[coolsuits]

All,

I currently have no focus (some of you will understand this). To increase my productivity, I recently bought a Mac Mini & an iPad (still stuck with BlackBerry for phone). So I would like to start to use OF for the Mac now, then purchase OF for the iPad when available.

From reading all the anxious posts about for the iPad version, I know that you are already happy with your current OF product and are just yearning for an application designed specifically for the iPad.

However, since I have not purchased any version of OF yet, should I purchase OF for the Mac now and start entering data, or wait until the iPad version is released? I understand that major versions cost money to produce, and am happy to pay for upgrades. My only concern would be buying OF 1.7 for the Mac now, and then finding out the new iPad features will drive a major new version to OF for the Mac right away.

Thanks in advance :)

[whpalmer4]

I don't think there is anything feature-wise in OmniFocus for iPad that is going to force OF 2 to come out soon after. OF 1 is a very capable program as it stands right now, and it is entirely possible that you will be happy with the current feature set and have no compelling need to upgrade to OF 2 at such time as it becomes available. My guess is that we'll be very lucky if we see OF 2 in 2010. Also, Omni's upgrade pricing typically is fairly generous. For example, OmniGraffle 5 costs $100, but an upgrade from any previous version is only $40. So, if we guess that an OmniFocus update will be about the same ratio, and you get half a year before upgrading, that's less than 20 cents per day for what I think is the best GTD app (and the best customer support!) around. How hard will it be for such an app to make you 20 cents per day more productive? :-)

Just to be clear, so that no one says I can't do math story problems, that 20 cents per day represents the extra cost of the upgrade so that you can have the app today instead of when OF 2 ships, not the cost of the base level of the application. I'm assuming OF 2 will have the same base price as OF 1.

My advice is to start now, or as soon as you can devote the time (don't buy the app until you are ready to start). Keep track of your receipts so that if you decide for whatever reason that OmniFocus doesn't meet your needs, you can get your money back under their 30-day money back guarantee.

[RiK]

I'd also suggest that to get the best from any version of omnifocus, and indeed to het a huge head-start with your productivity goals that you get yourself a copy of Getting Things Done and read that too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_Things_Done

http://www.davidco.com/what_is_gtd.php

[policarpo]

I would go ahead and start applying GTD to your life with OF on the desktop as well.

Be sure to also read the great White Paper. It's a very well written piece which helps to make applying GTD that much easier.

I've been doing GTD for a few months now, and still consult it from time to time.
http://www.omnigroup.com/ftp/pub/sof...dOmniFocus.pdf

[ksrhee]

Originally Posted by coolsuits

All,

I currently have no focus (some of you will understand this). To increase my productivity, I recently bought a Mac Mini & an iPad (still stuck with BlackBerry for phone). So I would like to start to use OF for the Mac now, then purchase OF for the iPad when available.

From reading all the anxious posts about for the iPad version, I know that you are already happy with your current OF product and are just yearning for an application designed specifically for the iPad.

However, since I have not purchased any version of OF yet, should I purchase OF for the Mac now and start entering data, or wait until the iPad version is released? I understand that major versions cost money to produce, and am happy to pay for upgrades. My only concern would be buying OF 1.7 for the Mac now, and then finding out the new iPad features will drive a major new version to OF for the Mac right away.

Thanks in advance :)

Go ahead with OF 1.x right now. It might be awhile (probably not till middle of 2011) that we will see OF 2.0.

Now this is strictly a guess on my part, but OG promised Omnioutliner 4, Outliner and Plan for iPad. So, I assume OF 2.0 will only come after these. So, realistically, we won't see OF 2 till early 2011, and more likely summer of 2011. I know OG is working hard, but it takes time to write quality software. OF was mentioned for June release, but it won't probably happen till toward the end of July. So, the domino effect will happen with other programs.

[blueLabel]

Im in a very similar spot. I am very interested in omnifocus for mac and iphone but dont want to spend $100 and then have to spend another $40 to upgrade mac version and $? maybe iphone app. If Omni would provide an approximate time line for future release (summer 2011 for example) or a coupon for no charge upgrade for 2.0 if its coming soon... i would buy both apps right away. Ahh decisions decision decisions, i think ill buy a book first and kill some time while waiting :)

[Ken Case]

No, OmniFocus 2.0 for Mac is not imminent. We're still working on OmniFocus 1.8 (a free update), which we plan to turn our attention back to after shipping OmniFocus for iPad.

[whpalmer4]

As a practical matter, you get 30 days of price protection from Omni's 30 day money back guarantee, assuming the new version has the same price point.

[blueLabel]

Well all i can hope for now is that 2.0 upgrade won't be overboard price wise as i pulled the trigger on OmniFocus Mac and Iphone. Lots to learn now as these are not the easiest programs to use at first.

[wilsonng]

The time you invest now in learning how to fit OF into your life is well spent instead of just waiting around for the future.