5 ms·

Ask HN: Todo lists

7 points by zeckalpha 17y ago

I'm looking for a better way to write and manage todo lists. I really like Things (http://culturedcode.com/things/) but I've found it to end up too cluttered with all of my different projects. I have difficulty keeping future stuff separate. I've also used Todo.sh (http://ginatrapani.github.com/todo.txt-cli/) in the past, but what I'm looking for is something like that but with revision control. I've tried paper. I feel that I use too much paper, and I also don't like the way archiving works. It's just not easily searchable, and managing someday tasks is difficult. (Note that I've also tried HipsterPDAs, and variants.) I also view scheduling as separate from task management. I would just use iCal if I didn't. Web Apps like Remember the Milk also don't catch my eye. I have relatively large amounts of data that I manage. I also do not consider it secure enough. I do like remote access functionality. SSH from my BlackBerry works for todo.sh, or the todobot.pl extension with AIM, so something similar to that would be fine. I would like to be able to have extensive tagging support. I have many layers of lists. I include a lending list (stuff I've lent out) and a wish list (birthday/xmas/shopping list). Some lists include stuff that I will not address for long periods of time like ideas for children names or housing design ideas. I'm at a loss for solutions. There probably is an obvious one. Crowdsourcing solution searching. Go.

jacquesm 17y ago
I use 'taskfreak', installed on a local machine. It worked wonders for my productivity in all kinds of fields. http://www.taskfreak.com/ http://www.taskfreak.com/ is where you can download it, it's written in PHP so it should be fairly easy to host it. Good enough for a 9 minute response time ;) ? Ask HN is one of the greatest features of HN I think.
- zeckalpha 17y ago
  509 Error. Google cache wasn't enough for me. I added it to my todo.txt to check if it is up later. ;)
  - jacquesm 17y ago
    Wow that sucks, let me see if I have a tarred version for you somewhere here. It looks like they've maxed out their bandwidth quota. Silly hosting services... ok, you can get it here: http://ww.com/tf.tar http://ww.com/tf.tar They probably have a newer version out by now, when they're back up you can get the latest but like this you can at least see if it is what you are looking for.
    - zeckalpha 17y ago
      I found a screenshot on the Wayback machine. I'll try this out tomorrow though.
  - ErrantX 17y ago
    I found a demo hosted somewhere else (note: it appears to be customised using this plugin: http://web.archive.org/web/20070818020731/http://forum.taskfreak.com/index.php?topic=853.0 http://web.archive.org/web/20070818020731/http://forum.taskf...) http://demofreak.dracon.biz http://demofreak.dracon.biz username: admin password: demo
a-priori 17y ago
I've recently just started using an org-mode document in Emacs to track the state of projects (among other things). Simple and effective.
- cyner 17y ago
  Yes, org-mode is a great way to do this. I've been using it for a year now, and although it takes a while to get used to, it's very efficient and simple. Org-mode is now the place where I keep everything that fits in text (or simple tables). Recipes, todos, personal goals, gift ideas, outlines for future projects, wine tips, my diary, stuff to buy at Ikea, etc.
AndrewDucker 17y ago
I like Tasks: http://crowdfavorite.com/products/ http://crowdfavorite.com/products/ I have a multi-user version installed on some hosted space and it works really well - I needed heirarchical to-do lists that could be shared with my girlfriend, and this gave me that.
aaronblohowiak 17y ago
"I've also used Todo.sh (http://ginatrapani.github.com/todo.txt-cli/ http://ginatrapani.github.com/todo.txt-cli/) in the past, but what I'm looking for is something like that but with revision control." -- Why not use it with git or similar?
tome 17y ago
I keep my TODO list in a single text file. I have a key bound in my window manager to open it in an editor, and ask me whether to record changes to version control when I close the editor. The formal is very informal and ad hoc. You can see it here: http://pastebin.com/f53965a01 http://pastebin.com/f53965a01 I also have an hourly cron jobs that extracts the tasks under "TODAY" and mails them to me.
mgunes 17y ago
Check out Tracks. http://getontracks.org http://getontracks.org
kailden 17y ago
MonkeyGTD?
- zeckalpha 17y ago
  I forgot to mention, but I have used many variants of TiddlyWikis also to no avail.
vlBeta 17y ago
There's something about Todoist's hierarchical functionality that I really love. It's def not the best out there, but by far the best organization oriented task list manager. http://www.todoist.com http://www.todoist.com
DenisM 17y ago
google tasks? part of gmail.

Ask HN: Todo lists

7 points by zeckalpha 17y ago

jacquesm 17y ago

I use 'taskfreak', installed on a local machine. It worked wonders for my productivity in all kinds of fields. http://www.taskfreak.com/ http://www.taskfreak.com/ is where you can download it, it's written in PHP so it should be fairly easy to host it. Good enough for a 9 minute response time ;) ? Ask HN is one of the greatest features of HN I think.

zeckalpha 17y ago
509 Error. Google cache wasn't enough for me. I added it to my todo.txt to check if it is up later. ;)
- jacquesm 17y ago
  Wow that sucks, let me see if I have a tarred version for you somewhere here. It looks like they've maxed out their bandwidth quota. Silly hosting services... ok, you can get it here: http://ww.com/tf.tar http://ww.com/tf.tar They probably have a newer version out by now, when they're back up you can get the latest but like this you can at least see if it is what you are looking for.
  - zeckalpha 17y ago
    I found a screenshot on the Wayback machine. I'll try this out tomorrow though.
- ErrantX 17y ago
  I found a demo hosted somewhere else (note: it appears to be customised using this plugin: http://web.archive.org/web/20070818020731/http://forum.taskfreak.com/index.php?topic=853.0 http://web.archive.org/web/20070818020731/http://forum.taskf...) http://demofreak.dracon.biz http://demofreak.dracon.biz username: admin password: demo

a-priori 17y ago

I've recently just started using an org-mode document in Emacs to track the state of projects (among other things). Simple and effective.

cyner 17y ago
Yes, org-mode is a great way to do this. I've been using it for a year now, and although it takes a while to get used to, it's very efficient and simple. Org-mode is now the place where I keep everything that fits in text (or simple tables). Recipes, todos, personal goals, gift ideas, outlines for future projects, wine tips, my diary, stuff to buy at Ikea, etc.

AndrewDucker 17y ago

I like Tasks: http://crowdfavorite.com/products/ http://crowdfavorite.com/products/ I have a multi-user version installed on some hosted space and it works really well - I needed heirarchical to-do lists that could be shared with my girlfriend, and this gave me that.

aaronblohowiak 17y ago

"I've also used Todo.sh (http://ginatrapani.github.com/todo.txt-cli/ http://ginatrapani.github.com/todo.txt-cli/) in the past, but what I'm looking for is something like that but with revision control." -- Why not use it with git or similar?

tome 17y ago

I keep my TODO list in a single text file. I have a key bound in my window manager to open it in an editor, and ask me whether to record changes to version control when I close the editor. The formal is very informal and ad hoc. You can see it here: http://pastebin.com/f53965a01 http://pastebin.com/f53965a01 I also have an hourly cron jobs that extracts the tasks under "TODAY" and mails them to me.

mgunes 17y ago

Check out Tracks. http://getontracks.org http://getontracks.org

kailden 17y ago

MonkeyGTD?

zeckalpha 17y ago
I forgot to mention, but I have used many variants of TiddlyWikis also to no avail.

vlBeta 17y ago

There's something about Todoist's hierarchical functionality that I really love. It's def not the best out there, but by far the best organization oriented task list manager. http://www.todoist.com http://www.todoist.com

DenisM 17y ago

google tasks? part of gmail.