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Originally Posted by elektroglide View Post
there are multiple workarounds for a today type perspective in omnifocus. lots of posts about how to filter this or that, due/start etc etc.

however, these workarounds all miss the main point of a "today" list, which is that the items aren't necessarily related to any specific thing or date (and therefore can't be filtered). what things on a today list have in common - the only thing - is that there is some intention to do it or in some way focus on it today.

this involves intuition, spontaneity, emotion, energy and other resource levels, etc. the decision to include an item is a human one as well as a binary one.

the today list is primarily about focusing just on specific selected items in a specific timeframe, and excluding all else. what goes on that list, as i have said, involves many more factors than can be assigned within omnifocus or any software.

using flags for today as many have suggested monopolises the feature and excludes it from other purposes, making the flag a de facto dedicated today feature.

there are pros and cons in having a today list on which items appear when due. however, having the feature doesn't mean that it has to be used - there can easily be options for not having due items appear in it, or one can simply ignore it.

there is no way round it - today is a valuable feature for real world focus enhancement. there are good reasons why so many things users like it, and i think it should be added to the omnifocus feature list.

(ninjas have received my vote for a today feature)
I have used both programs in the past, but I always come back to OF for its flexibility, OTA syncs, and efficiency (ease of data entry/manipulation).

One thing I never understood is why people have such a difficult time emulating Things' today's list in OF. OF can more or less emulate Things' Today list and much more.

I have a perspective called Today that pretty much emulates Things's Today with one exception of manually moving tasks within the list, but then I get the option to group the tasks by context, projects, due, or start dates.

Of course, I can set up other perspectives to suit my other work flows as well. I have a perspective that lists all the remaining actions grouped by due dates; so that I can scan the future work load at a glance during my weekly or morning planning. This is just one example of many.

So, I for one, would take OF over Things given that OF can be customized to fit my work flow rather than I have to change my work flow to suit the program's rigid structure.

Another thing I have learned using both programs is that I was spending way too much time trying to overcome the limitations and rigidity of Things rather than getting my work done, which is why OF is more productive and valuable for me.

YMMV.