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Trying to like OmniFocus, but ..... Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
LOL. That's among one of many disorders in my system. :-)
 
I just happened to stumble onto an OmniFocus article from the Simplicity Is Bliss blog. The author talks about how he uses a custom search with saved perspectives to create his own tagging system.

So this might be another way of using the notes section for each task/project as a way to create a "tagging" system.

Enjoy...


http://www.1klb.com/blog/2012/4/15/h...omnifocus.html
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wilsonng View Post
So this might be another way of using the notes section for each task/project as a way to create a "tagging" system.
Nice article, the major problem I have with doing such #freeform tagging is that the search function isn't working in the notes field on iDevices .... :(
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by endoftheQ View Post
Nice article, the major problem I have with doing such #freeform tagging is that the search function isn't working in the notes field on iDevices .... :(
Yes, I know. I'm still waiting for the ability to create custom perspectives and to view project perspectives on my iDevice as well. *sigh*
 
Unfortunately from my opinion there's no software that is even close to the "Fast and easy, computerized GTD". I will never buy OmniFocus, because I agree with the original poster - it's very complicated, not intuitive and lacks a lot of functions. It is being developed very very slow despite the fact that it's extreeemly overpriced. I will never buy such undeveloped product for such a price. I'm not sure where the developers spend their money. On marketing instead of development?

And unfortunately there's no alternative on the market. I tried every GTD available on the market including The Hit List, Firetask, Pagico and many others. They all look like an unfinished product. Things looks very very polished, but it's so limited.

The situation is very very strange. There's a demand, but there is no an adequate product. A good time for a new startup? :) I don't know. I'm very disappointed.
 
I reread David Allen's book annually, and I'm never struck by an aspect of GTD that seems both desirable and yet impossible to implement in OmniFocus. Perhaps I'm missing out on something really great. How about sharing your list of essential features that OmniFocus lacks?

One of the places the seemingly high price goes is into the excellent support staff. Not many companies offer free phone support and even fewer deliver it with knowledgable staffers. Another is the long development tail that any given release gets. People who bought OmniFocus at the introduction back in January of 2008 have now received almost 4.5 years of free updates and development, and the changes have been extensive. When major upgrades do come out, Omni has typically given owners of any previous version credit for more than half of the purchase price of the new version, even for applications obtained as bundled software for computer purchases, and none of this business where it has to be the most recent version, either. They also offer a money back guarantee, even for software purchased through the App Store, which means they have to pay Apple's cut even though they get nothing. Where do they spend their money? Trying to make the customers happy and productive, it appears. In my experience, every case where I've paid a larger sum for a software product (and quite a few where I've paid less) I've gotten inferior support, much more limited updates, and usually buggier software! Still, if it is the wrong tool for you, you shouldn't buy it!
 
I think GTD itself is very hard to implement even with pen and paper.

Like many GTD folks, I've fallen off the bandwagon because adopting GTD is a difficult process.

After reading zenhabits.com, the blogger at that site argues that you should view GTD as a series of habits to adopt over time. Master one part of GTD and then move on to the next habit to adopt.

As for overpriced software? I think I have made more than my purchase price with this software. Using OmniFocus for my professional and personal life has made my workflow more efficient. Yes, it did take some elbow grease and some time in the gym to get it done but I did eventually nail it.

I know that Adobe Suite is very expensive and overpriced. But for those who make their living off of that software package, they probably made up all that money and even more.

Of course, for the rest of us, we can decide to buy other software packages that are more on par with our needs. I know that Photoshop is just overkill for me. So I decided to buy Pixelmator. It fits my graphic needs and I don't miss Photoshop at all.

On the other side of software development, Adobe has come out with yearly releases of their Adobe Suite and have charged customers every year for the new update. I know of many customers who have update fatigue and are still on Adobe Suite CS4. They are comfortable working with CS4 even though they know that CS6 is already released.

If we see Omni Group adapt Adobe's sales strategy with an annual update, we would see nothing but posts about "well, I'm sticking with last year's update. I don't see anything I want with this year's update." or "why are they charging us for these small updates?"


Would it be fair to argue that Photoshop itself is difficult to use and expensive? Yet there are users who would swear by it and drank the Kool Aid!

The rest of us are happy with Graphic Converter, Pixelmator, or Acorn - much cheaper and fits our needs adequately.

