AM, Federico Simionato said:

Hello folks!

Quick update to let you know that we are focusing on improving the experience on Evernote Web, and therefore we will not be actively maintaining the Linux client anymore. For the time being it will keep working for those who have it installed, but prepare for it to stop working in the future.

Well, I'm outta here after being with Evernote since 2009. This is just the final straw after a litany of Evernote issues making my life worse:

- V10 nightmare
- Android app too slow to use
- Bending Spoons acquisitions and layoffs
- AI nonsense being inserted instead of focusing on core stability, speed and basic features
- Pointless new sync system that makes it take forever to open any of my older notes.
- Massive price increases

And now, linux is dead. I use all of MacOS/Windows/Linux. Having the Evernote app available to me on all my devices is a fundamental selling point.

I'm so over this relationship where Evernote's curators don't understand their users.

[arguvant 28]

On 9/26/2023 at 8:58 PM, agsteele said:

But that doesn't mean that they will support every platform. It seems that the development effort needed to pursue Linux for a limited return on investment wasn't something the Evernote owners were willing to make.

At least a clear statement of intent had been given and users know where they stand.

They already had a functional app. Once it exists it requires very little additional effort to maintain unless the developers are incompetent. I say this as someone who has maintained cross platform applications.

[arguvant 28]

On 9/22/2023 at 4:23 AM, upnix said:

Are you planning to tell your Linux beta testers, some of whom are are still under the impression they're beta testing viable software?

Got the email this morning, three weeks later. A great way to ruin my weekend!

[primaryfunction 0]

We all know that, all you want is to make it harder and harder to export the notes to another platform.🤣

Maybe someday we might hear that "We will not be actively maintaining the windows and mac clients. Please switch to the web version, so that you can't take your notes anywhere. Just keep them with us."

If you want to make us switch to the web version, create an export function in the web version!

[agsteele 2,964]

2 hours ago, primaryfunction said:

If you want to make us switch to the web version, create an export function in the web version!

I'd recommend evernote-backup

[rafikiphoto 22]

Just looking at the web version on Linux Mint Firefox. Where do I find the setting for Import Folders? Not in the same place as the app I notice.

[agsteele 2,964]

There are no Import Folders with the web client.

[rafikiphoto 22]

1 minute ago, agsteele said:

There are no Import Folders with the web client.

Oh. I use that facility quite a lot. Is there a workaround?

[agsteele 2,964]

No. Import Folders are a function of the desktop applications only.

[rafikiphoto 22]

Just now, agsteele said:

No. Import Folders are a function of the desktop applications only.

Thank you. Oh dear. So for me the web app is not a direct replacement. 😒

[agsteele 2,964]

You might be able to run a desktop app in an emulator such as Wine.

[rafikiphoto 22]

Just now, agsteele said:

You might be able to run a desktop app in an emulator such as Wine.

The last time I tried in Crossover the Legacy app worked perfectly but 10x didn't.

[rafikiphoto 22]

I just tried again with the latest Crossover 23.5. 10x works OK so far. Hope yet!

[Okonomiyaki 10]

So much for cross platform.

[gazumped 11,750]

16 minutes ago, Okonomiyaki said:

So much for cross platform.

97% coverage isn't enough?  https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/18/linux_desktop_debate/

-And.  This is a sensible business decision.  It makes much more sense to get the overall product working properly,  then port a completed version to a new OS,  rather than have two separate teams working side by side.

[Boot17 1,485]

In addition to a lower percentage of Linux marketshare on the Desktop as a whole, I have a hunch that the vast majority of Linux users are not opting to pay 129 USD per year for any subscription -- let alone a note-taking/PKM app. Linux users are more likely to use free and open source software aren't they? So it's like a double-whammy there. Since Bending Spoons recently increased the price by a substantial amount perhaps they saw a huge drop off of whatever paying Linux subscribers there were? Wonder if Linux had the highest percentage of Evernote Free users. Obviously I don't know, just wondering. Also saying this as a fan (but not a current user) of Linux on Desktop. (Also, I'm not saying nobody on Linux was a paying subscriber -- obviously there are some just in this thread...)

[Dave Carey 1]

As a Linux Mint user, I was also disappointed to hear the news as well. I found the Linux Beta Evernote client was stable and overall a better user experience than using the web

However, as has been said above, at least there has been a clear explanation and direction. 

