[Zephyrall]

Hey all. After a ton of research, I think I've finally settled on OmniFocus to help with getting my life back under control. :P The only other contender was Things, but it seems like the support from Omni is leagues better, which is a huge plus.

Before going ahead, I was just wondering if using only the iPhone version would provide me with the ability to start setting up my GTD framework and filling it out, or if the iPhone app is more just a tool to fill in the gaps between the times you're at your mac? I've read through David Allen's book before, so I'm already familiar with the basics of this process.

Basically, is it robust enough to use as my only GTD/todo app for a while? I want to eventually get the desktop version, but with it seeming like it's so close to the 2.0 mark, and being $80, I'd like to hold off and not pay an upgrade fee only a few months down the road.

Thanks in advance!

[wilsonng]

The two things I would love to make OF iPhone stands on its own are:

1. Review feature

2. The ability to create custom perspectives on the iPhone itself.

At the moment, I have to create perspectives on the Mac and then sync them to my iPod touch.

Granted, my perspectives tend to be fairly static and I really don't create many on-the-fly perspectives. But OF iPhone definitely needs this to become independent and untethered from OF Mac.

[Christian]

The Perspectives are the major downside of having only the iPhone version. Custom perspectives are one of the best things in OF since they allow you to easily access exactly the information you need with just one click.

However, I think Allen had no perspectives. There are a few built in into the iPhone and to get started you should be fine. It depends a bit on how many complex projects you will be using. Same goes for the review process. May I ask what profession you will use air with?

[Zephyrall]

I work in IT (Desktop Support), and will ideally be using this for some of my bigger work projects, but mostly for my outside-of-work life which seems like it's spiralling out of control.

From what you guys said, I guess perspectives are the biggest thing I would be missing. Will I be able to create something that mimics the Things "Today" context within Omnifocus without perspectives?

[DrJJWMac]

You might want to read some of these threads, particularly the first gives Things -> OF information ...

http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=21946

http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=21946

http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=22305

http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=22407

http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=22461

Welcome to OF!

--
JJW

[Tedallen]

The inability to create perspectives on the iPhone can be partially solved. It sounds like you have a Mac. I had to borrow one. I use the iPad which has the same shortcoming. I used OF on my iPad for some time and thought about and collected ideas for perspectives. Then I borrowed a Mac and used the 14 days trial of OF Mac to create the perspectives I needed and synced them

[whpalmer4]

If you don't have access to a Mac, call up Omni support and have them help you (you'll need to know what you want, of course!) which they can do by syncing a copy of your database to their Mac, making the perspective and syncing again. Then you sync to collect the new perspective and you're set.

[Zephyrall]

Thanks for the feedback so far guys. Also appreciate all the links DrJJWMac.

From what I've read and what you've said, perspectives seem really cool and convenient. However, I think I'd just wind up frustrated if I teased myself with them (ie. use the desktop trial to make some initial ones, then be unable to make new ones as I think of them).

I would really like the desktop version, but like I said, at $80, I was hoping to wait until the next release and avoid being burned by an upgrade within a few months.

I think I'm leaning towards getting this on the iPhone regardless, since it sounds like OF has more ability for me to grow into it than Things anyway.

Christian mentioned there were some perspectives that come pre-set with the iPhone version. Is there anywhere that describes those?

[Christian]

If I remember correctly it comes with the perspectives "due", "completed", "flagged" and "contexts".

"due mimics things' "today" list in a way. It lists all those tasks and projects which are due either today or "due soon" which means they will be due within a timespan you can set to your liking. It also lists overdue tasks (the red ones from things). Having not only due today but also due soon means more flexibility. Say you have done all tasks due today. You will still see those due, for example, in two days, and can already start working on them. In"due" you also find your flagged tasks.

"flagged" holds, as will have guessed, those tasks that you marked as flagged. If what those flags mean is up to you. You can assign them to especially important tasks or, if you like, you can make this your "today" perspective and manually sort actions into it by flagging them.

"contexts' lists all your available tasks sorted by the context you assigned. Handy if you want to take a quick look what is still left on your plate and which place/tool/mindset is required to work on them.

"completed" are obviously tasks that you have checked off. Useful to check if you have actually already completed a task or if you had use forgotten to note it down.

As has already been said, access to a mac and the free 30 day version would be all you need to create customised perspectives. If you need assistance with setting those up you will find help here.

[Zephyrall]

Thanks for the reply Christian. I'm already starting to play around with them. I ended up going ahead and purchasing OF for my iPhone tonight, after I dropped the ball by missing an after-hours appointment at work today. It was the straw that broke my camel-like back.

Thanks again for all the replies guys. You helped make me feel a bit more comfortable about diving in and making the purchase. :D