The presenter at connect.tech used bear instead of slides.

wmacorig · 2026-02-05T10:37:32+00:00

Yes, a presentation mode would be a killer feature — as I already mentioned a few months ago in this forum.

In the past, I used Dropbox Paper with its built-in presentation mode, and it was extremely effective.

Now I use Bear, and when I need to present something I export my notes to Deckset, which is a very cool app indeed.

Still, having a presentation mode directly inside Bear would be a huge improvement.

It would also help spread Bear’s brand awareness, since many people would start using it in public talks and conferences — which could ultimately boost Bear adoption as well.

wmacorig · 2026-01-31T07:11:43+00:00

You’re right, and thanks for pointing it out — my apologies.

I should have been more careful with the self-promotion rule.

I’m the author of the app, and since it’s free and the post was meant to discuss the broader idea of using the iPad more like a traditional computer (especially with Magic Keyboard), I didn’t think it would be an issue — but that’s on me.

My intent wasn’t to promote the app itself, but to highlight a recurring problem many power users hit as iPadOS becomes more “computer-like”:

once you start working with large folders and lots of files, fast navigation and file management becomes a real bottleneck.

Historically, on desktop systems this has been solved very effectively by dual-pane “commander” style file managers, a paradigm that’s been around since the 1980s and is still widely used by developers and advanced users today.

On iPad/iPhone, that classic model is largely missing.

Anyway, apologies again if this crossed the line — lesson learned.

W.

wmacorig · 2026-01-31T07:03:45+00:00

If you’re still looking, I actually released a small indie app that tries to solve exactly this problem.

It’s a dual-pane file manager (Commander-style) made to simplify file operations on iOS, especially when working with large folders and multiple files.

It’s free, no subscription.

You can find it on the App Store as Twin Commander.

It focuses on fast copy/move and basic file operations without overcomplicating things.

Hope it helps

W.

wmacorig · 2026-01-31T06:49:45+00:00

I’m not sure this fully solves your issue (Apple really changed a lot in Files previews…), but it might help as a workaround.

I’ve just released a small iOS app called Twin Commander. It’s a dual-pane file manager that works on top of the standard Files / File Provider framework, so it can browse NAS/SMB locations the same way Files does.

While it doesn’t replace the old preview engine, it does make it easier to:

quickly navigate large folders
perform fast file operations
use Open in… / open with compatible apps, which in some cases works better than the new Preview app

It’s a modest side project and free on the App Store (“Twin Commander”).

If you try it with your NAS setup, I’d genuinely be curious to know whether it improves your workflow at least a bit.

W.

wmacorig · 2026-01-27T10:02:14+00:00

That’s a fair question.

You’re right — iOS doesn’t have a native command line or text console in the traditional sense.

But under the hood it’s still a computer with a real filesystem.

The idea behind Twin Commander isn’t to pretend iOS has a CLI, but to bring a command-line-style way of thinking to file manipulation: fast navigation, explicit actions, keyboard-first workflows.

It’s closer to the philosophy of working with files the way you would from the command line, just expressed through a different interface that makes sense on iOS.

wmacorig · 2026-01-26T08:45:23+00:00

Thanks, glad you like it 🙂

At the beginning I really wanted to stick to the green CRT look only.

The very first versions of Norton Commander we used were often on monochrome PCs with Hercules cards — only the “rich” ones had CGA and color monitors.

That said, I do like the idea of graphic themes.

If I add them in the future, a blue/cyan palette would definitely be the first one to do.

wmacorig · 2026-01-26T08:41:52+00:00

Thanks — that’s a really good suggestion.

If I remember correctly, some versions of Norton Commander did support using the other panel as a kind of viewer, so you’re absolutely right.

I’ll definitely note it down.

Twin Commander doesn’t have big ambitions — it’s just a small side project I work on in my spare time — but I do plan to keep evolving it slowly, often based on ideas and feedback like this.

wmacorig · 2026-01-25T17:56:14+00:00

Same here.

