S
Susan Chroman
Guest
I'm a MAC user and want to know if anyone can recommend a software program that works well with the Getting Things Done system
There are a lot of them. I'd be lost without Omnifocus, but you'll also find a lot of people who swear by iGTD. Your best bet is to do some research, download the ones that look interesting, and try them out. That's what I did.
This article's a little old (a lot changes in 11 months), but it gives you some idea of how many options you have:
http://www.atpm.com/13.02/next-actions.shtml
This article's a little old (a lot changes in 11 months), but it gives you some idea of how many options you have:
http://www.atpm.com/13.02/next-actions.shtml
fokke.kooistra
Registered
It depends
Hi Susan,
The choice of a software program to work with is quite personal It depends on the way you have implemented GTD in your daily work and personal life. If you use it in a work setting the kind of work is also something to take into account.
I have been using a Mac for more than 5 years now and I know a lot of GTD type programs on a Mac. I have even tested several of them and there are real beauties. For me personally Entourage fits in my current work flow. I use Microsoft Entourage synced to my Treo 680 and I truly like this combo.
I don't know if you have the time but you could try out different programs. I think some other people will also add to this thread their favorites. If you write a bit more about your situation some of us might point you to one or two programs that fit your need.
Hi Susan,
The choice of a software program to work with is quite personal It depends on the way you have implemented GTD in your daily work and personal life. If you use it in a work setting the kind of work is also something to take into account.
I have been using a Mac for more than 5 years now and I know a lot of GTD type programs on a Mac. I have even tested several of them and there are real beauties. For me personally Entourage fits in my current work flow. I use Microsoft Entourage synced to my Treo 680 and I truly like this combo.
I don't know if you have the time but you could try out different programs. I think some other people will also add to this thread their favorites. If you write a bit more about your situation some of us might point you to one or two programs that fit your need.
I wrestled for a spell with trying out a host of new and different software applications and was constantly re-typing, re-writing, and re-evaluating my lists in a variety of digital and analog systems. Not good for productivity!
I finally have settled back where I began: MS Outlook/Entourage, a Palm Treo, and the simplicity of Calendar, Tasks. and Notes for my system.
Simpler does not always equate to be less functional.
I finally have settled back where I began: MS Outlook/Entourage, a Palm Treo, and the simplicity of Calendar, Tasks. and Notes for my system.
Simpler does not always equate to be less functional.
I'll second OmniFocus vote
Susan,
Most certainly take a look at OmniFocus. It's been developed from the ground up as a GTD app. The developer, Omni Group, has a proven track record as an excellent Mac app development shop.
I've used OmniFocus since early beta days (it just shipped 1.0) and have been quite happy with the system I've now got in place.
Your mileage may vary; it is a personal decision based on how you best work.
Cheers,
andy
Susan,
Most certainly take a look at OmniFocus. It's been developed from the ground up as a GTD app. The developer, Omni Group, has a proven track record as an excellent Mac app development shop.
I've used OmniFocus since early beta days (it just shipped 1.0) and have been quite happy with the system I've now got in place.
Your mileage may vary; it is a personal decision based on how you best work.
Cheers,
andy
T
Tacitus
Guest
You could try 'Things'.
Currently in Beta but should be released later this year.
http://www.culturedcode.com/things/
Currently in Beta but should be released later this year.
http://www.culturedcode.com/things/
Todd V
Registered
Jim
GTD Ninja
Midnight Inbox is very good. In fact, from a pure GTD workflow perspective, it adheres better than any other program I have seen, including Thinking Rock (which is slow on my dual G5, and has what I would describe as an anti-Mac interface ~it is Java based).
Midnight Inbox looks to be resolving its few issues (speed, and minor Leopard compatibility issues) with version 2, due to start in beta in February.
iGTD2 looks very promising, but it is very much alpha at the moment.
Things is amazing stable for a alpha, has a "tags" take on contexts, and seems to be progressing nicely.
