Seeking advice on DEVONagent express vs pro version and use cases

DEVONagent
1

I have tried using DEVONagent in the past and I did not take to it. Am trying to use it again. Logic being that I do my fair share of Internet searching and maybe I can be better and more efficient by using DEVONagent.

Then I saw DEVONsphere - seems it can also improve my search workflow and do better than Spotlight and even integrate Internet searching while searching the Mac.

Would appreciate your comments on

  1. Whether to get DEVONagent express or Pro? Pro version is more expensive and I cannot quite visualize how I will use the features - frankly it is not clear to me what features are Pro specific (not very clear from the website and I installed the trial version of DEVONagent Pro.)
  2. How you use DEVONagent and DEVONsphere to improve your workflow? If getting both of them too much clutter to achieve the same thing? Little confused.

Thank you!

2

DEVONagent Express is identical to the menu extra of Pro, all the other features are Pro-only.

3

Thank you for the reply. I think I understand now that the menu interface is all that is available in the DEVONagent Express.

I will try and use DEVONagent Pro during the trial period for every google search that I do and see if I can get better results using DEVONagent Pro.

If there is any newbie guide or tutorial you can recommend, please do.

Thank you!

4

Actually DEVONagent isn’t a replacement or interface for Google, it’s major advantages are that it can query multiple sources, collect all the results, filter items (e.g. based on scanners, options or secondary query), export them or add them to DEVONthink etc. It can also perform and process scheduled searches. Therefore it’s for comprehensive searches but definitely not for your every day Google search just requiring a click on the top result.

5

If there is any newbie guide or tutorial you can recommend, please do.

There is always built-in Help and the manual. :slight_smile:

6

Got that - I understand that it is not for quick searches. But I do have complex queries often enough and it does seem that DEVONagent will be the right tool if I can use it right (i.e. translate in search syntax what I am saying to myself the page should have).

I hear you. Will read the Help and manual.

Thank you both.

7

For anyone else searching this, I thought maybe I’d add a couple of thoughts that I have figured out.

I use DEVONagent Pro. I use it for competitive analysis. I also use it for tracking particular subjects that I’m very interested in that I would search for repeatedly to see if there are any changes.

I use DEVONsphere to search my computer for other relevant things that I’m looking for. This is incredibly useful but it’s not a replacement for DEVONagent Pro.

Finally, I am also experimenting with Houdahspot as a search tool on top of the finder. This seems incredibly helpful right now to me. The reason for that is that I can select exactly where I want to search… For example, just inside of Apple mail. Then I can do whatever I want with what I find very quickly. It also allows me to see inside whatever it finds that I’m searching for. This really helps make things efficient.

I am far from any kind of an expert with any of these. But this is what I am using and may be others will find it useful.

8

And the developer is a very responsive and nice person too! :slight_smile:

1 Like
9

That’s good to know.

I had some real success with Houdahspot tracking down some files that should’ve been in one of my Devonthink databases. I quickly found them and was able to just drag them directly into the database. Super efficient and really helpful. I’m liking this program a lot.

1 Like