In the main, I am also getting on fine, using the Evernote Web Client, but running it as an app with Webapp-Manager https://github.com/linuxmint/webapp-manager.    It will never be as smooth an integration as a native client,  but all the other features of Evernote and the other pleasing recent improvements in the product, still make it worth the while IMHO
 

 

 

[xonk 1]

This is a horrible decision.

[s2sailor 2,288]

2 hours ago, xonk said:

This is a horrible decision.

Please explain why.  I’m curious.

[PinkElephant 8,244]

If you realize it just now, I doubt you have any valid current use case. The decision was taken and published months ago.

Just to develop and mothball it the resources dedicated are too precious.

[gazumped 11,750]

...and actually the browser-based version is better and better...

[Dave Green 212]

36 minutes ago, gazumped said:

and actually the browser-based version is better and better...

Someone going this route would probably want to have evernote-backup or something to make ENEX files.

[Harry Slaughter 10]

I've been using a bootleg copy of Evernote 10 for Linux which I backed up since Evernote took it offline.

Today Evernote started blocking network traffic from this version. I can't even open it up.

If you've been using Evernote since the beginning, you probably realize that the software we loved and depended on is dead. With Evernote 10, they ruined the interface with a much less function and more cartoonish UI. They removed almost all of the settings options. They removed a lot of features. It is buggy and crashes. I get ghost popup JavaScript errors that reveal they are from Evernote. It's much slower than the previous version. And these are all observations made using the Windows version. 

Evernote as we old timers know it is dead. It's gone. It's no more. 

What I've learned from my time using Evernote is that I will never again trust my notes to proprietary software that holds my data hostage. 

My new system will store all notes in plain text, markdown format on my local filesystem. If you use a top-drawer markdown editor (like Typora), you get an editing experience far superior to anything Evernote has ever offered. I will organize notes in folders. I will manage syncing with Dropbox or similar.  I will need to figure out a solution for tags and reminders. But most of the features I will be missing have already been removed or ruined in Evernote. Most importantly, my new system will be usable on all platforms and will not lock me into any expensive proprietary solution. 

Hours of research into alternatives have left me thinking that Joplin is the best alternative. It does have the ability to import Evernote notebooks, but I believe Evernote has just recently removed the ability to export entire notebooks. Joplin stores notes in markdown format, but unfortunately, it stores them all in one directory with randomized file names. But there are alternatives.

Bye, bye Evernote

[Harry Slaughter 10]

UPDATE The failure of the web client was my fault. I tweaked client headers and forgot to revert. 

I thought I'd take another look at the web version since the Linux client no longer works. I have the latest version of Chrome (Version 121.0.6167.184 (Official Build) (64-bit)), and when I load the web client, I see:

Note the suggestion to download the non-existent Linux version.

Laughable how bad Evernote has become.

[Harry Slaughter 10]

On 9/6/2023 at 10:19 AM, Federico Simionato said:

Hello folks!

Quick update to let you know that we are focusing on improving the experience on Evernote Web, and therefore we will not be actively maintaining the Linux client anymore. For the time being it will keep working for those who have it installed, but prepare for it to stop working in the future.

Improving the web experience by blocking Linux users right after you disable a working Linux desktop version? LOL

I apologize to everyone I've recommended Evernote to in the last 20 years.

UPDATE The failure of the web client was my fault. I tweaked client headers and forgot to revert. 

[PinkElephant 8,244]

7 hours ago, Dave Green said:

Someone going this route would probably want to have evernote-backup or something to make ENEX files.

This discussion is dogmatic, not pragmatic.

Anybody who is a dedicated Linux user should have no issue at all to run the GitHub backup project. And nobody says a Linux user has to run everything on a Linux platforn. Install a VM, run Windows in it, install the EN desktop client, done. Finally the situation is similar to someone running on a Chromebook as his desktop choice.

Clients have different abilities, and EN does cover most real life configurations. They don’t need to cover every remote setup a few users may have chosen for themselves.

[PinkElephant 8,244]

3 hours ago, Harry Slaughter said:

I've been using a bootleg copy of Evernote 10 for Linux which I backed up since Evernote took it offline.

