Old task manager/PIM systems

Software
1

Please glance over this list and comment if you remember. I used them all at some point.

  • Lotus Agenda (DOS)
  • Polaris Packrat (Windows-task management and calendar, I believe)
  • Ecco Pro (included calendar-still on my Mac)
  • DEVONThink Pro utilizing a system of tags for projects and contexts as a task manager (GTD in my case)
  • Yojimbo with a similar tag system as a task manager (GTD in my case. I remember it as the best tagging interface I’ve used to this day. I keep downloading to try again and then remember, oh, yeah, iPad version is view only.)
  • OmniOutliner and Ethan Schoonover’s Kinkless tools as a task manager.
  • The Hit List (still for sale, but I don’t see much discussion about it)
  • Taskpaper (genius app and format)

Fond memories of each discovery and regrets for each abandonment.

3 Likes
2

I used and remember Lotus fondly. I currently use both Omnioutliner and DEVONthink.

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3

I edited my original post to clarify that I was listing OmniOutliner and DEVONThink not for their general use, but as a system for task management (GTD in my case). I still use both, but not for task management.

4

My bad. I have never used any of them for task management. :slightly_smiling_face:

5

I never used any of these. My first electronic implementation of a GTD system was on a Palm Treo. Probably doesn’t seem like much today, but it seemed amazing to have all my tasks, appointments and notes in a small handheld computer.

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6

I used Palm Pilots initially (from the original up through several Treos) then LifeBalance, Omnifocus, Obsidian for task management.

For PKM stuff I’ve used Palm, Yojimbo, Bento (the database one), DEVONThink, Obsidian

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7

I remember TheHitList when it first came out and loved the way how you put enter tags in line with the task and filter the whole thing easily. And back then I also liked the UI of it. But the time until it reached 1.0 took pretty long and back then it was said it won’t get and mobile app any time soon, so I abandoned it again.
Trying to remember what other TaskManager was hot back then? Was Things 1 already around?

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8

Nice list! Would also add the doomed Chandler project and Zoot PIM from the Windows days.

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I still miss LifeBalance, a lot. I still want to watch more sunsets!

And why has no-one re-invented Bento?

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  • Lotus Agenda - terrific and a model for what we ought to have today. I don’t get why it’s features are not replicated.
  • Ecco Pro - another terrific, especially for the time, but not unlike today’s tools
  • DEVONthink Pro - Used it for years, and now, extensively. Unfair to call it a task manager unless use notes for tasks or something.
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Ecco Pro - those were the days! Ahead of its time, loved by its developers killed off by a new owner who didn’t care.
Zoot was OK for a while, but very clunky
Chandler I tried but it never took off
I tried but never seriously used PackRat - I recall its developer was something of an a**hole when it came to dealing with customer requests
I used Outlook for a while (windows first, Mac later)
Entourage (Microsoft’s Mac version of Outlook) worked well for me for a while
Lotus Notes (ugh!!!)
Oracle had a free open source thing (can’t remember the name) that I had to use for a year or so around 2010. More ugh!!!

12

I never used Lotus Agenda, but I used its successor Lotus Organizer. I also remember using an app called My Life Organized (MLO). Those were in my Windows days.

13

Not Borland Sidekick? :slightly_smiling_face:

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14

Ha, yes, I did use that. One of the first TSR (terminate and stay resident) programs. Seems like I had to shut it down if I was working on memory intensive Lotus 123 worksheets.

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15

Text files and their antecedents, paper sheets and notebooks—can’t get much more old than that!

It’s still pretty popular despite the availability of specialized apps, as the rise of bullet journaling shows, and it’s basically what I currently do in Obsidian.

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Chronos Personal & Group Organizer and Claris organizer were the two that I remember using.

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I have seen/heard Task Paper mentioned a lot but can’t figure out how it fits in with OmniFocus/Apple Notes/Devonthink. First one for tasks, the other two for PKM.

18

TaskPaper defines a plain text format that is good for tasks or outlined text notes. Omnifocus (and many other task lists) evolved from and are structurally outliners anyway.

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19

Yes, and just adding a couple examples.

You can copy a project as TaskPaper from OmniFocus, turning this:

Screenshot 2024-01-08 at 10.40.31 AM

into this.

- Eclipse 2024 @parallel(true) @autodone(false)
	- Check sent to campground @parallel(true) @autodone(false)
	- PTO approved @parallel(true) @autodone(false)
	- Eclipse glasses received @parallel(true) @autodone(false) @defer(2024-01-11 05:00)

You can use that format to import data into OmniFocus with Drafts, Shortcuts, OF automation etc.

Screenshot 2024-01-08 at 10.41.57 AM
Screenshot 2024-01-08 at 10.41.57 AM2100×424 66.6 KB

In automations, you put variables in taskpaper so you can re-use snippets with dynamic titles and relative dates.

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There was a Windows program called (IIRC) Time and Chaos that I loved. Late 1980s/early 1990s. It had all its modules on one screen so you could see everything at once.