[Aldaron]

Does the iPad version of OmniFocus have a password lock?

[whpalmer4]

No, it doesn't. Use the Contact Omni item in the gear menu to make a feature request.

[Aldaron]

What an odd omission. Most pads (and certainly mine) seem to be shared (at least on occasion).

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by Aldaron

What an odd omission. Most pads (and certainly mine) seem to be shared (at least on occasion).

Well, are you worried about a determined attacker, or your kid accidentally deleting your database? You can probably insulate yourself reasonably against accidental problems by not having the OmniFocus icon visible, and only launching from the search screen. With iOS 3.2.x, once you've filled up the screens, subsequently downloaded apps will only be accessible via the search screen, and do not seem to return to view if you delete some of the apps filling the screens.

Given that there is no encryption support in any of the other versions, I think it is not a slam dunk case that this would be a must-have feature for 1.0 on the iPad. Who hasn't lent their iPhone to someone? My solution is I just don't let someone I don't trust use my iPad! If a data security feature shows up, sure, I'll use it, but apparently for most of us, it isn't at the top of our priority list, or there would be more posts on the forum asking for it.

[Aldaron]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Well, are you worried about a determined attacker, or your kid accidentally deleting your database? You can probably insulate yourself reasonably against accidental problems by not having the OmniFocus icon visible, and only launching from the search screen. With iOS 3.2.x, once you've filled up the screens, subsequently downloaded apps will only be accessible via the search screen, and do not seem to return to view if you delete some of the apps filling the screens.

Given that there is no encryption support in any of the other versions, I think it is not a slam dunk case that this would be a must-have feature for 1.0 on the iPad. Who hasn't lent their iPhone to someone? My solution is I just don't let someone I don't trust use my iPad! If a data security feature shows up, sure, I'll use it, but apparently for most of us, it isn't at the top of our priority list, or there would be more posts on the forum asking for it.

I think you miss the point.

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by Aldaron

I think you miss the point.

Don't be shy, what is your point?

Most people concerned with security and OmniFocus are worried that the data is not encrypted when stored on servers outside their control (it is encrypted in transit). You can keep your iPad locked up, but you are not able to keep your data locked up when it is on the disk of the company providing the WebDAV service you use to sync. A simple password on the OmniFocus app provides nothing but the illusion of security.

Even more people are not particularly concerned that someone might get access to their to do lists, and given the choice of catering to a small group of customers that they've never really pursued, or a large one, Omni chose to cater to the large one for the 1.0 release of their iPad app. If the number of customers asking for such features continues to be small, they may never implement them if the majority of the requests are for other functionality.

Everyone at Omni has an iPad, and you can bet that everyone at Omni who has a family (certainly the top software decision-makers do) has had to share their iPad some of the time. That means that people who could walk right into the meetings where the features for 1.0 were decided and argue for or even dictate the inclusion of such a feature, if their experiences warranted it, apparently did not do so, or other features were felt to be more important.

[Grinder]

I was just introduced to GTD and OF on Sunday and am almost through the book and excited to start getting my life into OF. I understand both Brian's and endoftheQ's concerns and just wanted to add my 2 cents. I think this tool will really help me be productive and am eager to use it but hesitant to explicitly write down my hopes and dreams without some sort of protection. I like being open with my iPhone and letting people play, but I am not ready for people to be a just couple taps from my vision for myself and my life (which I think is a powerful aspect of OF, namely guiding your life). I will almost certainly still implement and use OF and be very happy, but a little support ninja password protection would be awesome.

Thanks for a cool product.

[ifonline]

Originally Posted by Brian

Support for contacts actually got the first customer request in 2006, not 2007. :-)

Contacts were at the top of the list when I originally mentioned it, but there are other requests that are more popular now; contacts are in the #10 slot. The current top item has twice the votes that contacts do, and was entered more recently.

In other words, the Contacts request was at the top of the list years ago, but because it was not acted on, other more recent requests moved ahead of it? That's what it sounds like to me.

[Brian]

We're pretty far from the original topic of this thread now. Welcome to continue the "why vote?" discussion, but I'm moving it into the lounge.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by ifonline

In other words, the Contacts request was at the top of the list years ago, but because it was not acted on, other more recent requests moved ahead of it? That's what it sounds like to me.

You pick some stuff to work on, you do the work. As you're working to satisfy one set of requests, more requests come in. The list changes, and you don't drop everything every time it does or you'll never ship.

We spent most of a year, for example, working on a whole mess of related issues that fall under the heading of "make sync faster". Folks don't think of that as a feature request, but we heard loud and clear that customers wanted it, so they got it. :-)