Find the mistake …

Well done by EN that they block access to the cloud server by illegal, unproven software. Yes, first this client is not Open Source, so „bootlegging“ it is not legal. And second EN can’t make sure it is not malware posing as a bootlegged client that does KnockKnock at servers door.

I feel my data just got more secure.

And of course now there are users coming here to give me lectures that a dedicated Linuxer with a bootlegged client is by no means a security risk. Don’t take it personal …

[gazumped 11,750]

...And a duplicate poster too.  I already answered this in a different thread (where the word 'bootleg' wasn't actually mentioned).  Please don't make helpers' lives more difficult than they already are.  

[Jon/t 1,364]

8 hours ago, Harry Slaughter said:

Improving the web experience by blocking Linux users right after you disable a working Linux desktop version? LOL

 

Try all the usuals. In a guest profile, in a private window. Are extensions messing with it? Any ad blockers or trackers.

I know Linux folks using the web version in Chrome and it works fine.

[PinkElephant 8,244]

Didn’t try on Chrome, but it works on Firefox on my (LOL) Raspberry Pi 4.

[Harry Slaughter 10]

By 'bootleg' I simply meant an archived version of the old Evernote client for Linux. Evernote erased it from the net, but it still worked until they blocked it a couple days ago.

Chrome being blocked was my fault. I am a web developer and I had configured some spoofed client headers and forgot to turn them off. The web app is definitely accessible on Linux browsers.

For those of you who don't mind your notes being locked into Evernote, and only use Windows and Mac, and never used any of the cool features that Evernote has removed, can continue to enjoy Evernote. 

I'm just disheartened that Evernote killed the Linux client (I'm sure the company that bought Evernote [bending spoons]) consists of Mac fanboys with no Linux expertise. So they have to abandon it. But don't buy into their marketing campaign about a newer, better, faster Evernote. Some things are slightly improved in v10.  But overall, it's slower, buggier, and has had features removed. 

I'm sorry if I got worked up. But digital note taking has been part of my workflow since I got my first computer. I chose to move all my work into Evernote 20 years ago. So I'm not happy with the direction "Bending Spoons" is taking the software. If you visit their site, it becomes apparent they are all about flashy marketing, not tech. All sizzle, no steak. 

Moving on...

 

 

[Harry Slaughter 10]

On 10/14/2023 at 5:55 AM, agsteele said:

You might be able to run a desktop app in an emulator such as Wine.

I have tried to run Evernote in Wine. Prior to Evernote v10 I tried installing various Evernote versions using Wine for Linux. I love Wine, and Evernote did fire up, but it was more of a hideous beast than a usable app.

[gazumped 11,750]

12 minutes ago, Harry Slaughter said:

until they blocked it a couple days ago.

As before - no 'blocking' here,  just a changed environment not favouring an endangered species

14 minutes ago, Harry Slaughter said:

who don't mind your notes being locked into Evernote

Not true.  A dozen competitors are happy to import Evernote notes and exports are available to ENEX,  HTML and PDF

15 minutes ago, Harry Slaughter said:

I'm sure the company that bought Evernote [bending spoons]) consists of Mac fanboys

They also support Windows and Android users like me...

16 minutes ago, Harry Slaughter said:

never used any of the cool features that Evernote has removed

....like Linux clients?

- I get that you're unhappy,  and unimpressed with the new format.  You have my sympathies.  But the new Evernote is working well for me and a few (hundred) thousand others...  If Wine or the Web version aren't options,  then I'm sure one of the other Linux note-taking apps will welcome you as a convert.

[mackid1993 926]

1 hour ago, Harry Slaughter said:

I have tried to run Evernote in Wine. Prior to Evernote v10 I tried installing various Evernote versions using Wine for Linux. I love Wine, and Evernote did fire up, but it was more of a hideous beast than a usable app.

As a last resort you could use something like kvm/qemu to run Evernote in a Windows VM for the things that can't be done in the webapp. I love Linux, just on my server--- not my main computer because of issues like this. Too much commercial software isn't supported natively, but there's a lot of great FOSS that works on Linux and just so you know Joplin has OCR in beta right now, it's extremely close to Evernote at this point.

