[devn]

This is the lengthy email I wrote up to OmniFocus, please let me know what you think of the requests herein:

Hola OmniGroup,

1. An aesthetic minor request: Any chance we could get a different icon under the preferences pane for either "General" or "Clippings"? Something about doubling up on that icon just doesn't seem right to me. There has to be another option available in the old icon library, no?

2. I find it very difficult to include reference materials in OmniFocus. It seems to me the only way to go about doing it is to add a subproject within a project and call it "Reference", but this just seems cumbersome to me. I don't want "reference" items to be a todo item, and I don't want to have to go outside of OmniFocus to manage my files related to projects as a separate system from OmniFocus; This is cumbersome.

Here is what I imagine: Perhaps in addition to Planning, and Context, you add a third tab "Reference". In here all of your project names will show up, and if no reference files have been placed in the project, then it would show in the outline box to the right a drop arrow essentially prompting the user to drop relevant reference files into the project. Once a reference file is placed in the project, it would show up as an icon. I realize that importing files into the OmniFocus database would likely make it unwieldy, so for the purposes of this discussion, I'm still just talking about a link to a file, but it would be really nice to give users an option to "move" or "copy" the file they're importing into their project into an OmniFocus managed location so they don't have to manage their files related to a project as separate from the project in OmniFocus.

Let me show you what I mean: (See Attached "referenceDrop.jpg")
This would be the reference drop for a selected project that has no reference files attached to it.
And: (See Attached "referenceLook.jpg")

This is how the reference window would look after files had been dropped onto the WHOIS project.

3. As you can see in the above photo I have a folder full of lists. None of these lists are actionable, they are simply "Maybe Someday, a reference Grocery List, Things to Do while in Egypt, Books to Read, Wines to Taste", and so on. What I think is a bit of a bummer is that in order to create a "list", I essentially have to create a "Project", and then put it on hold. but why? I'm not holding a project, I'm just creating a list. Could you please add an option in the inspector to make something a "list", by definition, a collection of entries that have neither context nor due date, etc.?

4. I have to bump it on your features list one more time: a quick-entry application that runs separate from OmniFocus altogether. I could go on and on about why I think this is important, but I think I've done that a bunch in the past, so I'll save my breath.

5. Finally, perhaps the most vague of all my feature requests to date, but something I'm a bit desperate for: I wish there was a Planning Wizard type thing for OmniFocus. I imagine starting up OmniFocus for the first time and being greeted by a window that explains the basic principle of GTD and starts off by asking you to "get it all off of your mind". Here, users would just go crazy in the Inbox until they've got it all out, and then click next. From there, the wizard would explain to the end user: alright, now what we need to do is process your inbox. Ah but what is this?! A GTD workflow window according to the GTD system that would walk you through the workflow as you process your inbox.

Last but not least, I would love a "nag me" preference, to bug me to process my inbox when it has more than X number of items in it. Likewise, I would like to be nagged to review projects.

Anyway, Thanks for listening to my blabbering and please consider implementing some of these features, I think they would be a great addition to the application, and I'm sure many other users would agree. I really like the approach you guys have taken to OmniFocus being general enough to handle a varied workflow, but I think for a lot of people trying to implement what they've read about in David Allen's book, it takes some guidance. So perhaps you could run the app in a "Strict GTD", or "I Know What I'm Doing" mode? Just some thoughts -- look forward to hearing from you.

[jasong]

Originally Posted by devn

1. An aesthetic minor request: Any chance we could get a different icon under the preferences pane for either "General" or "Clippings"? Something about doubling up on that icon just doesn't seem right to me. There has to be another option available in the old icon library, no?

Hahah! I knew something was off there... good catch.

2. I find it very difficult to include reference materials in OmniFocus. [...]

Perhaps in addition to Planning, and Context, you add a third tab "Reference". In here all of your project names will show up, and if no reference files have been placed in the project, then it would show in the outline box to the right a drop arrow essentially prompting the user to drop relevant reference files into the project.

