The Omni Group

Nice!  Thanks Ethan!  Can't wait for the beta.

Wow! You guys are doing great. Love seeing it in action. Slick interface!

please release a beta soooooon!!!!!!

From what I've seen here, it's exactly what I wanted it to be. I'm eager to use it.

What if you could put contexts in terms of applications?  Like, an @EMail context that would pop up whenever your mail application was open, or @Word - write a form letter, that would show up whenever Word was open?  Or @Calendar - set up meeting with Jon.  Being able to see the right task DURING the right tool would help make sure I never forgot a thing.

I agree iGTD is a great little app. It doesn't look as Cocoaey Yummy as it could and isn't super spit and polished, but it's an amazing app and I can't wait to see what it grows into. Really the first GTD app that made me want to wade full into the GTD pond.

That said, I'm eager to see what OmniFocus is like and whether it exceeds iGTD's abilities. Bring it on, buds! xoxoxox

Looking Good! Can't wait for the beta. It looked quite stable in the demo (except for that one little glitch) and appears to have enough features in place to actually start using it on a daily basis. I do appreciate your concept of holding off on the beta until you have forward compatibility.

This looks excellent! Can't wait (but will have to)!

Just curious if you (Omni) have any rough ideas of market size for this app. If it's only a few hundred (thousand?) hard-core GTD geeks then you'll certainly sell a copy to each the second it becomes available, but hopefully there's a lot more demand beyond that?

Like everyone else here I'm impressed with the work thus far and can't wait to start using it, but if there really is a large market for a good GTD app then perhaps that might justify allocating more resources to it (mythical man-month notwithstanding). I won't be so presumptuous to tell you how to develop software and make these tricky business decisions, but it seems like there is pent-up demand for Omnifocus beyond most other productivity apps. Or maybe that's wishful thinking on my part hoping that you've found the magic wand that expedites the initial release and then get well-rewarded for your efforts.

This looks gorgeous, just as I expected.  But more impressive is the sense of ease it conveys.  OK, a couple of suggestions. I'd really like some kind of Mail-OmniFocus “interaction”. Not sure what implementation would make sense, but I get so many ToDo's from emails (either inspired by an email I just read, or even within the body of an email I just received).  I would like a super fast and easy way of invoking OminFocus while I am reading my email, maybe even the ability to highlight text and right-click and have it go to OmniFocus. Also, as a Palm user, I'd like to be able to import ToDo's from iCal (originally written on the Palm and sync'ed to iCal) over to OmniFocus.  Thanks again for creating this, and I cannot wait for the beta.

• ProphetSearcher: The inline notes grow as you add to them (just as they do in OmniOutliner).  So they can be as big or as small as you want without wasting space for small notes or not providing enough space for big ones.

• Jason Wong: Interesting idea.  I don't know how it would feel in practice, and we won't be doing it ourselves for 1.0 (we have enough on our plate already, and nobody wants us to delay anything!) but you could probably do what you want using our AppleScript API.

• Tom: Icon feedback noted.  Also, suggestions welcome.  :)

• Don: OmniFocus is definitely not a “back burner” project at Omni.

• Sean: If you look at the OmniFocus screenshot a few blog posts back, you'll see that OmniFocus has nesting tasks.  (In the project “The School of Athens”, there are two task groups:  one expanded and one collapsed.)

• Olga: Something that probably wasn't clear in the video is that you can pull up that Quick Entry window from any application (without activating OmniFocus itself), making it very easy to get new tasks in without interrupting your flow in other applications.  (Oh, and yes, we plan to import new tasks from iCal.)

• Stephan: Task groups can be parallel or sequential independent of their parent project, specifically so that you can do those sorts of combinations within one project.

Credit card ready.

Please release soon.

I'd like to be able to have no purple-highlighted “next action” entry in the parallel project list, e.g. I have no need to prioritize “buy soy milk” over other purchases. I like the kGTD “Single Task” option, where I can have a number of tasks that aren't attached to a project.

But otherwise, I have to say it looks great. (With the exception, previously noted, of the Filter icon—it was my first thought too…)

[...] One other interesting news, this time from Omni blog, is that we can expect a first beta in no more than a couple of weeks, and that most of the efforts has been geared towards a standard file format that will be compatbile with future versions. This is something that I lilke.  If you liked this post, share it by using the links below: [...]