[Harry Slaughter 10]

On 2/21/2024 at 9:25 PM, mackid1993 said:

As a last resort you could use something like kvm/qemu to run Evernote in a Windows VM for the things that can't be done in the webapp. I love Linux, just on my server--- not my main computer because of issues like this. Too much commercial software isn't supported natively, but there's a lot of great FOSS that works on Linux and just so you know Joplin has OCR in beta right now, it's extremely close to Evernote at this point.

I ended up trying out Web Catalog. It creates a simplified local web version of hundreds of web apps. It removes all the noise of the browser and makes web apps faster and feel somewhat native. Of the attempts I've seen to 'localize' web apps, this is the best I've seen. This will do until I can get completely away from the dying Evernote.. 

And while some apps aren't available on Linux, they are usually bloated proprietary apps that I can live without or have open-source counterparts. And there are tens of thousands of applications available on Linux that aren't available on Windows or, to a lesser extent, Apple whatever OS. 

Bending Spoons missed an opportunity when they bought Evernote. They abandoned most of what Evernote was and replaced it with something that is slower and buggier, removes features, and they are increasing pricing (I do thank them for temporarily grandfathering in Premium accounts though). They've added a few improvements and 'modernized' the look of the app. But I just don't think they're going replace users like me who are leaving the platform with enough new users willing to pay the high prices in a space that now has dozens of cheap to free alternatives. 

[PinkElephant 8,244]

There are a ton of app catalogues to be found - some are useful, many are holding very mixed content. Personally I avoid them - they finance themselves by collecting information about your downloads and maybe usage patterns. 

If things work out for BS financially remains to be seen. What we can be sure about is that the way the old management (and owners) try to sail the ship took them straight on the rocks. Changing the Free account setup send a ton of freeloaders south (howling about how unfair it is all the way). Abandoning the grandfathered plans finally was a simple act of fairness for all users - you can't expect most to pay 1st notch prices when you allow others to stay for much less.

If nearly all of your accounts are not paying a dime, and of the rest a significant part ist paying only a fraction, it is hard to refinance your development effort. I doubt their income was really impacted, but their cost structure has likely improved.

[Harry Slaughter 10]

18 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

If nearly all of your accounts are not paying a dime, and of the rest a significant part ist paying only a fraction, it is hard to refinance your development effort. I doubt their income was really impacted, but their cost structure has likely improved.

The 'freemium' model works well for a ton of companies. I think it is the best model to attract users. I started with Evernote free. I quickly saw the value in upgrading and did so. I am much more likely to try an app that allows me to test drive it for free. I associate the pay-up-front model with expensive proprietary software that is always closed-source and secretive. 

Bending Spoons would be making a mistake if they shut down or cripple the free version of Evernote.

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,981]

4 minutes ago, Harry Slaughter said:

The 'freemium' model works well for a ton of companies. I think it is the best model to attract users. I started with Evernote free. I quickly saw the value in upgrading and did so. I am much more likely to try an app that allows me to test drive it for free. I associate the pay-up-front model with expensive proprietary software that is always closed-source and secretive. 

Bending Spoons would be making a mistake if they shut down or cripple the free version of Evernote.

My experience was similar to yours: started free, saw it was well worth paying for, and started paying. Unfortunately, enough people found the very generous free features too good to feel like paying (not a mindset that I understand perfectly), and Evernote has had to "take steps." The free version has already been limited to 1 notebook and 50 notes; recently some further functions were made available in it to make it a fair free trial. 

20 hours ago, Harry Slaughter said:

Bending Spoons missed an opportunity when they bought Evernote. They abandoned most of what Evernote was and replaced it with something that is slower and buggier, removes features, and they are increasing pricing (I do thank them for temporarily grandfathering in Premium accounts though). They've added a few improvements and 'modernized' the look of the app. But I just don't think they're going replace users like me who are leaving the platform with enough new users willing to pay the high prices in a space that now has dozens of cheap to free alternatives.

