Somewhere between 5-10 years ago, after I got my first smartphone, I was looking for an app where I could keep my shopping lists and reminders (etc.) and refer to them when I was out (instead of lugging around a purse full of random scraps of paper, lol).
Someone mentioned Evernote, and I tried it out and liked it. I didn't need all the fancy features it offered (and continued to add over the years), but it was free and easy to use, and I was able to use it on both my phone and laptop (where it's a lot easier for me to type), and sync the content between devices. I used it to make lists of things I wanted to buy at various stores, the exact kinds and sizes of jeans and yoga pants I buy regularly, the great-niblings' current clothing sizes, books I want to buy and read, music I want to purchase, an inventory and wish list for my essential oils, packing lists, a list of toiletries I keep at my parents' house (and what needs replenishing), step-by-step instructions for making turkey & stuffing like my mom's (honed over several years' worth of Thanksgivings and Christmases), etc. etc.
By now you may have heard about the "enshittification" of the Internet? (
There's a book about it, which I haven't read yet, but I thoroughly agree with the premise...!) Google's AI Overview describes it as:
...a term coined by author Cory Doctorow to describe the deliberate, gradual degradation of online platforms and services. It refers to the process where platforms start by providing high-quality experiences to attract users, then shift value to business customers, and finally maximize profit for shareholders, rendering the service less useful, enjoyable, or user-friendly... This phenomenon has been used to describe the decay of platforms like Facebook, Twitter/X, TikTok, Amazon, and Spotify, which prioritize ads, "hidden" content, and monetization over quality user experience... The term is often used to criticize "Big Tech" for reducing product quality to maximize short-term profits.
Case in point: After using Evernote for several years, I was notified (a few years back) that I had a limit on the number of notes I could create. (OR, I could pay and upgrade to their premium plan!)
I combined a couple of categories of lists to keep the number of my notes/documents under the limit.
Some time after that, I was told I could now only use the app for free on one device. (OR, I could pay and upgrade to their premium plan!)
I reluctantly deleted the app on my laptop, but continued to use it on my phone.
Last week when I opened the app, for the very first time, an ad popped up (beyond the usual offers to upgrade). And then a notification that I could choose to receive ads tailored to my interests, randon untailored ads -- OR, I could pay and upgrade to their premium plan, and remain ad-free! (I think the price quoted was $60 for a year -- U.S. dollars, of course -- although there was a 40% off offer that would have reduced the price.)
I said, "No thanks" (actually, something less polite, lol), and started looking for another notes app.
I remembered several people mentioning that they used (and loved) Google Keep. I had a look at it and decided it would serve my purposes just fine. I downloaded the app, and then spent an hour-plus copying my lists over from Evernote and pasting them into Keep. Once I had all my content moved over, I deleted Evernote from my phone.
So far, so good.
Have you noticed "enshittification" in your own online life lately?
What app(s) do you use for notes, lists, etc.? (Any hints for me on effective use of Google Keep?)
You can find more of this week's #MicroblogMondays posts here.
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