Notivo is a private, per-person notebook for managers. Capture feedback, commitments, and 1:1 context as it happens — from web, iOS, WhatsApp, email, ChatGPT, or Claude — then get it back later, organized by person.
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Which is more popular?
Based on our record, Obsidian
seems to be a lot more popular than Microsoft Forms.
While we know about 1529 links to Obsidian,
we've tracked only 16 mentions of Microsoft Forms.
social mentions
1,529 vs 16
user rating
5.0 vs 4.0
Note Taking popularity
100% vs 0%
Base details
Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.
Local-first Obsidian stores your notes locally on your device, giving you full control over your data and enhancing privacy.
Markdown Support Obsidian uses Markdown, making it easy to format text and compatible with many other text editors and tools.
Bidirectional Linking You can create bidirectional links between notes, which helps in building a knowledge graph and navigating related information more easily.
Customizability Obsidian is highly customizable with community plugins, themes, and various settings to fit different workflows.
Graph View Provides a visual graph view of your notes and their connections, aiding in understanding relationships and discovering insights.
Offline Access Since the notes are stored locally, you can access and edit them without an internet connection.
Possible disadvantages
Learning Curve Obsidian can be complex and overwhelming for beginners due to its extensive features and customizable nature.
Sync Limitations While local-first is great for privacy, it requires additional steps or third-party solutions for syncing across devices.
No True Real-time Collaboration Obsidian lacks native real-time collaboration features, making it less suitable for collaborative work compared to cloud-based solutions.
Limited Mobile Features The mobile version of Obsidian, while functional, is not as robust as the desktop application, potentially hindering productivity on the go.
Dependence on Plugins Many advanced features require the use of third-party plugins, which could lead to compatibility issues and reliance on community support.
Performance on Large Vaults Performance might degrade with a very large number of notes or complex graphs, impacting usability.
Integration with Microsoft 365 Microsoft Forms seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft 365 apps such as Excel, SharePoint, and Teams, enhancing collaboration and data management.
Ease of Use The platform offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies form creation and distribution, making it accessible even to non-technical users.
Real-time Collaboration Multiple users can collaborate on form creation and data analysis in real-time, fostering teamwork and increasing productivity.
Customization Options It offers various customization options, including themes, question types, and response validation, allowing users to tailor forms to specific needs.
Analytics and Reporting Built-in analytics tools provide insights and visualizations directly within Microsoft Forms, aiding in data-driven decision-making.
Possible disadvantages
Limited Advanced Features Compared to other specialized survey tools, Microsoft Forms lacks some advanced features such as complex branching, advanced logic, and extensive third-party integrations.
Design Flexibility The platform has limited design customization options, making it less suitable for users looking to create highly branded or unique forms.
Response Limits Free and some standard Microsoft 365 plans have response limits, which can be restrictive for organizations conducting large-scale surveys.
Export Limitations Exporting data to other formats or systems can be cumbersome, especially when dealing with large datasets or requiring specific data formats.
Dependency on Microsoft Ecosystem While integration with Microsoft 365 is a strength, it can also be a limitation for users or organizations that rely on non-Microsoft tools and services.
Analysis
An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.
ObsidianMicrosoft Forms
Overall verdict
Overall, Obsidian.md is an excellent tool for users looking for a versatile and powerful note-taking application. Its unique features such as backlinking, markdown support, and robust customization options make it a favorite among knowledge management enthusiasts.
Why this product is good
Obsidian.md is considered good by many users because it is a powerful knowledge management and note-taking application that leverages Markdown for document formatting. It allows for bi-directional linking between notes, which helps in creating a network of interconnected ideas, often described as a 'second brain.' Its ability to support plugins, themes, and robust graph visualization also adds to its appeal. Additionally, it stores notes locally, ensuring privacy and data ownership, while being cross-platform compatible across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Recommended for
Knowledge workers who need a powerful tool to organize and connect their thoughts.
Students who are looking to create a structured and visually interconnected note system.
Writers and researchers who benefit from linking related ideas and maintaining detailed notes.
Tech-savvy users or developers who appreciate the local storage and open ecosystem for plugins and customization.
Overall verdict
Yes, Microsoft Forms is generally well-regarded as a user-friendly tool for creating and managing online forms.
Why this product is good
Microsoft Forms is considered good due to its ease of use, integration with other Microsoft 365 applications, real-time collaboration features, and robust data analysis capabilities. It provides an intuitive interface for creating surveys, quizzes, and polls and offers automatic data export to Excel for further analysis. Additionally, it ensures data security and privacy, adherent to Microsoft's compliance guidelines.
Recommended for
Educational institutions requiring tools for quizzes and feedback collection
Businesses looking for an integrated solution for customer surveys and employee feedback
Teams that already use Microsoft 365 and need seamless integration with other applications
Users who require real-time data analysis and collaboration on form responses
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Social recommendations and mentions
Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.
The agents remember with Engram, but I need to remember too. Obsidian is my second brain: ideas, projects, and resources in one place.
- Source: dev.to
/
about 12 hours ago
Notion vs Obsidian for Solo Work (2026): Cloud Workspace or Local Markdown?
Obsidian, homepage (local plain-text Markdown storage, offline access, links/graph, featured community plugins).
- Source: dev.to
/
about 15 hours ago
Take Your AI's Questions Out of the Terminal
This is a decision page. Claude Code wrote it after reading a project's notes, and it shows the detail a chat question leaves out. I answer it in Obsidian.
- Source: dev.to
/
19 days ago
MS Forms: Employee to send form and recieve results on his email depending on which employee emails the form (dynamic)
When you use the word ‘form’ in a Microsoft context, readers including myself may assume you are talking about Microsoft forms on https://forms.office.com.
Source:
over 3 years ago
How does your company do its IT Onboarding?
Make a Microsoft Forms that they have to fill out. Set it to email you when it's completed. Tell people that they have to fill it out properly or they can't have access to anything. The last thing they had before I got here was on...
Source:
over 3 years ago
Microsoft Forms are constantly refreshing and logging out
You can get to forms.office.com but when you open any form to edit it just constantly refreshes and then kicks you back to a login screen.
Source:
over 3 years ago
Create beautiful, next-generation online forms with Typeform, the form & survey builder that makes asking questions easy & human on any device. Try it FREE!
Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application, which can handle a large number of notes organised into notebooks. The notes are searchable, tagged and modified either from the applications directly or from your own text editor.
Create and publish online surveys in minutes, and view results graphically and in real time. SurveyMonkey provides free online questionnaire and survey software.
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