Awesome. Salivating :-)

Quick suggestion: Remove the 'show all' button and make it a toggled version of the 'focus button'. (i.e. when you click 'focus', the focus button turns into the show all button). Should save some toolbar space.

-Chris

Look beta enough to me. Give give :)

Awesome! This looks terrific, and I can't wait for the beta.

Cloning!  Let tasks have multiple contexts.  Let contexts live in multile parent contexts.  Let tasks live in multiple projects.  I know this is not a simple change as it requires a different db architecture, but think how freakin' cool that would be!

[...] Omni Group has just released a first screencast that demonstrates a number of features of their upcoming Getting things done (GTD) application OmniFocus. [...]

Marvellous.  Thanks Ethan and Omnigroup.  Looking forward to the focus and filtering options which I need.  Agree with the early comment about the filter icon.  Currently using iGTD, which is a great app with a couple of bugbears for me.  It appears Omnifocus might address these.

It's a lens! It's a scaffold! It's invisible! It's an invisible shrink-to-fit lens scaffold!

Looking forward to the beta.

Another suggestion:

It would be really great to have the ability for contexts to live in multiple parent contexts.

That way I could simply select a 'office' contact and have all my 'desk', 'mac', 'internet', 'calls-day' tasks up in one go.

Likewise I could select 'evening', and have 'mac', 'home', 'calls-evening', 'internet' ... and then 'phone' for 'calls-day', 'calls-evening'.

Looks very promising! Omni products always look so good. I think the deal breaker for me will be how task resources (calendar entries, links, files, email) are handled. Using GTD, I have come to realize making a task list is only 1/2 the battle—aggregating needed resources for that task is the other. I currently use Journler for GTD because it can attach resources to a task. I hope OmniFocus addresses this need, too.

Video looks great. I am curious if iCal sync will also be transparent and automatic, or will it require manual syncing? thanks.

One thing that I think a lot of people would like to see is the attachment/linking option - or more generally, the overall integration with other apps. Can I drag and drop files onto a task? Maybe if you could show your approach to that issue, it would help us with the waiting for the beta…

This might just be the first GTD-app that I will continue using.

[...] The folks over at OmniGroup have put up a video showcasing their latest app, OmniFocus. You may not be sold on the whole idea of GTD, but the video is worth a view anyway. [...]

This looks like it has all of the features I want in a task manager, with a superb amount of polish. And this is an alpha, you say? Oh yeah, I want to get my hands on a beta for this. You had me at “the Sync button (from kGTD) is gone”.

Question: has anyone done any forwad-looking to see how OmniFocus could interact with Leopard's new To Do functionality in Mail.app?

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/mail.html

You got me.

Having a nice printed version of all projects and tasks is important for me for field work.  I always like to carry a paper backup.  Being able to have printing options for multiple layouts/paper sizes would be really sweet. 

One other option for the future may be the ability to add items as reference material for one's projects.  I suppose this could be done as a project task labeled “Reference Material” with multiple items added in a note.  Thanks.

[...] There has been quite a lot of buzz around the GTD community about the long awaited OmniFocus from the Omni Group. [...]

okay, probably not possible in this version, I realize this. but here's a blow-your-mind concept for something like this, and wanted to see if anyone else thinks it's cool, too.

I think that breaking tasks out as errands is a great idea. What I would LOVE is to have hooks into Google Maps (or your favorite online maps compendium), and look at all the locations in your errands, then look at your home location in your Address Book. Then plot a map based on the shortest route to accomplish all errands that day, with an ability to choose “no backtracking” or “minimal backracking.” then i print out that map, and voila! there's the most efficient order to handle those errands, and it's got all sorts of cool whiz-bang web 2.0 goodness tied in.

it seems like it “could” be possible. i've already asked Google directly to add a similar functionality to Google Maps directly (like instead of A to B, allow me to enter several points, and then plot the most efficient map), so maybe they'll get around to it in my lifetime.

tell me that wouldn't be cool. ;-)

wow, i'm very excited! funny thing…as soon as i was done watching this video i moved quickly (absent-mindedly, mind-like-watery) to determine my “next action,” hence invoking kGTD and had an immediate urge to start using the features i had just witnessed! it was like deja-vu…only in reverse, or something like that.

it was very disappointing in an odd sort of way.

