Software that works with both Mac and Windows

[lgoodbar]

Has anyone seen any native software for both Mac OS X and Windows that allows for seamless GTD transfers? I use Windows at work, and a Mac at home. I would love software that would synchronize items between the two platforms via email, file transfer, etc.

Am looking at software like Midnight Inbox on the Mac side.

A web site would be OK, but I am thinking about client integration with Apple Mail, Outlook, etc.

--Loyd

 

[mcogilvie]

Seamless, huh?

Life Balance at llamagraphics.com is probably the most carefully supported cross-platform program I know of. It is more than a simple list tool, though.

How about a web-based tool? I use Remember the Milk, but I think Toodledo would also work fine. There are others, and they all have free accounts you can try.

 

[johneklund]

I've got the exact same setup - Windows at work, Mac at home - I second the use of Remember the Milk - I've been on that setup for about a year and it's perfect on both platforms - it even has an offline mode for when you're on planes, etc and can't get on the internet. The client integration is less of an issue (Apple Mail, Outlook) if you use some common techniques across them - namely setting up two folders - @Action, @Waiting for. Then follow Merlin Mann's Inbox Zero Techniques:

Inbox Zero Google Video

And Simply GTD Kelly Forrister's Auto Waiting For Setup:

Outlook Rule for Waiting For Emails

and you'll have a tight system built right into your mail client. You can then make next actions on your regular system (Remember the Milk) to review these folders on a regular basis. I've had my email inbox at zero for 2+ months and it's liberating. Tied to this I make the default mail check every hour instead of the default (3 minutes, 5 minutes?) so I'm only interrupted by mail around 8 times a day. When it comes in I process it down to nothing (delete, defer, delegate, respond or do) and then get back to work.

For calendaring I've moved everything from Outlook into Google Calendar - Remember the Milk will sync with that.

The last setup is to make both Remember the Milk and Google Calendar both the "home pages" in your web browser so when you start up your browser you've got two tabs open with your GTD apps and are ready to go.

 

[ZZamboni]

ThinkingRock

For cross-platform support you could try ThinkingRock, which is written in Java and thus runs on Mac, Linux and Windows. It is a nice application that supports and enforces the GTD workfow. The problem is that because it is written in Java and because it is a cross-platform app, its native integration is not the best. When I switched to a Mac (from Linux) as my main work machine, I stopped using it because it felt too "disconnected" from the rest of the applications.

 

[folium]

Personal Brain

Hello,
I use Personal Brain from www.thebrain.com as my trusted system. (Actually the free version) Get a virtual drive on the net (I'm looking forward to google's gdrive) and use either mac or windows. File format is fully compatible.

My system is quite sofisticated, and it would take a book to describe it, still its very easy to adjust and use. I document all changes related to the GTD process, experiences, problems, incidents and constantly improve the process and my life as well, inspired by ITIL change management. Everything can be captured and organized. Especially powerful for huge amounts of someday /maybe's.

Until recently I've used Outlook for all next actions and MindManager for projects (before I used Life Balance as well ++ runs on mac and window, so there you have a great alternative as well!! ), but recently I've used The Brain for my total GTD solution (errands, groceries, packing-list is on my Treo 650 still) My best GTD implementation so far! But constantly improving.

Personal Brain is flexible...Just start simple, and the GTD system will evolve over time.

Best Regards
Finn Ove

 

[snakeears]

Question for folium

Folium:

Looking at Personal Brain and saw your post about it being your complete GTD system.

Do you have a cell phone or PDA? If so, how do you "carry" some/all of your next action lists with you?

Thanks

 

[kelstarrising]

Question

Hello there Barriebyrnes --

Do you work for Project Drive? This is the second post you've done about that site and we like the members to know if recommendations are coming from the user or developer perspective.

Thanks.

 

[fiestaforever]

An alternative to software that's available for both Mac and Windows is to use software that uses the same file format.

Every plain text editor, for example.

Two more sophisticated, but still lightweight apps are TaskPaper (Mac) and TodoPaper (Windows) which use the same format. Many Mac users love TaskPaper, while few people know about TodoPaper. Haven't tried either myself, though.

Another alternative is using Word or Excel on both Windows and Mac.

Files can be transferred via USB thumb drive, of course.