I know, I know. Why move to Windows after you've seen the light and used a Mac? Well, the extra $2,000 it takes to buy another 15" Mac laptop after my Powerbook hit the floor instead if $499 for a Compaq is a major reason.

Anyway, is there a way to export my data into another CRM that is supported in Windows? I would prefer to use an open-source CRM becuase I use Linux in my business too.

So far, I have been unsuccessful in finding a good way to export all of my data. Any suggestions?

-James

Are you sure your sure?
There are so many good things happening with Apple at the moment it seems a real shame to move away from it back to the other side.
Of course, when you get to Windows you will also need to purchase an equivalent program to Daylite.

To export contacts to a csv you simply display the columns you want to export in the contact view and then choose File - Export visible columns and select rows to file.
This will produce a csv file. If you are exporting contacts be sure to include the organisation as one of the columns. you can choose commas or tabs as the delimiter.

Hope this helps you.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I'm sure I'm sure. I have a Mac Mini at home for use by the family anyway.

When I export, is it possible to take the notes, dates, etc. that Daylite has associated with my contacts? Does anybody know a Windows CRM that uses Daylite databases? I guess I'm looking for a direct 1:1 replacement for Daylite, if there is such a thing.

I thought you might say that.
I'm afraid the bad news is that it will be very difficult to get an exact 1:1 migration of your data into another tool.
As you know, there is an Act to Daylite link and now the filemaker one but there is nothing in existence to go the other way (just not enough people wanting to do it I guess).
So you will have to export notes separately and try to combine them again in another system. Not easy.

regards

With all due respect I think u are crazy going back to windows.

You can get a MacBook for around $1000 - no need to go all-out and get a MacBook Pro for doing business work, unless you absolutely need a larger screen. You might also find a recent MacBook Pro on Ebay for considerably less than $2000. Consider the overall costs of working in a Windows environment including problems with viruses, crashing software, OS bugs, calls to Tech Support and various periods of down-time. It is ultimately a lot cheaper (and more fun!) to work in the universe of "Mac Jedi" than to surrender to the Dark Side (Windows). (By the way, I have used most of the major desktop CRM solutions on Windows and they all stink compared to Daylite in my experience! I can't tell you HOW much downtime and lost data we experienced using GoldMine and Maximizer, for instance. Arghhh!)

So I do hope you reconsider, James - look at the big picture and let us know...

In addition to what Kevin J said about actual possible costs, there is the total cost of ownership to consider. "Studies have shown" that the TOC of a Mac is, on average, considerably less than a PC due to higher resale value for the Mac, more maintenance on the PC.

Then there is greater profitability. GISTICS REPORT - surveyed over 30,000 business professionals. Stated: "Due to a more efficient computing environment, the Mac business user gains, per year, an average of 234 prime time authoring and composing hours than a Windows user... The Mac user generates 7.14 times ROI over three years, while the Windows user generates 2.02 ROI..."
The report concluded, "Clearly for profit oriented firms, deployment of Mac technology constitutes a fiduciary responsibility.”

This was a few years ago, but I think that in the days of Leopard v Vista, such a result would be, if anything, greater.

The Gartner Group has studied Mac based vs. PC based businesses for years and the conclusion is, inevitably, that the Mac-based businesses are more profitable to the tune of several thousand dollars per person per year.

Plus you have software for free on the Mac that you'll have to buy for your PC (if you'll ever used the video-conferencing, collaborative workspace, iMovie, and so on).

So I would suggest that the purchase of PC is actually false economy in the extreme.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Michael Linehan,

Wow. I'm humbled by the time you guys are putting in to helping me stay Mac-centered. I REALLY appreciate your advice and input on the subject. I still have my Powerbook, and still have a Mac Mini, but I have already purchased the M$ laptop. I really do need the 15.2" screen because part of my work is graphic design. I run a small business, and the $1,500 extra for the Mac was too much at this time.

Now, nobody is paying attention to the part of my post about Linux. All of my machines (Macs included) are dual-boot with Linux. This Windows machine boots Ubuntu 7.10 and runs circles around the Vista install. It just takes a little time to get Linux running on a laptop perfectly (my dual-monitor setup doesn't work out perfectly yet, not does my wi-fi card). I fully intend to transition over to Linux exclusively in the next year, and was hoping somebody would have a suggestion for an open-source CRM to use there.

Marketcircle, please port Daylite over to Linux! I will buy it. I promise!

Again, thanks to everyone that put time into a reply.

I know it's too late, but I have a 13" Macbook and I just use an external display...I find it more efficient some times than having one larger display.

On the Linux side of things, we'd like to, but it would mean re-writing the entire app. I don't think we'll expand to Linux or the PC platform in the near future unfortunately.

Sad to hear you leave us!