OmniFocus is pretty good. Being the first of the (alpha/beta/v2 versions) frontrunners to make it out the door, it is stable and feature complete. It has a native Mac interface, and if you like the way that they have implemented GTD concepts, it could be your best solution. I think they have priced it too high, but I got it for less due to buying early and being an owner of a OmniOutliner license.
Hope that helps a bit!
Jim
Midnight Inbox looks to be resolving its few issues (speed, and minor Leopard compatibility issues) with version 2, due to start in beta in February.
iGTD2 looks very promising, but it is very much alpha at the moment.
Things is amazing stable for a alpha, has a "tags" take on contexts, and seems to be progressing nicely.
OmniFocus is pretty good. Being the first of the (alpha/beta/v2 versions) frontrunners to make it out the door, it is stable and feature complete. It has a native Mac interface, and if you like the way that they have implemented GTD concepts, it could be your best solution. I think they have priced it too high, but I got it for less due to buying early and being an owner of a OmniOutliner license.
Hope that helps a bit!
Jim
I've played with a lot of Mac applications for GTD too.
Then, one day I realized that OX10 Leopard has a simple way of doing GTD. Any Task you create on a Note in Mail shows up in iCal too. Therefore:
Configure iCal with dummy calendars for each Context List. Don't use them to record appointments, just ToDo Tasks. That way the dummy calendars work like Categories for the Task List in iCal. Phone calls go on the @Calls calendar. Errands go on the @Errands calendar, etc.
Use Notes in Mail for your Projects. One Note per Project.
On each Note, enter any ToDos that you want to associate with that project and select the "calendar" that corresponds to the Context List in iCal that you want the Task to appear on. It will show up there.
Thus:
in iCal you can look at your Task Lists by Context by clicking on the dummy calendars for each Context.
In Mail Notes you can look at your Projects, and see any Tasks associated with them.
For your Weekly Review, simply scan down the Notes and insure that there is a least one active Task for every Project recorded in a Note.
If you check off a Task in iCal as "done" it will be checked off on the Note in Mail as well as the operating system keeps Tasks synchronized between iCal and Mail.
This gives you the same functionality as a lot of GTD software using features that are part of Leopard.
If you want to carry the data on your iPhone. Email the Note to your iPhone and you've got it with you when you are out of the office.
I amazed I didn't figure this out sooner.
Best wishes,
Scot Giles
Then, one day I realized that OX10 Leopard has a simple way of doing GTD. Any Task you create on a Note in Mail shows up in iCal too. Therefore:
Configure iCal with dummy calendars for each Context List. Don't use them to record appointments, just ToDo Tasks. That way the dummy calendars work like Categories for the Task List in iCal. Phone calls go on the @Calls calendar. Errands go on the @Errands calendar, etc.
Use Notes in Mail for your Projects. One Note per Project.
On each Note, enter any ToDos that you want to associate with that project and select the "calendar" that corresponds to the Context List in iCal that you want the Task to appear on. It will show up there.
Thus:
in iCal you can look at your Task Lists by Context by clicking on the dummy calendars for each Context.
In Mail Notes you can look at your Projects, and see any Tasks associated with them.
For your Weekly Review, simply scan down the Notes and insure that there is a least one active Task for every Project recorded in a Note.
If you check off a Task in iCal as "done" it will be checked off on the Note in Mail as well as the operating system keeps Tasks synchronized between iCal and Mail.
This gives you the same functionality as a lot of GTD software using features that are part of Leopard.
If you want to carry the data on your iPhone. Email the Note to your iPhone and you've got it with you when you are out of the office.
I amazed I didn't figure this out sooner.
Best wishes,
Scot Giles
S
Scott Moehring
Guest
I like paper planners (i.e. 3 ring binder), but I also like to update my lists on the Mac. I didn't like having to upgrade/retype/convert/buy new software all teh time. So, I developed a system of Mac folders. It is a piece of cake, and it never needs an upgrade. I keep it on a removable drive so I can take it anywhere. No software other than a Mac system required.
