Software for Managing Your Bibliography?

Oliver Kayas asks: "I'm a newcomer to Linux specifically the Ubuntu distribution. I have been searching for software that will allow me to manage bibliographies for my thesis. I've come across Kile/Latex however, this only works on KDE and I am using Gnome. Under Windows I was using Endnote 8 which even allowed me to link references to documents on my hard disk so I could easily search for papers I just wanted to read. I know I could use an emulator such as Wine to use Endnote but that defeats the object of switching to Linux. I was wondering if you know of any alternatives?"

Comments

"this only works on KDE and I am using Gnome"

[Uncle_Al]

I really do not understand this. How come everybody is so binary* when it comes to Linux desktop applications?

All the time I see someone say something along the lines of "Is this great program X also available for KDE/GNOME?"

Newsflash: You do not need to run the other desktop. You just need to install some base libraries.

Yes, it will look a little bit out of place. But is that such a big problem for you? Take the best of both worlds and be happy...

* yes it is a very bad joke. My appologies.

Re:"this only works on KDE and I am using Gnome"

[Bester]

This is the kind of attitude that is damaging to linux.

If you are trying to get a user to switch over one of the important things you can point out is that linux works like windows. You want that program, well just download it and install it. None of this screwing around trying to compile it, downloading a million different libraries trying to find the right one

Most desktop users and new switchers are just not interested in compiling a program to get it to run. They want it to "just work"(tm).

Charles

Re:"this only works on KDE and I am using Gnome"

[agraupe]

Installing aa library happens at the same time as installing the software. I have never had to look for a library when installing something, because apt-get/yum/portage/etc. does it for me. Just like Windows programs may install DLLs they need, linux programs will sometimes require libraries. These are usually available as binary, and as such, do not require compilation, or, if you are using a distro with apt-get or a similar system, no extra work beyond installing the application at all.

Re:"this only works on KDE and I am using Gnome"

[pla]

If you are trying to get a user to switch over one of the important things you can point out is that linux works like windows.

"So, um... Why would I switch?"
"Well, you get Linux for free."
"I got Windows for free too, with my new PC"
"Yeah, but not really free, you actually paid for it"
"Hmm, that sucks... But should I just throw that money away???"
"Okay, Linux also has a lot of free software for it..."
"Like WinSite? Or TuCows?"
"Well, yes, but also free as in speech, not just beer!"
"Uhh... You mean like taht whole 'I speak, it types' thing?"
"Mmm, no. With Linux programs, you usually get the source code."
"What do I do with that?"
"Well, you can modify it to make new versions of the program yourself."
"I can barely use Excel, that sounds even harder."
"If you don't want to, you don't need to code, but you at least have that choice."

(Thinks for a moment)

"Riiiiiiight - So instead of using software I already paid for, with a basically-sane and consistent interface, I should switch to something that I need to manage these library things in, just to get an interface that clashes with itself, for theoretical benefits that I can't actually use? Thanks, but I'll stick with Windows."

(Awkward silence)

"Say, have you considered a Mac?"
"Don't go there."
"Gotcha."


And we wonder why people don't switch?

Re:bibtex mode + reftex mode

[hprotagonist0]

AUCtex mode under *emacs is a first-rate method of editing and almost-WYSIWYG text processing.

OK, I love AUCtex. I wrote my thesis in emacs using AUCtex. But it's not WYSIWYG. It's not even close. Word is WYSIWYG. LaTeX, AUCtex-mode or not, is marked up text. Have you ever had to insert a diagram? Or change a margin, for that matter?\\
{\em This} is not {\large WYSIWYG}. Neither is this equation: $y=\int_0^T x(t) dt$. Sorry.