It’s because we’re always looking for the next best thing and we’re often disappointed when we can’t get what we want.
I haven’t had to learn shortcuts beyond using a few examples that others have provided on the internet. I’m not intending to learn Java but it’s nice to know that capability is there. We can customize an app or pay someone to make a specific shortcut or script that will fit our needs which may not be as mainstream as we think it is.
Yes, I’m looking forward to a day when OF4 breaks away from its outliner UI and start incorporating a new user experience that rivals what other apps have now.
It’s been a long time since I’ve used version 2. So you have specific examples of what you think broke or changed drastically enough to give you friction?
Let’s hope we see every app developer refine their apps to fit different markets. I’d love to see Things get the ability to let me complete a task before it becomes available. There are no saved searches in Things but I can use shortcuts on my iPhone Home Screen to simulate OmniFocus perspectives. So there is some useful to automation techniques such as Shortcuts, Keyboard Maestro, JavaScript, etc.
Perhaps someone has already made a script that can be plugged in immediately to fulfill a missing function? I’ve never learned Omni Automotion. But I have downloaded some scripts and put it in my OmniFocus Automation folder for instant use.
Happy hunting for the app that fits us best. My original intent of my previous post was “don’t worry about the popularity contes/pollt. Just find the tool that suits you best.”
Yep. I get it and hope that I’m coming across as wanting to discuss versus the usual toxic internet arguing. I just want the app to flow well. That’s all. I sincerely hope they get it there, and I’m sure I will try to move back in a few more times before they get it there. It just feels like home…so I can’t seem to let it go.
I’m in the same boat as you. I still use OF, largely because there are a few small features nobody else has that I require (checking off tasks before they’re technically available is one of them). But I am concerned that their design continually seems to be getting worse, not better. OF4 has a considerable number of usability problems right now that would defer me from continuing to use the app.
Obviously, it’s still in a beta state and the design is nowhere near done, but I have some concerns going forward. It’d be great if they showed us some behind the scenes of what they’re thinking about, design wise I mean, and sought feedback from power users.
I don’t think Omni employ enough dedicated designers/UX professionals (based on the team page.) One for every three developers would be better, which would be two total instead of one. I’m sure product owners and Ken contribute but they must have other demands on time. Not saying this to besmirch their skills or those of the current UX pro, but thinking about all those products and creating design artifacts is a ton of work and there must be some heavy prioritization needed to manage, currently.
That is good to hear. I was worried I was having the typical shiny new app feeling. 3 days in and my only frustration so far is that I haven’t found it sooner.
I’m very interested in NotePlan - I have had a on and off again relationship with Things and Reminders and Todoist. Maybe Noteplan can combine all three along with DayOne?
I’m “all in” in the sense that I am using it every day and plan to continue. However, I have been using Things 3 for too long to give it up abruptly. But I can see moving entirely to NotePlan at some point.
Noteplan’s combination of tasks and notes as well as the integration with calendar and reminders is really useful to me, so I’m in and out of NotePlan all day long. If you haven’t already discovered this, you can actually add and change calendar events and reminders from within NotePlan.
I absolutely adore NotePlan. As mentioned above it is very flexible … which means I can use it exactly as I want for projects and work.
I have OmniFocus and it is reliable … so I use it for all household-oriented stuff: paying taxes, etc. etc. But for real projects where I need to create my own structure … NotePlan all the way!
I attempted to do so without success. Not only does it not let me add other options to the current poll, I cannot even create another poll in the same post
One feature of NotePlan that might resonate with MacSparky acolytes:
You include add a time or a time range to the text of tasks in your daily note, and it’ll add those tasks, at those times, to the calendar view within NotePlan.
This allows you to time-block tasks without adding them to your actual iOS calendars. It’s very clever, though it only works on Mac for now, sadly.
At work we have a combination project management/document management system that is focused toward accountants and lawyers. It’s ok. Unfortunately we don’t actually use it for PM as much as we could.
For side work and other personal projects I have just started this tax season using Airtable to track projects overall and Analog knockoff note cards with check boxes! to track next actions. With many, many tax returns in progress at any one time this is helpful to be able to jump right back in where I left off. I also bought a date stamp to mark when each task is done. It’s pretty cool.
Airtable is more high level for each return (when I started, target completion date, etc) and the note cards are 10-12 tasks for each return.
I used a notebook in the past (instead of the notecards) but found it hard to be consistent. I constantly had to flip back and find the page with each project. The stack of notecards is easier to deal with.
I’ve tried a few online task managers and they just don’t click for me as well as the offline. Maybe because I’m on the computer all day it’s nice to have something tangible to mark complete.
What are the export options like? Specifically I often need to create a PDF from a note or a single PDF from several notes for others to process. Is that possible? Are the fonts in the PDF customisable?
I’ve read elsewhere that Noteplan export is a bit of an afterthought, but those posts are not recent.