*sigh*

i'd like to second chris' toggle button suggestion: brilliant!

i'd also like to second bushford's smart folders suggestion…oh yeah.

finally, i have to admit i'm not a big fan of purple -  but i can live with it if you'll just replace the feminine contraceptive product that others have pointed out (too harsh?).

great work guys.

Filter icon: Or how about something that looks like a filter operation, conceptually.  Here's bad ASCII art that might not come out:

| | | |

____|__

  |

  v

Filter?

I just met her!

Ok, something constructive - if you want to stick with the physical kitchen-based metaphor, at least change it to one of those pleated coffee filters. The current image looks more like a colander, or maybe a strainer.

(Strainer? I just m- oh never mind.)

Dang I want to help test this program!  Who's lawn do I need to mow to be included in the beta..?

OmniFocus looks great.  I will definitely buy it.  My only concern is as follows.  Although I really liked kinkless, I was worried its project-centricness would carry through to OmniFocus, and it looks like it did.  In order to create a projectless action, you have to either leave it in the inbox until it is done or create special project to hold project-less actions. 

My understanding of the way GTD works is this:  you have an inbox, a number of context lists and a project list.  Throw everything into your “inbox.”  The goal then is to get “In” to empty.  You do this by first asking if it is actionable.  If it is actionable you ask whether it is multi-step?  If it is multi-step, then it is a project and you add it to the projects list.  If it is not you add it to one of your context lists.  Next actions from your projects may be added to your context lists.

I never heard of a “singleton” project until I started using kinkless.  Based on the video, it looks as if you leave a next action as a non-project associated next action, even if you assign it a context, it stays in the inbox.  This makes it hard to get the inbox to empty unless you associate it with a project.  Projects are for “multistep projects,” according to David Allen.  Lumping unrelated next actions into a “singleton” project does not seem to fit because these singletons are unrelated and hence not a project.

I guess, in my mind, the ideal situation would be to have the task come into the inbox an stay there until it is associated with a context.  When associated with a context, it would move to one of the context lists and out of the inbox, no association with a project necessary. 

You would also have a project list which is for multistep projects.  You could transform one of your next actions into a project if you wanted to, or you could start a new project first and add next actions to it.  The idea is that it is a separate, but interrelated list.

Take a look at David Allen's workflow diagram and see if you agree with my understanding.

Bottom line here is - would it be possible to have an option to automatically move the next action from the inbox to the context lists as soon as a context is associated with it, but without putting it into a “singleton” project?  Or another way of doing this could be to make inbox just a default context.  A next action would by default be added to the Inbox (unless context is chosen for it at the time is added).  To move it out of the inbox later, you just change its context from inbox to @work for example.

Looks pretty good, except “purple” color scheme.  I will state firstly, that I am aware that it is a beta only.  Honestly though I don't feel really excited about OF as i did when I originally heard about it.  I own OO, OG, and OP, so I was really looking forward to OF, but not so much now.  I think iGTD feels more like a “real” GTD application than OF, although not quite as sharp looking.

—Troy

Thanks Ethan,  this is very encouraging. And charming, as always.  I hope you'll be able to do more presentations, because for me, it eases the one thing you said that wasn't true.  Omni doesn't write good manuals, or at least not good USER manuals.  They show what the program commands can do, but not what you can do with the program.  [For example: try changing kGTD's sorrting in OOP. You have to grok the entire manual to realize that you have to change things in three different locations.]  So thank you for your involvement and please stay involved.

Looks great. Love nesting, and linking.

Regarding linking… would be such a pleasure to have “smart” linking, especailly for contacts in Address Book.

I.e. When I enter task “Call John Doe”, Omnifocus pops a window that lets me choose from all the Johns in my address book, John Doe at the top of the list.

Good work.

Congratulations, OmniFolks.  You've really put a lot of work into the interface and it's so good that it's going to be completely taken for granted.

Some details:

You use checkbox with check in it to represent a completed task in the project view, but in the filter control it represents whatever state of tasks is included in the filtered view.  I suggest using a checkbox with an X for completed action to distinguish these.