This sounds as if you're conflating BenSpoo's moves in the last year with v. 10 of Evernote, which came out over 3 years ago. At the time it was not ready for prime time. It has improved greatly since then. It is not buggier than v. 6 was, and in fact bugs currently are getting addressed faster than ever. Some features were removed, more were added, including the approximately uniform appearance and features across platforms made possible by the Electron framework, which inevitably slows it down. Evernote is clearly not trying to scoop up the cheap-to-free market, but going for the premium-to-professional market, hence the first (and quite massive) price increase in 6 years or so. Here endeth the sermon. 😅

[Tbilisi Heat 0]

I'm a full time Linux desktop user of EV as well.  Until I decide to move to Joplin (with Dropbox Sync, which appears to work very well), I used the Epiphany web browser to create a "web app" out of Evernote Web, and then updated the dock icon with a custom, full sized icon.  I also installed a Windows 10 VM with Evernote for Windows in case I need to export notebooks without a third party tool. 

Actually works pretty well for now, but being a web app, of course the responsiveness is nothing compared to a desktop app.

[Tbilisi Heat 0]

On 10/14/2023 at 2:55 PM, agsteele said:

You might be able to run a desktop app in an emulator such as Wine.

FYI, just tested this with Crossover and it won't work, no matter which version of Windows, 32bit vs 64bit and etc.  I had to install a Windows 10 VM and use the Windows Evernote app in there.

[secman 1]

Maybe it could be a good idea to focus to the needs of your users. I try to leave windows and installed Linux and now I have no App for Evernote, because you focus to the web. Think a lot of users want to have their informations also offline at their computer...

[gazumped 11,750]

21 hours ago, secman said:

Maybe it could be a good idea to focus to the needs of your users. I try to leave windows and installed Linux and now I have no App for Evernote, because you focus to the web. Think a lot of users want to have their informations also offline at their computer...

Hi.  Evernote are focussing on the needs of the majority of their customers.  The web access is 98% as effective as an installed app,  and everyone currently has issues with offline content - hopefully that will be resolved.

[Okonomiyaki 10]

On 10/14/2023 at 11:25 PM, gazumped said:

97% coverage isn't enough?  https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/18/linux_desktop_debate/

-And.  This is a sensible business decision.  It makes much more sense to get the overall product working properly,  then port a completed version to a new OS,  rather than have two separate teams working side by side.

I understand the business decision. I don't understand how you can market your product for being cross platform only to pull the rug. I don't want to have to sift through 1000 tabs (true story, I have 1000 active tabs) in my browser to find Evernote. I want a stand alone application which I selected because it was touting itself to be cross platform. I'm moving to all Linux, so having all my notes in an application that only works in a browser is a problem for me.

[gazumped 11,750]

3 minutes ago, Okonomiyaki said:

I don't understand how you can market your product for being cross platform

We're mostly other users here - not marketing anything.  Plus the Linux app was a Beta and lagged a long way behind the other apps - and was (theoretically) limited to a relatively small test audience.  If you need something other than the browser version you'll need to look at options.

[Okonomiyaki 10]

5 hours ago, gazumped said:

We're mostly other users here - not marketing anything.  Plus the Linux app was a Beta and lagged a long way behind the other apps - and was (theoretically) limited to a relatively small test audience.  If you need something other than the browser version you'll need to look at options.

I know most people here are just users. I was just reflecting back on me typing "cross platform note taking app" into Google all those years ago and having Evernote win hands down on all fronts in terms of features etc and now, well...

Admittedly, I don't have that many notes. So migrating to another platform isn't impossible. But I like it enough to keep using it and pay for it. Just want the maximum for my money's worth. Right now, if you look at it from a MB stored somewhere in the cloud per dollar, I'm getting royally ripped off. But it mostly does what I want it to do, so I stay.

[ahmad.elkomey 4]

This is bad news. I'm an active linux user. Have been using Linux for over 10 years now. And also I have been using Evernote for around the same time. Having official Linux Evernote client was thrilling! Now that it's officially discontinued, I think I have to consider other options >_>

[s2sailor 2,288]

1 hour ago, ahmad.elkomey said:

This is bad news. I'm an active linux user. Have been using Linux for over 10 years now. And also I have been using Evernote for around the same time. Having official Linux Evernote client was thrilling! Now that it's officially discontinued, I think I have to consider other options >_>

If you haven’t lately, give the browser app a try.  It is quite close to the native app.

[asolyakov 0]

Quote

 

If you haven’t lately, give the browser app a try.  It is quite close to the native app.

 

When it works, it's very similar to the native app. As much as I like some of the recent changes, I have to admit that I haven't been able to use Evernote several times this year because the app just wasn't working. It didn't work this morning either.