[JimH]

Hi All,

I've just been turned on to OmniFocus from a friend and am considering purchasing the app to get started. With OmniFocus2 just around the corner, is it better to wait or buy now? Will there be a new iOS app when OF2 is released or will OmniFocus for iPad be updated to support version 2 and keep the same name?

[whpalmer4]

OmniFocus for iPad doesn't need to change to be compatible with OmniFocus 2 for Mac, and isn't slated for a major update this year. OmniFocus 2 for Mac attempts to bring the look and ease of use of the iPad version to the Mac.

[wilsonng]

The underlying database structure has not changed for OmniFocus 1 and 2. You will not need a new version of OmniFocus for iPad.

I have an old Core 2 Duo MacBook at home that can't run Mountain Lion and possibly can't run OmniFocus 2 either. I have a MacBook Pro at work that runs Mountain Lion and looks like it can use OmniFocus 2.

Because the database structure hasn't changed, it looks like I can use OmniPresence to sync my OmniFocus database to the cloud and then have it sync between OmniFocus 1 on my pre-Mountain Lion Mac at home and OmniFocus 2 on my Mountain Lion Mac at work.

I should also be able to use my current OmniFocus for iPhone and iPad to sync to that same database as well.

This sounds like this will be a seamless transition to the new version while maintaining compatibility with older versions. :-D

[nicoledb]

Hmm, does this mean that OF-2 requires Mountain Lion? Where does it say so on the webisite? That would be a bummer...

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by nicoledb

Hmm, does this mean that OF-2 requires Mountain Lion? Where does it say so on the webisite? That would be a bummer...

http://www.omnigroup.com/blog/entry/...of-omnifocus-2

In a response in the comments, Ken wrote:

We would appreciate feedback on this, of course, but current builds of OmniFocus 2 require Mountain Lion (OS X v10.8). It has a number of low-level features and fixes which make our development go faster, and also includes Notification Center which we’re using to display reminders about upcoming deadlines.

Doesn't take much of an imagination to get from there to the possibility of being forced to move to iOS 6 before too long. Neither prospect gladdens my heart... I wonder if this means that OO4 will also require Lion?

[nicoledb]

Definitely bummer! I wouldn't even be able to participate in the beta release for OF-2! I'm still on an iMac5,1 which doesn't run Mountain Lion, and I'm not ready yet to move onto a new desktop computer. Of course I could upgrade my MacBook Air to Mountain Lion, but then I'd be running two different OSX-versions *and* two different OF/OO versions. Not fun.

[wilsonng]

You can use OmniPresence to sync your OF database to the cloud. Then it can be read by OF1, OF2, or OF for iPhone and OF for iPad easily.

You'll just be missing the new OF2 features but you'll still have your data intact on OF1 if you sync all your iDevices or Macs.

[Lizard]

Omni Sync Server is the colony of servers that we administer which many people use for syncing OmniFocus and OmniPlan and for transferring other Omni documents via WebDAV.

OmniPresence is a new API for doing document syncing to any sufficiently intelligent WebDAV server. We plan to integrate it into our document apps, and hope other developers adopt it too. Omni Sync Server servers will be intelligent enough soon, but you can also create your own if you're comfortable patching Apache and such.