So…

After some more thought, using a PC at work is causing me to change some things up.

This is not a new development. I have pretty much always used a PC at work. Sometimes I am able to use my iPhone or iPad. But only sometimes. This causes real friction tracking tasks. I really want to be able to use Things 3, but alas, they willl likely never have a web app.

Omnifocus currently has a web app in beta. But to be honest, although I still want to love Omnifocus 3, it really leaves something to be desired in 2019. It may be the most technically powerful, but it’s design feels so so dated. This extends to their web app which is trying to emulate basic features of their desktop app. But at least in my humble opinion, it truly feels like an web app from the 1.0 era.

This brings me to the two web based solutions I am currently trying to decide between.

Todoist

The current undisputed leader in this space. I have used this app in the past.

The beta currently allows sorting varies lists by date. But they just added this. Their handling of sub tasks is well, sub par (😂). Their CEO has tweeted that a big revamp is coming sometime this year. It feels to me like their pace of development is very slow. They are a very well established company with more integrations than probably anybody. I’m not afraid they will be going anywhere anytime soon. It seems they don’t want to sell and make a cash grab.

Ticktick

This is the new to me task manager. It feels like a more modern version of Todoist. It does have some issues thought. The biggest for me thus far is their natural language processing. In Todoist, it almost always seems to know what I was trying to say when entering a task date or recurrence. Ticktick does not work nearly as well in this regard. On the other hand, it has sorting of lists and smart lists right now. Their handling of sub tasks is also superior to the way Todoist currently does it. One feature that is not currently quite as good as Todoist is the way it displays email that I forward to create tasks. Most of these are from my work exchange account. In Todoist, they are displayed exactly as they appear in my work email app (Outlook). In Ticktick, it is mostly correct, but not exactly. Filters are technically more powerfull in Todoist, but I do like how Ticktick gives you a visual way to create them. It would not take much for Ticktick to catch up here. I think all they really need is to add “NOT” logic.

As always, take this with a grain of salt. I change task managers like most people change bed sheets. I do think I may have accepted that although I love native apps, as long as my work involves being on a PC, I will need a service that offers a web app.

My wife got me these.

I have a serious problem. I worked in Todoist a lot last night 😱.

At work I use a PC and that obvious makes todoist useful. I played with the web version of OF and at least now it’s just not good.

Thinking maybe the web app first nature of todoist may win out. I wish Things would offer a web app. They seem pretty against it though.

I know @culturedcode is doing it at some point, but the inability to complete a repeating task early really prevents me from sticking with Things 3.

Izq.fm Podcast Ep 2 “Task Managers”

I discuss Things, Omnifocus, and Todoist

Trying this again…

Somewhat Off Color Task Manager Joke

Things 3 is the person you meet at the bar who can be sexy and thrilling, but typically leaves you wanting more in the end.

By contrast, OmniFocus is the person you met in line at the grocery store who turns out to be super smart and funny. You can introduce them to your family and you end up living happily ever after.

I realize I’m a little weird with my task managers…

I know it’s not en vogue right now, but I started using @Evernote in August of 2008. I’m still using it today.

Trying to think of other software I’ve used a similar length of time and the only thing that comes to mind is OmniFocus. I first purchased it with my first iPhone which was the iPhone 3G. This quickly led me to buying it for my Mac and a few years later on my iPad.

What software are you using from 10+ years ago?

Would love if you could tag folders in @Omni’s @omnifocus

Filter Out a specific Tag in Things 3

This tip (if you could call it that) only works well if you don’t have that many Areas and if you aren’t changing Areas around that often…

So basically, I tag the Work Area as “Work”, and all other Areas in addition to whatever else I want to tag them, also get the tag “Not Work”. This allows me to easily filter by Work and Not Work .

Remember, if you tag an Area, then all items under that Area inherit the tag.

Until or unless Things 3 gets a more robust search and/or tag filtering system, this is what I have been doing.

Let me know if this helps anyone.