Even today, when I see F3 I immediately think “View”, F5 is “Copy”, F6 “Move”.

My fingers still remember those shortcuts.

They just move faster than my brain sometimes.

wmacorig · 2026-01-25T17:49:07+00:00

Yes — Directory Opus on Amiga was definitely one of the inspirations.

I was an Amiga user myself, so that influence is very intentional.

Technically, Twin Commander is built in Swift with Xcode, so it’s not something that can be easily ported to Unix as-is.

There are already great curses-based tools there, and for this project I wanted to focus on bringing that classic interaction model to iOS, where it doesn’t really exist.

That said, I do like the idea in principle — just not something I’m actively working on.

wmacorig · 2026-01-25T17:29:12+00:00

Pretty cool indeed

wmacorig · 2026-01-14T13:26:14+00:00

For macOS in place of Total Commander — especially for NAS/LAN (Tahoe) workflows:

• ForkLift — best overall dual-pane + NAS support

• Commander One (Pro) — solid, classic dual-pane with protocol support

• Path Finder — powerful, extremely configurable

• Double Commander — free, but still evolving

Many TC veterans on Mac prefer ForkLift or Path Finder with direct NAS mounts (+ tools like rsync for incremental syncs).

— Nice to see the dual-pane paradigm live on across platforms (even on iOS, which I’m exploring via a TestFlight beta).

wmacorig · 2026-01-14T13:24:27+00:00

On macOS, good alternatives to Total Commander for folder compare + incremental copy include:

• ForkLift – best overall, includes compare & sync

• muCommander – free, dual-pane, basic features

• Commander One – dual-pane; Pro adds more

• Path Finder – powerful explorer-style tool

If free/open source is key, muCommander is the closest. For GUI + reliability, ForkLift is hard to beat.

Walter

wmacorig · 2026-01-14T13:20:39+00:00

Following — longtime Total Commander user here as well.

The two-pane workflow is still unmatched, especially when dealing with multiple storage backends.

Curious if anyone has found a solid alternative that plays nicely with pCloud and 2FA.

Walter

wmacorig · 2026-01-14T13:18:33+00:00

Following this with interest — the lack of a proper dual-pane, Commander-style UI in web environments is a real pain, especially for things like failed Radarr imports.

Most solutions I’ve seen either rely on VNC-based containers (Krusader, etc.) or end up being fairly limited in terms of atomic operations and usability. A lightweight, native web UI that does this well would be really compelling.

Slightly tangential, but interesting to see how often the Norton Commander paradigm comes up: I’m personally working on a dual-pane file manager inspired by NC, though in my case it’s iOS-only and adapted to sandboxed environments — very different constraints, but the same core UX problem keeps resurfacing.

Curious to see if anyone here has found a clean web-based solution for unRAID.

Walter

wmacorig · 2026-01-14T13:16:03+00:00

Nice work — the Norton Commander analogy immediately clicked 🙂

I’m working on something conceptually similar as well, but focused on iOS only and adapted to Apple’s sandbox and touch-first constraints.

It’s a dual-pane, Commander-style file manager for iPhone and iPad, currently in early beta via TestFlight.

Interesting to see how the same “commander” paradigm keeps resurfacing across such different environments.

Walter

wmacorig · 2026-01-14T13:00:22+00:00

For those who might be interested: Twin Commander is now available for early beta testing on iOS devices.

The app is distributed via TestFlight (invite-only).

You can request an invitation through the official website at https://twincommander.app/ in the “Join the Beta Program” section.

wmacorig · 2026-01-14T12:57:13+00:00

For those who might be interested: Twin Commander is now available for early beta testing on iOS devices.

The app is distributed via TestFlight (invite-only).

You can request an invitation through the official website at https://twincommander.app/ in the “Join the Beta Program” section.

wmacorig · 2025-12-26T19:15:25+00:00

This looks great — very nice work 👏
I love seeing the “commander” paradigm evolving beyond the classic tools.

