And now for something different…

MacSparky posted some screen shots of Merlin Mann’s iPhone. I immediately had an overwhelming question: Why does Merlin Mann have so many text editors on his iPhone?

I thought MM was the saint of simplicity. I’ve seen all these editors plugged in various places, and I admit that it’s enticing to get the next best awesomest app. But this seems like the opposite of getting anything done.

(VW Vanagon-sized caveat: MM seems like he’s the type of person who does get tons of shit done. So this isn’t a criticism of him so much as a question/preclusion of others emulating this approach.)

Counting the apps in the “2nd Chair” folder, he has eight ways to capture text. Personally, I use only one (though I have Markdown Mail to convert markdown to HTML, occasionally): Simplenote. It seems like fricking magic when I make a note/copy an address/start a draft on my computer using Notational Velocity, and then it’s there immediately on my iPhone and iPad via Simplenote.

I keep thinking maybe I should buy Elements so I can work in some Dropbox stuff, but why would I? I have everything in Dropbox, and the Dropbox app. If you use a Mac, I don’t see a need for any other iOS text editor beside Simplenote. It might not be the best way, but what does that even mean.