Look, your reply is in assume that Obsidian must do more on PDF things too, right ? But, actually PDF things is a small part of Obsidian feature. Obsidian is not design in rich PDF features as other “PDF focus” app out there. Just basic reading.
Normally, without knowing about or using Obsidian at all, we usually use those two PDF app to highlight pdf. Now, with “highlight plugin”, in Obsidian we can process our highlight further more ! That’s the smart way, the best of both world ! It’s actually an improved workflow to get more done.
People who want more and more features to get the most out of Obsidan MUST putting strong research effort to community plugin section, don’t relie on core feature only. Keep that in mind.
Again, we shouln’t assume Obsidian to do the best on everything. We find a way to combine and optimize our workflow to get the best result as expect.
In actual use case about PDF, it’s simple and i don’t think nobody cannot do this or find this become a problem at all to them. 2 steps:
- In Files app, open Obsidian vault folder, inside it, get to folder that contain those pdf. Use “PDF Highlight” or “PDF expert” to read and highlight as usual. This is common regular task that people doing everyday, how the hell this step is a part of problem or somthing ?
- Back to Obsidian, use keyboard shortcut of “pdf highlight” plugin to extract those highlight to process futher. That plugin installed through community plugin section.
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To me, notes loading time on my ipad pro 12.9 never be a problem. It’s fast. I have 41 plugin and use a lot of dataview and templater code.
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I only install mobile compatible plugin. So if it work on mobile, it’ll work on all other.
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Like no other, swim around finding and use a lot of fancy other app, i intended to research how to use Obsidian as much as i can. Planning, tasking, noting, reviewing, people & metting management… all link and combine together through my Obsidian workflow, mostly all additional features came from community plugin. All other app just use as a support (example: i use todoist link plugin to put out task that have specific time and need alert to Todoist app (which link to google calendar))
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I totally agree that for new user who don’t have time and effort to research about community plugin, may find the original Obsidian (not use community plugin at all) a little hard to get use to, and sometime getting loss (dont know what to do next and how to do it in a best way) as i did 6 months ago.
But, step by step, after first plugin research and installed (usually a simple low-fruit-hanging easy to understand plugin), the workflow gonna grow up then you get not good, but best result to suit your need. To the point that you realize how powerfull of Obsidian is, like no other app can replicate the experience. -
In my research, the closest and best competitor of Obsidian mobile is Amplenote. In a power user eyes, is not customable as Obsidian + community plugin, so is a no for me. But for a normal common user who want rich features out of the box to get tasks done, it’s a good option.