Interesting. I've been using another application to manage my reference material, and I can link back-and-forth between it an OF, but I can see the value of a distinct piece within OF to make managing those links easier.

Could you please add an option in the inspector to make something a "list", by definition, a collection of entries that have neither context nor due date, etc.?

Agreed. I made a similar request a while back.

I wish there was a Planning Wizard type thing for OmniFocus. I imagine starting up OmniFocus for the first time and being greeted by a window that explains the basic principle of GTD and starts off by asking you to "get it all off of your mind". Here, users would just go crazy in the Inbox until they've got it all out, and then click next. From there, the wizard would explain to the end user: alright, now what we need to do is process your inbox. Ah but what is this?! A GTD workflow window according to the GTD system that would walk you through the workflow as you process your inbox.

Midnight Inbox has this, and it drove me nuts (enough that I fled after only a short eval period). I hope if such a wizard were to appear it would be easily dismissed and not a part of the overall use pattern.

Last but not least, I would love a "nag me" preference, to bug me to process my inbox when it has more than X number of items in it. Likewise, I would like to be nagged to review projects.

Nooooooo! Please no! One of the things I like about GTD is that it doesn't feel like I'm being hit over the head with a brick <tm>. The red numbers which show up now were a step in the brick-to-the-head direction and my love of OF diminished slightly after that.

I like that I can "fall off the wagon" with GTD and come back to it without feeling like a failed. If OF ever starts making me feel like I've done something wrong I will need to start looking for replacements!

[devn]

Nooooooo! Please no! One of the things I like about GTD is that it doesn't feel like I'm being hit over the head with a brick <tm>. The red numbers which show up now were a step in the brick-to-the-head direction and my love of OF diminished slightly after that.

I like that I can "fall off the wagon" with GTD and come back to it without feeling like a failed. If OF ever starts making me feel like I've done something wrong I will need to start looking for replacements!

Good call, I suppose this is just me subconsciously looking for someone to hold my hand. I can see we agree on a few of these. Now, if only we could get some of them implemented! ;)

Cheers,
Devin

[ptone]

Originally Posted by devn

2. I find it very difficult to include reference materials in OmniFocus. It seems to me the only way to go about doing it is to add a subproject within a project and call it "Reference"

Why wouldn't you use the ability to attach files to actions. OF is really about focusing on DOING things. If you have a file that you use a reference that isn't directly related to an action, it should really be managed in something that is more about being a library. I don't think OF should increase its scope to become a library management tool. I still think the Finder is the best tool for this - If I need applications and reference files for a given project, I'll just add aliases to those in the project folder that has the primary project files.

Originally Posted by devn

3. As you can see in the above photo I have a folder full of lists. None of these lists are actionable, they are simply "Maybe Someday, a reference Grocery List, Things to Do while in Egypt, Books to Read, Wines to Taste", and so on. What I think is a bit of a bummer is that in order to create a "list", I essentially have to create a "Project", and then put it on hold. but why? I'm not holding a project, I'm just creating a list. Could you please add an option in the inspector to make something a "list", by definition, a collection of entries that have neither context nor due date, etc.?

I guess I don't see this, what things do you have in lists that involve no action? I have things like a bucket named "Backburners" these all may get promoted to projects at some point, but for now they are just stored in OF - what advantage to I get by another entity type?

Originally Posted by devn

4. I have to bump it on your features list one more time: a quick-entry application that runs separate from OmniFocus altogether. I could go on and on about why I think this is important, but I think I've done that a bunch in the past, so I'll save my breath.

I never saw your earlier posts (new to the forums) but I'm impressed with OF low memory footprint - that would have been my only reason. Check out the forums for a great post on using twitter for asynchronous OF entry. Someone who really wanted this on the Mac could write a helper app that did this for OF locally (just using text files). I don't see why OF needs some daemon in the background for this.

I think your ideas are in some ways good, but just outside of where I think OF should "focus" (IMHO of course).

-P

[devn]

First off, welcome to the forums! Second, thanks for taking the time to write up your disagreement with me, it means a lot to all parties involved that there is dialog.

