Don't understand why OF differs from OOutliner
 

I've been a Omni Outliner user for a while now and am used to it's interface (at least the way I have it configured). Why doesn't OF provide the same level of configuration? For example I use the Tab key to indent an entry in OO, I want a global control over the default font attributes, and so on. Is there some good reason why this function in OO isn't provided in OF? I'm assuming they had good reasons for implementing things the way they did in OO.

Well, you may have a good point regarding some of the features you want in OF, but don't forget, OO is a generic type of app, it has many uses (of course it is an outlines at heart). OF is specialized, it primarily supports GTD, and perhaps some of the features you want are not that critical in OF compared to OO. For example, in OO, many users don't use the column feature, but in OF, jumping from one field to another is a must. Thus the tab key may be prefered by most (more?) users the way it now works, whereas indenting/outdenting is less important in the day-to-day operation of OF.

Some things were left out on purpose, but a lot of them (like "tab to indent" and "ui for editing styles") were left out because we did not want to keep changing the UI and adding more options and staying in alpha/beta/vapor forever. We cut some features so we can stabilize the ones we have and post a release. It wouldn't surprise me at all if OmniFocus 1.5 or 2.0 has more of Outliner's features.

I suspect however, that OmniFocus will never have as much style and formatting power as OmniOutliner. Otherwise, it'd be too tempting to spend all your time fiddling with getting your styles and fonts "just right" and never actually *getting things done*.

[QUOTE=Lizard;29097]
I suspect however, that OmniFocus will never have as much style and formatting power as OmniOutliner. Otherwise, it'd be too tempting to spend all your time fiddling with getting your styles and fonts "just right" and never actually *getting things done*.[/QUOTE]

But having to adapt to a new UI also detracts from the "getting things done" paradigm in that I have to remember to do things differently from the way I've done them in OO which interrupts my thought processes. Now I grant you that OO and OF are different apps however they do have similar features in some areas like indenting objects and moving between different input fields. This should be consistent from the beginning, not added on which will mean another set of changes to adapt to.

Also note that I don't want to "fiddle" with the fonts, I just want to set a global default size that I can read easily. As it stands now I do more fiddling to adjust the font to a readable size over and over again. Blah.

For what it's worth,
[QUOTE=wfiveash;29099]But having to adapt to a new UI also detracts from the "getting things done" paradigm...[/quote]+1, and[quote]Also note that I don't want to "fiddle" with the fonts, I just want to set a global default size that I can read easily. As it stands now I do more fiddling to adjust the font to a readable size over and over again. Blah.[/QUOTE]+1.

[QUOTE=wfiveash;29099]Also note that I don't want to "fiddle" with the fonts, I just want to set a global default size that I can read easily. As it stands now I do more fiddling to adjust the font to a readable size over and over again. Blah.[/QUOTE]

Sure, I understand that. I did not mean that you personally would "fiddle", but that users in general might. I do see how this is more of a time waste to you than having the features available would be. We'll certainly be keeping Outliner's features in mind as we plan future Focus versions.

[QUOTE=Lizard;29103]We'll certainly be keeping Outliner's features in mind as we plan future Focus versions.[/QUOTE]

I have to say that I'm surprise to read that. Seems to me that Outliner's features (where relevant) should have been considered from the beginning.

While it may appear to some OmniOutliner users that OmniFocus started life as OmniOutliner plus a name change, this isn't the case. We've certainly borrowed many lines of code and design principles from it, but those have been conscious choices, not "by default". Our first goal was to create a nailgun for "getting things done". Bringing in features which are not central to GTD from our other applications has to be a secondary goal, especially right now as we work to meet our release date.

[quote=Lizard;29436]While it may appear to some OmniOutliner users that OmniFocus started life as OmniOutliner plus a name change, this isn't the case. We've certainly borrowed many lines of code and design principles from it, but those have been conscious choices, not "by default". Our first goal was to create a nailgun for "getting things done". Bringing in features which are not central to GTD from our other applications has to be a secondary goal, especially right now as we work to meet our release date.[/quote]


Fair enough, but for me that will probably mean that I'll be unhappy with either app: I want filtering in OO, syncing with iCal. Or else more control on looks and functionality in OF: hoisting, say, something more readable than grey on white. And so on.

On balance, it looks like I'm better off sticking with OO for now, and watching for future versions of both...

[QUOTE=henri;29440]Or else more control on looks and functionality in OF: hoisting, say, something more readable than grey on white. And so on.[/QUOTE]

You change text styles now (and have been able to for a while). Format one line and all items of that type take on that formatting.

Hoisting is just Focusing, if I'm understanding my OO terms correctly (at a project level, though, not at a per-action/action-group level).