Do all the tags used with the "@" symbol for contexts also include the "@" symbol in your system?

[leslieking]

The "@" symbol represents "at," which is suitable for tags like @home (at home), @work (at work), @office (at the office). However, I'm uncertain if it's appropriate for situations involving a friend (@friend tag), where the task might not necessarily be taking place at their location. I also have a time context @urgent (at urgent? makes no sense).

Using the "@" symbol for all tags isn't a concern for me, though. It gives a visual consistency. However, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think it's okay to continue using the "@" symbol for all context tags?

 

[mcogilvie]

Think of it as an opportunity to customize your system to best meet your needs. Put another way, what is the intrinsic meaning of “#”, now widely known as “hashtag”?

 

[GTDUser]

They do, because some systems add meaning to it, others don't.

I have projects like "pete" and contexts like "@pete".

urgent as a context doesn't make sense to me.

You can use any convention you like for your system as long as it is consistent.

 

[cfoley]

Yes. I like the visual consistency.

Some programming languages use similar conventions.

The dollar sign in name$ means that it represents a string or text in BASIC.

Underscores means that _name is private to the module or class in Python and Clojure.

 

[René Lie]

David Allen says something along the lines of "use something like a hyphen or the 'at' sign" as a technical means of bringing the items above the a-z sorting of the remaining items.

Myself, I do not think of the @ as 'at' in this context,just a way of bringing the items to the top.

 

[TesTeq]

Using the "@" symbol for all tags isn't a concern for me, though. It gives a visual consistency. However, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think it's okay to continue using the "@" symbol for all context tags?

@zoltankr Visual consistency is nice but ease of use is better. On iPhone you usually don't have '@' available on the main alphanumeric keyboard so it is easier to search for a tag if it consist of a-z characters only.

 

[Oogiem]

Do you think it's okay to continue using the "@" symbol for all context tags?

OK Sure I had no problem with @Person type contexts when I was using a systme that used @ for the tags.

I've moved from @ to # for my contexts because I need compatability with multiple operating systems and so use markdown. # is the signifier for a tag in Obsidian so all my contexts now start with #

 

[ianfh10]

I don't use any symbols at all and I don't find this hampers my system. That may just be the apps I've landed on, but the @ nor any other icon adds value for me.

I would say that if you're comfortable using them, they remove rather than add friction to your system, and you get value from using them, then do what best serves you.

 

[schmeggahead]

Do you think it's okay to continue using the "@" symbol for all context tags?

I do on most of my lists. I omit it on lists that aren't really contexts (e.g. Grocery in my use is not a place, it is something I need to write on the paper grocery list in our kitchen.)

I recently started using the service mark symbol, ℠, to prefix my someday maybe lists in my list tool to remind me that they are totally not next actions.

Thanks,
Clayton.

A reader should never have to try to figure out what is happening on the page-the focus, the organization of material, the purpose, the flow of information, all should be recognized instantly with a single glance. And along the way it doesn't hurt to make it beautiful! - Chapter on Contrast - - The Non-designer's Design Book by Robin Williams.

 

[Matt_M]

I go back and forth on this, personally. On one hand, I like the visual consistency that using some kind of prefixing symbol adds; whether it be the @ symbol or whatever. However, on the other hand, it's not adding anything of value or of any significance such that my system needs it to be function (i.e. my system doesn't rely on symbols for determining contexts). I lean more towards the later because it's just less (and less is more) and easier to read/parse.

However, I believe the reason that most people have the symbol in their systems is due to their software mixing categories together or reference material as well. It's a way of differentiating and pseudo-grouping mixed lists of contexts, agendas, reference, etc. In those cases, it makes complete sense and a decent strategy to work around the limitations of the software. It's particularly useful in any email client, as you may want special folders to always "be on top" in the list of all folders for emails to be processed into.

 

[Jared Caron]

The "@" symbol represents "at," which is suitable for tags like @home (at home), @work (at work), @office (at the office). However, I'm uncertain if it's appropriate for situations involving a friend (@friend tag), where the task might not necessarily be taking place at their location. I also have a time context @urgent (at urgent? makes no sense).

Using the "@" symbol for all tags isn't a concern for me, though. It gives a visual consistency. However, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think it's okay to continue using the "@" symbol for all context tags?

Purely a functional preference based on your tool set. As others have said it helps sort your contexts/folders/etc above the standard alpha sorting in most digital systems. I’ve used other symbols such as a “+” “-“ Or “.” All accomplish the same thing.

The key is to be consistent.

 

[Jeremy Jones]

Jumping into this conversation because I've recently made some changes to my system.

Based on previous discussions around Todoist implementation, I've resorted to using @ to add Todoist labels, and # to add Todoist projects.

I use labels for context and project for...wait for it...projects.

Earlier today I made two new labels (contexts) because it made sense for me. My company uses two (count them...two!!) Lotus Notes applications, and they are on separate servers so one cannot be logged into both at the same time (I'm working on a solution for this). However, the two system are directly interrelated, so it's necessary to:

• grab questions out of one
• park them in a third application
• look up the answers in the other
• save those answers into the third application
• post the responses in the original application

So I felt it necessary to create two new contexts as I must be logged into one server or the other, for now.

Additionally, Todoist has this excellent (horrible) feature of tagging items for completion by day. This can cause me to tag things for completion "TODAY." This results in an unmanageable system with far too many TODAY items. So I removed that tag from every non-recurring item.

I then created a third new label called ACTIVE, which allows me to tag project using #, context using @, and either ACTIVE using @ or to leave it off.

My filters allow me to view all actions which are contextually appropriate (@Computer, @Office, etc.) as well as currently in my focus (@ACTIVE), and no others. As a result I am much more clear and focused, and can accomplish more.

There's more work to do to get my system in order, but I consider this a major step forward.

 

[Sarahsuccess]

I

The "@" symbol represents "at," which is suitable for tags like @home (at home), @work (at work), @office (at the office). However, I'm uncertain if it's appropriate for situations involving a friend (@friend tag), where the task might not necessarily be taking place at their location. I also have a time context @urgent (at urgent? makes no sense).

Using the "@" symbol for all tags isn't a concern for me, though. It gives a visual consistency. However, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think it's okay to continue using the "@" symbol for all context tags?

I started out using the @ symbol for contexts based on David Allen’s recommendation because it helped sort them to the top of the list. Now that I’m using a tool where I can manually move things and don’t need the @ sign I continue to use the @ symbol for contexts because it visually signifies a context to me. By now it’s “paired association”; I’ve been ‘behavior trained’ to instantly recognize the @ sign as a context.