Post about text editor. Which text editor is best to use? Is this something I should be focusing on at beginning of implementing GTD?

[TimBourne]

This is a very good question. I struggle with that since a long time.

I am globally thinking that what is the most important about choosing a good text editor is the ever lasting of files. For example I kept some old files of apple pages and for some of them I couldn't opened it. I did not have this problem with Microsoft word. I can still open them even if hey were made 30 years ago. There was an old article about Gina TRAPANI. She is an informaticien. https://lifehacker.com/practicing-simplified-gtd-335269 it was an interesting article. Today Software like obsidian does the same with the add of a database.

For myself I dont use this solution. May be because my System Things or Omnifocus (I used) is well set and easy. Anyway I recognize that simple .Txt or .rtf are great for making list. Task paper is also great for this you also have workflowy but it is online. If I would make from scratch a new system GTD I think I would do it with obsidian. The markdown + The files in .txt is something which will last. or simply use files in folders like Gina explained years ago. It rocks too.

"struggle with that since a long time." you had same problem of not having Microsoft package with new windows, don't want pay for it I wonder?

"what is the most important about choosing a good text editor is the ever lasting of files. " What are you saying? That if a text editor becomes out of date? If something happens like for example - a brand of text editor gets deleted - wouldn't you still be able to do something like open the files with another different text editor?

I don't have files which are 30 years old since I am about twenty or twenty five, but have files maybe ten years old - saved on my expansion drive...

"here was an old article about Gina TRAPANI. She is an informatician. https://lifehacker.com/practicing-simplified-gtd-335269 it was an interesting article." I wonder what made you link/cite this article? I don't think I have really ever looked at life hacker website much? neve- just scanned to bottom of that article "simplification" ...
-mentioned emails
-links to other summary book summary articles.

"For myself I don't use this solution" I am lost in your writing?

Yeah text editors are great for lists.
Right now myself Tim am using "Asana" soft ware.

STN

 

[TimBourne]

Sorry if I miss understood your question. I thought you were speaking not only about text editor but text editor for GTD.
I was not thinking about the "pay for use" for I have a lifetime microsoft licence.


What I said is a question of compatibility. When you construct a GTD reference system it must last. You have to be able to open each time even in it happens in 30 years. For example I am in real estate. I wanted to see what I made for prospection when I was younger. So I tried to open an old archived file. No problem with word but with apple.pages (most recent file) I could not open it !!!!

It is for the technic nature of files. What said Gina is that a .txt file or .rtf file can be open by every text editor. Some has made good GTD system with simple files like that. Her method was interesting. I tried it and it worked (for a very simple GTD system)


I go further you question which could be : " Is it better to build a GTD system with a text editor or a data base"
I dont have the answer. But After 20 years of GTD I admit that the most simple is the system the best it is. After there is a question of security and about how long you need to keep your information.

For example if omnigroup desapear sometime How will you do with your files if the new OS of your computer doesnt open it ? Idem with cultured code (Things)...

This is the reason why For building a good GTD system I like not to be in the net of Google or iCloud. If obsidian disappear there will still be the files saved somewhere on your local storage, and you may open it.

Anyway if I go further on the reflexion, I am like many other on google drive. I have there 25 gigas of datas. What happens if tomorrow google desapear, have a big crash, or is hacked... I will have no datas for my company and then it would be the end of it. So I try to keep some Core Storage on local systems.


Asana is good.

I wrote in my previous message :""For myself I don't use this solution" I am lost in your writing? because there were certain parts of your 2nd/3rd paragraph I didn't understand the English - should I go through this with you now? Or are you too high level?

"
Sorry if I miss understood your question. I thought you were speaking not only about text editor but text editor for GTD.
I was not thinking about the "pay for use" for I have a lifetime Microsoft licence."

I don't understand - a text editor is a text editor - if you have the full Microsoft 365 paid version then why wouldn't you be able to use that for GTD? What?

real estate "
NORTH AMERICAN

property consisting of land or buildings:" - you must be wealthy successful person unlike myself with low income?

"
prospection
prəˈspekshən
NOUN
plural -s

1. the act of anticipating : foresight"

"tried to open an old archived file. No problem with word but with apple.pages (most recent file) I could not open it !!!!" what was the format of the file? you had to open it in word?

question which could be : " Is it better to build a GTD system with a text editor or a data base" "I dont have the answer. But After 20 years of GTD I admit that the most simple is the system the best it is. After there is a question of security and about how long you need to keep your information."

I have threads (like this one) about text editor then others about data base. I didn't think of the idea of using a text editor only for GTD?

"omnigroup desapear" ? these don't come up as words in this online website - what do they mean?


I'm not sure you can help me?

What's myself Tim personal problem? That I have "online word aka google drive", "WPS" and now "libre office" - it would be best most minimalist if Just had one text editor on my laptop - right?

But not sure want to delete all my files in WPS on laptop saved (which can also be opened with other text editors) or google drive presume can be opened with other text editors - so a project or task for myself to help my PC usage or organization could be transferring all these files and uninstalling WPS.

What do you say? if don't say no and reply then I see no harm in doing this right now?" said VOICE statement.

STN