One folder for Projects, Reference, Waiting for, @ Calls, @ Work, @ Home, @ Errands, @ Agendas, Someday Maybe. In each folder, create a folder for each item. Type the Next Action or Project name or whatever as the folder name. If you need more notes, make more subfolders. Move them around by clicking and dragging (move Call Billy to Waiting For, or whatever). Put your Next Actions in the Project folders, and cmd-option-drag them to Next Action folders to make aliases. Print them out by folder with PrintWindow (with the option to print all nested folders turned on), bind them up, and then keep them with you all week. Hand write all your dones, new Actions, new Projects. At your next Weekly Review, transfer everything new from the binder to the folder lists, quickly click through them in whichever view you like, and then print out fresh ones.
Clean, simple, free, less messing around with the software, and more getting things done.
One folder for Projects, Reference, Waiting for, @ Calls, @ Work, @ Home, @ Errands, @ Agendas, Someday Maybe. In each folder, create a folder for each item. Type the Next Action or Project name or whatever as the folder name. If you need more notes, make more subfolders. Move them around by clicking and dragging (move Call Billy to Waiting For, or whatever). Put your Next Actions in the Project folders, and cmd-option-drag them to Next Action folders to make aliases. Print them out by folder with PrintWindow (with the option to print all nested folders turned on), bind them up, and then keep them with you all week. Hand write all your dones, new Actions, new Projects. At your next Weekly Review, transfer everything new from the binder to the folder lists, quickly click through them in whichever view you like, and then print out fresh ones.
Clean, simple, free, less messing around with the software, and more getting things done.
S
Scott Moehring
Guest
Mac users used to be able to print the contents of a Finder window, but with OSX, we lost that simple but useful feature. Print Window is an app that brought back that functionality. I had heard that the latest version of the Mac OS enables you to print windows again, but I haven't checked it out yet. So, you might not need this.
http://www.download.com/Print-Window/3000-2265_4-10331414.html
http://www.download.com/Print-Window/3000-2265_4-10331414.html
Claudia Volkman
Registered
mail notes?
I use Mail and iCal - but I'm not clear what Notes in Mail is.... I can't seem to find this? Could you elaborate?
Thanks!
Claudia
I use Mail and iCal - but I'm not clear what Notes in Mail is.... I can't seem to find this? Could you elaborate?
Thanks!
Claudia
If you upgrade to Leopard, the newest incarnation of the operating system you gain a new feature.
Calendar Events and Tasks are shared throughout the operating system and can be accessed in more than one place.
If you make a To Do item in iCal, that item also shows up in a special folder in Mail. In Mail, you can highlight any item in an email or a Note (see below for an explanation of Notes) and click on a button and it turns that highlight into a To Do item that shows up both in the To Do Folder in Mail and in the Task List in iCal.
Mail also has a new feature called Notes. Basically, a yellow pad that you can type things on that are stored in a special folder. You can email notes and/or save them in Mail as reference documents or reminders.
Notes works with To Do items as well. Therefore, you can create a Note for each project and list the action steps for it. Then, you can highlight the item representing the first step and turn it into a To Do item that will show up in iCal, assigned to any Calendar you want.
If you use dummy calendars in iCal to create the effect of Categories, you can select the Calendar you want the task to show up in easily.
For example. If I have a project "Teach Jim to Fly," I can create a note with that as a heading. Then, I can list the action items like "Call Jim to set up meeting" on that Note. If I highlight that item and click on a button, Mail will turn that into a To Do item. I can then select what Calender in iCal it will show up on (in this case my @Calls Calendar).
In this way your Project List is in Mail in the Notes folder, while your Context Lists are in both Mail (in the To Do folder) and iCal (as Tasks).
Therefore, it becomes easy to view your tasks by context (looking at the appropriate Calendar) or by Project (by looking at the Note).
