[Anita]

I spend significant amounts of my working life in a Windows-only environment, and have still not figured out a really sweet solution for keeping my task lists up to date while working away from my Mac. I was wondering if anyone had any brilliant ideas.

So far I have tried:

OF -> iCal -> iPod - this works well for making sure all my errands etc get done, but doesn't support easy creation of new actions and projects, and is a pain for very long lists of tasks as I can sort by context but not filter on it.

OF -> iCal -> Phone -> Outlook/Exchange -> Phone -> iCal -> OF - kinda works, I can add new tasks really easily, but new projects is not a go-er, and serious changes sometimes get srcewed up on the way back to OF (in particular repeating actions). Also my (Nokia) phone interface to tasks is not as sweet as my iPod's so it's not so pretty for ticking things off away from any computers.

Email -> OF - allows me to do a certain amount of planning, but not to change or update existing projects or to tick things off.

OF -> iCal -> .Mac - I can publish my actions to a web page, which is easier to check from a Windows machine than checking a long list on my iPod. I can't tick anything off, change or add anything.

Things I can't use:

iPhones aren't released for New Zealand yet

OF's web interface, I'd have to leave my laptop on at home which is not very realistic.

So, what has anyone else tried and enjoyed?

Anita

P.S. It's been the 8th here for 10 hours, I want a staggered release :)

[bozarthj]

I'm in the same boat, but I had to narrow my system a bit, unfortunately.

OF is managing my everything else stuff (home, side-businesses, etc.), while my Windows work laptop has it's own GTD system for that work.

It would be nice to access OF from anywhere, but currently I have to settle on carrying around a notebook or e-mailing the tasks to be imported into OF.

That's fine for brain dumps, task entry, etc., for later classification, but not good for project management and other adjustments for tasks already created.

I've gotten into the habit of printing off a task list of things I could tick off while at work. I just have to remember to sync that back up with OF when I'm back home.

Here's hoping the iPhone SDK will fix all of this (of course, it would help for me to have an iPhone).

[RickCogley]

I use Plaxo which works for calendaring, but I notice it does not work for tasks.

Outlook at work - plaxo connector in outlook - plaxo web
Leopard Laptop with OF - plaxo connector for mac - plaxo web

Regards,
Rick

[bas42]

I'm sure hoping for iPod touch capability. (I too work in a pc-only environment.) For now I keep a cheap little notebook that fits in my pocket and periodically will print out a list for a particular context. I do actually find that some time away from my master to-do list is a good thing.

[Lucas]

I was thinking about trying OF -> iCal -> Chandler Hub via CalDAV. I think that it works on CalDAV.

[Lucas]

I discovered that Chandler Hub, at least, does not work well.

[Journey]

I use Bonsai (www.natara.com) on my Windows PC which syncs very well with my Palm PDA. Very simple! Bonsai --> Palm PDA --> Bonsai.

I would use Omni Focus but it lacks some critical features. At some point though if those features are implemented, this is how I would do things if I decide to use Omni Focus on my Mac Book.

Omni Focus on Mac --> Take laptop with me :-)

or

Omni Focus on Mac --> Print out what I need :-)

The MacWorld expo starts tomorrow and there has been talk of an ultra-portable Mac laptop being announced. If so, that might help -- just take your laptop with you, esp. if its a good ultra portable Mac laptop.