5 ms·

How I use Emacs and Org-mode to implement GTD

57 points by ecounysis 15y ago

Dejital 15y ago
Org-mode is an unmatched tool for keeping track of your day to day tasks. I have yet to find an alternative that offers scheduling tasks with as much flexibility as org-mode. The biggest barrier for me, however, is that org-mode runs inside of Emacs. As a Vim user, I have tried all of the org-mode implementations for Vim and have yet to find one that can come even close. Further, fitting something similar to org-mode into Vim goes against the simplicity of Vim which I value so much already. Taskwarrior is a decent command line alternative to org-mode, but is lacking in the scheduling of tasks department.
- avar 15y ago
  Why don't you just shell out to Emacs for the things you need? E.g. I have a Git repository that hosts an Org-mode file, when you push to it emacs is invoked on the server and converts the file to a HTML file that serves as a shared TODO / Bug list. You don't have to use Emacs for everything to use Org, just have it export the data you need from the text you're editing in your $EDITOR of choice.
d0m 15y ago
Procrastination at his best! Writing a blog post about how to optimize your tasks by customizing and configuring a mode of Emacs! Obviously, I'm not totally serious here since it seems that he use it effectively each weeks; And I'm also happy that he shared it with us. However, talking for me, my best todo process consists of "Do it NOW else write it in todo.txt".
- 5hoom 15y ago
  I know! He could probably better optimize his tasks by typing C-x C-c, then going out & buying a small notepad & pen ;) (I kid! I kid! Cool project really) [edit] downvoted! I'll C-c r & remind myself not to make cheap emacs jokes in future.
qdot76367 15y ago
Here's another good overview of an org-mode workflow, goes WAY more in-depth that just GTD: http://doc.norang.ca/org-mode.html http://doc.norang.ca/org-mode.html
ciniglio 15y ago
Does anyone know where you can see other user's org configurations? Or a canonical configuration? It'd be interesting to see how users use org-modes capabilities in different ways. (I don't mean blog posts, just raw configs)
- qdot76367 15y ago
  Lots of people store their .emacs files on github, so you can start plugging variations of "org-mode" into search and it'll usually hit on either filenames (for those of us that split our .emacs into multiple files) or setup code itself. Will probably be a bit messy against all of the people forking org, but it's still worth a shot. If you want to stare into the abyss, mine's at http://www.github.com/qdot/conf_emacs http://www.github.com/qdot/conf_emacs
ulisesroche 15y ago
Let alone the switch to Emacs, but I've been trying to implement GTD since college, using all sorts of tools, and I've read the book I don't know how many times, and I still feel like it's over my head. Are there any alternatives?
- Sukotto 15y ago
  Try Autofocus [1]. I quite liked it though I eventually gave it up as too simple. [1] http://www.markforster.net/autofocus-system/ http://www.markforster.net/autofocus-system/
  - ulisesroche 15y ago
    Thanks, I tried that too, though it was a few years ago. What made you think it was too simple to work though?
js4all 15y ago
I use orgmode every day. There is also a nice iPhone/iPad app to have your schedule on the go. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobileorg/id335805599?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobileorg/id335805599?mt=8
- ulisesroche 15y ago
  You're all almost making me switch. Almost... Quick! Help me, vimsters.
  - abhiyerra 15y ago
    I was a vimmer then org-mode got me and beat me down. Now I'm part of the Cult of Emacs. ;)

57 points by ecounysis 15y ago

Org-mode is an unmatched tool for keeping track of your day to day tasks. I have yet to find an alternative that offers scheduling tasks with as much flexibility as org-mode. The biggest barrier for me, however, is that org-mode runs inside of Emacs. As a Vim user, I have tried all of the org-mode implementations for Vim and have yet to find one that can come even close. Further, fitting something similar to org-mode into Vim goes against the simplicity of Vim which I value so much already. Taskwarrior is a decent command line alternative to org-mode, but is lacking in the scheduling of tasks department.

avar 15y ago
Why don't you just shell out to Emacs for the things you need? E.g. I have a Git repository that hosts an Org-mode file, when you push to it emacs is invoked on the server and converts the file to a HTML file that serves as a shared TODO / Bug list. You don't have to use Emacs for everything to use Org, just have it export the data you need from the text you're editing in your $EDITOR of choice.

d0m 15y ago

Procrastination at his best! Writing a blog post about how to optimize your tasks by customizing and configuring a mode of Emacs! Obviously, I'm not totally serious here since it seems that he use it effectively each weeks; And I'm also happy that he shared it with us. However, talking for me, my best todo process consists of "Do it NOW else write it in todo.txt".

5hoom 15y ago
I know! He could probably better optimize his tasks by typing C-x C-c, then going out & buying a small notepad & pen ;) (I kid! I kid! Cool project really) [edit] downvoted! I'll C-c r & remind myself not to make cheap emacs jokes in future.

qdot76367 15y ago

Here's another good overview of an org-mode workflow, goes WAY more in-depth that just GTD: http://doc.norang.ca/org-mode.html http://doc.norang.ca/org-mode.html

ciniglio 15y ago

Does anyone know where you can see other user's org configurations? Or a canonical configuration? It'd be interesting to see how users use org-modes capabilities in different ways. (I don't mean blog posts, just raw configs)

qdot76367 15y ago
Lots of people store their .emacs files on github, so you can start plugging variations of "org-mode" into search and it'll usually hit on either filenames (for those of us that split our .emacs into multiple files) or setup code itself. Will probably be a bit messy against all of the people forking org, but it's still worth a shot. If you want to stare into the abyss, mine's at http://www.github.com/qdot/conf_emacs http://www.github.com/qdot/conf_emacs

ulisesroche 15y ago

Let alone the switch to Emacs, but I've been trying to implement GTD since college, using all sorts of tools, and I've read the book I don't know how many times, and I still feel like it's over my head. Are there any alternatives?

Sukotto 15y ago
Try Autofocus [1]. I quite liked it though I eventually gave it up as too simple. [1] http://www.markforster.net/autofocus-system/ http://www.markforster.net/autofocus-system/
- ulisesroche 15y ago
  Thanks, I tried that too, though it was a few years ago. What made you think it was too simple to work though?

js4all 15y ago

I use orgmode every day. There is also a nice iPhone/iPad app to have your schedule on the go. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobileorg/id335805599?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobileorg/id335805599?mt=8

ulisesroche 15y ago
You're all almost making me switch. Almost... Quick! Help me, vimsters.
- abhiyerra 15y ago
  I was a vimmer then org-mode got me and beat me down. Now I'm part of the Cult of Emacs. ;)