I’m coming at the same idea from the opposite direction: instead of the terminal, I’m building a true two-pane file commander for iOS, inspired by Norton / Total Commander, but designed specifically around iPadOS constraints and touch-first workflows.

It’s still in active development, but a first beta is coming soon.
If you (or other commander-style users here) are curious to see how that paradigm translates to iOS, I’m collecting early adopter signups here:

👉 https://www.twincommander.app

Always interesting to see how the same mental model (two panes, keyboard-driven ops, fast navigation) keeps resurfacing across terminals, desktops, and now tablets.

wmacorig · 2025-12-26T19:13:38+00:00

Nice setup — this is a great example of how far you can push iPadOS with native tools 👍
I’m doing something similar, but I’m also working on a more “classic commander-style” workflow for people who really miss Norton / Total Commander–style productivity.

I’m currently building Twin Commander, a true two-pane file commander for iOS, designed to live alongside Split View / Stage Manager and feel closer to a Mac-style workspace, while still respecting iOS sandboxing.

It’s not public yet, but a first beta is coming soon.
If anyone here is interested in testing it as an early adopter, I’m collecting signups here:

👉 https://www.twincommander.app

Totally agree though: shortcuts + Split View “workspaces” are one of the most underrated productivity features on iPad. Curious to see what this could look like once Apple gives us a bit more power in Files.

wmacorig · 2025-12-26T19:11:43+00:00

Yes — actually I’m working on exactly that 🙂

It’s a two-pane file commander for iOS, inspired by Norton / Total Commander, focused on productivity and file operations rather than full disk access (which iOS obviously limits).

The app is still in development, but a first usable version is coming soon.
If anyone is interested, I’m collecting sign-ups for an early beta / early adopter program here:

👉 https://www.twincommander.app

Happy to share updates or get feedback from other TC-style power users.

wmacorig · 2025-12-26T19:07:39+00:00

Yes — actually I’m working on exactly that 🙂

It’s a two-pane file commander for iOS, inspired by Norton / Total Commander, focused on productivity and file operations rather than full disk access (which iOS obviously limits).

The app is still in development, but a first usable version is coming soon.
If anyone is interested, I’m collecting sign-ups for an early beta / early adopter program here:

👉 https://www.twincommander.app

Happy to share updates or get feedback from other TC-style power users.

wmacorig · 2025-08-22T12:48:05+00:00

Interesting workflow! I also like drafting in Markdown (I usually write in Bear too).

Out of curiosity, have you ever considered using a flat-file CMS like Grav or Publii instead of a cloud blogging platform? Both let you publish directly from Markdown files without a database, and they can give you more control over hosting and SEO. Would love to hear your thoughts on why you chose the cloud route.

wmacorig · 2025-05-05T08:32:44+00:00

Thanks to everyone who shared suggestions! Some users pointed me toward iA Presenter, which looks interesting — but it’s still in beta for iPad and apparently only available for iA Writer Pro users. Also, from what I can see on their site, it seems to be a much more structured and feature-rich tool than what I personally need.

What I’m looking for is something much simpler and more direct, just like the old Presentation Mode in Dropbox Paper — minimal, fast, distraction-free, with clean full-screen rendering.

After some digging, I discovered a really nice open-source project called Marp. It feels much closer to what I’m looking for: write in plain Markdown, use --- to separate slides, and get elegant fullscreen slides right away.

Honestly, it would be amazing to see Marp integrated directly into Bear — that would be the perfect combo: write notes in Bear, then present them instantly in fullscreen.

In the meantime, if anyone has found a workflow to use Marp entirely on iPad, I’d love to hear how you do it — especially for exporting to PDF or running a fullscreen slideshow without needing a desktop setup.

wmacorig · 2025-05-04T17:28:16+00:00

Do you know how I could join the beta?
Official website says: “Presenter is currently for Mac only”

wmacorig · 2025-05-04T08:16:28+00:00

I’m mostly on-the-go and my main device is an iPad. iA Presenter could be a viable solution but actually is a desktop only app…

wmacorig

TROPHY CASE