If OmniFocus isn't for you, there is always Things or The Hit List. There are also the numerous online GTD packages that can be utilized.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by whpalmer4 View Post
I reread David Allen's book annually...
Really? Your going to encourage prospective users to descend into a putrid pit of productivity porn by boasting of your addictions? Yuk!

Quote:
Originally Posted by wilsonng View Post
I think GTD itself is very hard to implement even with pen and paper. Like many GTD folks, I've fallen off the bandwagon because adopting GTD is a difficult process.
I often think that most GTD is more for those interested in the process than actual productivity!

Quote:
Originally Posted by wilsonng View Post
After reading zenhabits.com, the blogger at that site argues that you should view GTD as a series of habits to adopt over time.
I found the two most productive things I learnt and continue to put into daily practice were DA's Two Minute Rule and MR's 4Mular, both easy to adopt and free. It's also a no-brainer that, for example, a shared shopping list is always going to be much more productive in a dedicated app than having it in OF.

Quote:
Originally Posted by wilsonng View Post
I think I have made more than my purchase price with this software. Using OmniFocus for my professional and personal life has made my workflow more efficient. Yes, it did take some elbow grease and some time in the gym to get it done but I did eventually nail it.
Ditto. OF desktop owes me nothing. Hopefully v.2 will simplify the interface and bury the complexity, making it much easier for new users to adopt.

Quote:
Originally Posted by wilsonng View Post
I know that Adobe Suite is very expensive and overpriced. But for those who make their living off of that software package, they probably made up all that money and even more.
Not at the moment! I've noticed a real groundswell of negative opinion in my industry since Adobe issued their "upgrade or else rebuy or rent" dictate. Having evaluated CS6, there wasn't anything compelling enough for us to warrant forking out $3,000 a Mac to upgrade, especially with the strong possibility that Apple will force us over to PCs in the near future. IMHO Adobe may well have shot themselves in the foot!

As always, just my 2¢. :)

Last edited by endoftheQ; 2012-06-05 at 05:26 AM..
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by whpalmer4 View Post
One of the places the seemingly high price goes is into the excellent support staff.
So development company spends most of their money
on support instead of development? :) I'm not sure if it's good for the product
which is stuck in 90s.

wilsonng mentioned above that GTD is very complex to adopt even on paper - you know I agree! And computers are here to help us! Not make it more complex or unintuitive. There should be NO learning curve for the productivity software especially on Mac. Macs are here to help us too! That's why I'm so disappointed. I repeat - I tried every GTD software available with no luck. Existing computerized GTD solutions don't make sense until they:
1) adopt simple tools that at least exist in physical lists world - like markers, or paper color
2) have zero-learing curve
3) extend GTD, adding existing concepts like Reminders, Smart Lists (don't say it's OF's Perspective - it's not), Calendar
4) allow sharing and collaboration

Come on! It's web 2.0 century! We have multiuser environment and projects become more and more complex. Even one-man project is now much more complex comparing to 5 years ago. Look at the modern shiny todo apps like Wunderlist! They are "simple" todo lists which have more functions and more convenient and clear than overpriced omnifocus "professional" app.

Omnifocus is stuck in 90s. Even the design is so weak.
I think what is holding Omnifocus from developing is the absence of real competition on the market.
But I'm afraid when they face a real competition that will be too late.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jpatrick View Post
... There should be NO learning curve for the productivity software especially on Mac. Macs are here to help us too!
Yep. Everything on a Mac should be as easy as "turn it on, tell it what to do, walk away ... (have it wash your car)".

Your statement could apply to computers or teenagers. One could argue the theory that both should require no effort to set in motion. Reality is a closed door in front of a loudly blaring stereo system.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jpatrick View Post
... I tried every GTD software available with no luck. Existing computerized GTD solutions don't make sense until they: ...
Seems to me, this synopsis is more a testament that your expectations are likely misplaced rather than a testament to the poor state of affairs in GTD software development.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jpatrick View Post
... Look at the modern shiny todo apps like Wunderlist! They are "simple" todo lists which have more functions and more convenient and clear than overpriced omnifocus "professional" app. ...
Yet, by your own testament, even these "simple" apps still do not work for you. See then my comment above.

What strikes me odd here are the undertones of a zealous rant against working with the best tool(s) that suit(s) your needs right now. One could believe from all this that perfection to your metrics was all that ever was available in the past and is all that should ever be available in the future. Such a standard would for me be a difficult one to live by.

--
JJW
 
 


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