[MacBerry]

Thanks Boris.

I think the thing OF doesn't do so well is collection and maybe then processing. I know about getting mail into OF, but what I really want is to get EVERY message in so that I know I won't miss any, then have OF ask me what I want to do with each (trash, defer, do it etc). Inbox even helps you wth the "do it now" step - if you choose that it gives you pretty much all the options you could think of for dealing with an e-mail in less than 2 minutes.

But it's not about just mail anyway. Inbox also collects files, bookmarks, notes, etc etc etc. Found a site you want to do something with later - bookmark it (in a specific folder if you like), and you'll automatically be asked what you want to do with it when you process your inbox bucket in Inbox. Download a file, same thing. Create a new appointment in iCal, same (because maybe you need to prepare for it). Add a new todo to iCal (or more likely, have someone else do so and have it turn up when you sync iCal across machines), same thing happens. It's stunning, and it takes away all the thinking about "did I remember to add that <whatever> to my inbox bucket?".

I'm not saying Inbox is better than OF; it's not, because despite the fact I love the concept, it simply doesn't work very well, so I wouldn't recommend it (yet - the developer claims the next version will solve, well, all of my issues with it). I just think OF could become more holistic and therefore trusted. To trust it, I need to know it's capturing everything.

Because Inbox uses Spotlight to do all this automatic collecting, you can still see the original item if you need to - it's just that everything is being collected whether you remember it or not, and you're being asked what you want to do with it later. That's what OF can't do AFAICT.

I like your three inboxes, but you still have to remember to add things to them, which is where it all falls apart for me. I admire your discipline if you can do that, but I can't! Obviously there will always be things (thoughts being the obvious one) that no system can collect automatically, but if I was left to only collect thoughts myself, and every thing else was there automatically, I'd be ecstatic!

In fact Inbox can collect thoughts automatically, so long as you remember one step - put them into a file, e-mail, note or whatever else happens to be handy, that Spotlight can find. It doesn't even have to be an Inbox item, so long as the file or note or whatever lands on your computer by some method at some time.

But yes, each to his own - that's why I headed this "for discussion".

Mark