Originally Posted by ptone

Why wouldn't you use the ability to attach files to actions. OF is really about focusing on DOING things. If you have a file that you use a reference that isn't directly related to an action, it should really be managed in something that is more about being a library. I don't think OF should increase its scope to become a library management tool. I still think the Finder is the best tool for this - If I need applications and reference files for a given project, I'll just add aliases to those in the project folder that has the primary project files.

Ptone, I think that linking files to OmniFocus in my case is mostly a completely useless feature. Let me explain why... First, I understand that OmniFocus is trying to be thin and sleek, designed to be a "general" multipurpose solution, and so on... But, I am have a bit of a dilemma with just how far this philosophy should go. I've read GTD a few times, and I've attempted to implement it a few more times than that. I have my filing cabinet next to me all stocked with my papers, labels, and so on. I have OmniFocus on my computer. What is my ideal situation here? A full-featured filing cabinet + GTD System all-in-one.

I'm sure you're wondering why I don't just use Finder: Finder has about 472839473289748239 files that have /nothing to do/ with what I'm working on, so spotlight is not my savior here. I've tried setting up folder hierarchies outside of OmniFocus that go by project name, and in some respects this has been an "ok" solution to the problem I'm facing with reference material, but I see it as a huge stumbling block in "DOING THINGS", as you say. There is a great deal of personal thinking power that is being expended on managing, comparing and fixing inconsistencies between my user-created folder hierarchy, and the hierarchy I'm playing with in OmniFocus. This ignores the fact that people move files for all sorts of reasons that need no explanation here, and so what good is a link in OmniFocus to someone who refuses to implement these sorts of hierarchies? Maybe they could just throw every single "useful" file they own in a single folder and use OmniFocus as their Finder? Bleh. It stinks. I really think OmniFocus needs a way of managing reference materials that Doesn't Suck(tm), and my screenshots are just an off-the-cuff attempt at getting the ball rolling in that direction. There might be a way better solution to this problem, but I think OmniFocus is an "efficient productivity app", just like you, and so why should I have to sit down, ready to /do/ something, and hunt for files that have had their links broken in OmniFocus? Why should I maintain a hierarchy that matches exactly my project hierarchy in OmniFocus to simply fix a crappy link system?

I guess I don't see this, what things do you have in lists that involve no action? I have things like a bucket named "Backburners" these all may get promoted to projects at some point, but for now they are just stored in OF - what advantage to I get by another entity type?

Example of a list: "Things to do in France (should I ever go there)" There are not actionable items, I just want a "dumb" text-file-esque category type inside OmniFocus. Is this so much to ask?

I never saw your earlier posts (new to the forums) but I'm impressed with OF low memory footprint - that would have been my only reason. Check out the forums for a great post on using twitter for asynchronous OF entry. Someone who really wanted this on the Mac could write a helper app that did this for OF locally (just using text files). I don't see why OF needs some daemon in the background for this.

I like the Quick Entry window; I think it's efficient. If I'm entering a task that needs to be due on a certain date, I refuse to sit down and learn some garbled syntax for Twitter, Quicksilver, OmniFocus' email syntax, etc. I just think it's completely wrong-headed and inefficient, not to mention a TRAP for people who are actually trying to be productive in the first place. OmniFocus has a very respectable memory footprint. I just don't see why there can't be an option to have the daemon run separate from the application. Wouldn't this have done away with all of the trouble they've had with leopard's spaces switching to the application every time someone enters an item?

I think your ideas are in some ways good, but just outside of where I think OF should "focus" (IMHO of course).

I sympathize a great deal with this statement, but I can't help but think that adhering so strictly to the ascetic isn't a mistake in some cases. There needs to be a bit of balance here. I don't think you can call OmniFocus a "professional" productivity app without a way to manage reference materials better. Second, if we're trying to keep it simple here as you say, why isn't there a basic list option? It's all a bit confusing. Is the philosophy guiding the development of this application, or are the whims of the developer?