As most GTD software involves somehow integrating and linking Tasks on the Context Lists with Projects, simply doing this using Leopard creates that identical functionality with no additional software.
Best wishes,
Scot Giles
Calendar Events and Tasks are shared throughout the operating system and can be accessed in more than one place.
If you make a To Do item in iCal, that item also shows up in a special folder in Mail. In Mail, you can highlight any item in an email or a Note (see below for an explanation of Notes) and click on a button and it turns that highlight into a To Do item that shows up both in the To Do Folder in Mail and in the Task List in iCal.
Mail also has a new feature called Notes. Basically, a yellow pad that you can type things on that are stored in a special folder. You can email notes and/or save them in Mail as reference documents or reminders.
Notes works with To Do items as well. Therefore, you can create a Note for each project and list the action steps for it. Then, you can highlight the item representing the first step and turn it into a To Do item that will show up in iCal, assigned to any Calendar you want.
If you use dummy calendars in iCal to create the effect of Categories, you can select the Calendar you want the task to show up in easily.
For example. If I have a project "Teach Jim to Fly," I can create a note with that as a heading. Then, I can list the action items like "Call Jim to set up meeting" on that Note. If I highlight that item and click on a button, Mail will turn that into a To Do item. I can then select what Calender in iCal it will show up on (in this case my @Calls Calendar).
In this way your Project List is in Mail in the Notes folder, while your Context Lists are in both Mail (in the To Do folder) and iCal (as Tasks).
Therefore, it becomes easy to view your tasks by context (looking at the appropriate Calendar) or by Project (by looking at the Note).
As most GTD software involves somehow integrating and linking Tasks on the Context Lists with Projects, simply doing this using Leopard creates that identical functionality with no additional software.
Best wishes,
Scot Giles
J
Jazzthieves
Guest
CSGiles;55227 said:
You sir, are a star. Thank you so much for posting this.
Would this work if I bought an iphone? Or is the iphone version stripped down in any way??
Myles
Claudia Volkman
Registered
new feature in Mail
WOW - that sounds very cool... I'm going to be upgrading my PowerBook G4 within the next 6 months, so now besides looking forward to getting the Mac Air, I have this to look forward to as well. Thank you for such a detailed explanation!
Claudia
WOW - that sounds very cool... I'm going to be upgrading my PowerBook G4 within the next 6 months, so now besides looking forward to getting the Mac Air, I have this to look forward to as well. Thank you for such a detailed explanation!
Claudia
There would be no reason to buy an iPhone unless you want one for some other reason.
Notes and Task on the Mac do not sync to the iPhone, so you get the functionality I described only on the Mac running Leopard. To get info from the Mac to the iPhone you have to email it to yourself, and you can do that with any smartphone.
That said, I love my iPhone.
Scot Giles
Notes and Task on the Mac do not sync to the iPhone, so you get the functionality I described only on the Mac running Leopard. To get info from the Mac to the iPhone you have to email it to yourself, and you can do that with any smartphone.
That said, I love my iPhone.
Scot Giles
mcogilvie
Registered
Jazzthieves;55401 said:
I have leopard at home and work, I have an iPhone, and my wife half believes I have been brainwashed into a cult. But the simple truth is that Apple's tools for elementary calendar and task management did not improve with Leopard, are not well-integrated with the iPhone, and are not very good. The notes and tasks in email idea is prone to duplication, and does not work well when more than one mac is involved. You can read the notes on an iphone if you set things up correctly. I don't use any of this. The calendar app on the iPhone does not fully support multiple calendars, and does not support tasks at all. I use Remember the Milk (RTM), a web 2.0 app for my GTD lists. It's good, flexible, and has a special iPhone web interface. For calendar, I am using iCal, but also routing my calendars through google calendar. I also have ticklers in RTM that show up in iCal and gCal. I hope iCal and iCal/iPhone integration get better, but I don't think it is a priority for Apple. Sorry. The good news is that I love my macs and I love my iPhone.