“Clean up” name and icon don't tell what's happening.  If it does more than hide completed tasks, then that may be the best terminology,  but if it not,show the checkbox with X being swept up or filed in the icon and say “Hide” with the X'd checkbox for the name.

The ampersands showing in context view are visually cluttering. Make it smaller than the text size and farther away or slightly lighter to help it lead the eye, like a fancy bullet.

Chris is making assumptions about how the Inbox works that I don't see in the screencast, but it seems his concern could be handled with (1) a view that doesn't show single tasks or the Inbox in the project list and (2) showing Inbox tasks that have a context set in the context view.

I'd like a setting that shows tasks that I completed today all day today but hides them before I look at OF tomorrow morning.  Maybe that's what the “daily” setting does, but if not, i request an “at 4am” or “Overnight” setting.

And thank you for realizing that we will want to see dates on various tasks simultaneously.

[...] Mehr bei The Omni Mouth Ethan Schoonover’s OmniFocus overview video. [...]

Wow!

It looks like OmniFu (I can't stop thinking of it this way) will answer most of my complaints about other GTD software. I can't wait!

One quibble ... will it be possible to change the colors of the test in the Preferences? My eyes are aging, and the small, gray text is nearly impossible for me to read.

—Liz

This is looking fantastic.

In addition to the Quick Entry window - I'd like a Quick Entry Widget and/or a Widget that shows time based Next Actions with check boxes.

Lastly, which has been mentioned here, the ability to put an email into the OmniFocus “In” basket.

Keep up the great work.

- Erik

WOW - I am drooling.  Ethan's video raised my excitement level at least 1000% - what a great way to introduce the direction OmniFocus is taking.  Two thoughts came to me while watching the video:

1) Can the list of tasks/contexts be given bubbles to indicate how many things are sitting in them (if you are looking at your lists, it would jog your memory that two of your collapsed errands sub-folders have things in them)

2) Printing/formatting - will 3x5 cards be supported so that I can put together the 5 or 6 disparate things that I can get done between office and home and have it in my hand (3 phone calls for the train, 2 articles for the train, and the grocery list, post-office, & dry-cleaner for when I'm in the car).

Thanks for sharing!

-Rob

Is the quick entry panel able to handle project entry as well? That is one of my gripes about kGTD… I sometimes have new projects that I want to enter before I start entering actions under that project, and this is very difficult to do. Also, at times I want to just enter in a new project, no actions at the present moment.

Wonderful start on this. I just completed a one day seminar with David Allen, and your app will make implementation of his comments so streamlined that even I will manage to stick with this.

Have you approached David Allen about a formal endorsement? One comment he made in the seminar is that there are a lot of so-called implementations of GTD that he thinks do NOT do justice to GTD. Your product does, and he should be promoting it on his website and in his seminars

Congratulations on another elegant product

I like the clean, spare interface.

I would like to see a column for “Actor,” the person responsible for this action. This would provide a segue into OmniPlan (along with dates).

Looks good - looking forward to hearing of more progress. Some points spring to mind though:

Chris is totally correct IMHO - in a canonical GTD implementation you need to be able to have tasks not associated with projects.

Is the “on hold” function intended to be @waiting for, or is it Someday/Maybe?

I'm not sure how useful the idea of one task in a parallel project being designated as the next action is. Surely in a parallel project, all the actions are next actions and should be highlighted as such? I would have thought that if they have to be done in a specific order then some of them aren't really next actions and the project should be a sequential one (or a mixed parallel/sequential one).

I think a Mail.app-style count of number of projects, tasks per context etc. would be useful.

Roll on the beta. :)

I find myself actually slacking on my normal GTD program (using kGtd) because I'm waiting for Omnifocus..  I know I'm not alone…

Can't wait for that beta!

I'm thinking Gantt charts that show progress on something with version numbers along the bar (v.0.1a—- v.0.2b—-) etc.  Mixing these things might be really really intriguing.

Especially the back and forth in goal creation that may be possible between worker and manager…

Ok, I'll stop posting in my excitement here… ;)

-Allen

[...] Ten days later, they published a video ’screencast’ of the pre-release application with a commentary talking us through the features and workflow. 9 Perhaps more to the point, though, is the fact that hundreds of comments were being left on each blog post, and the software developers were responding effectively to the questions that were being asked about the new application. [...]

[...] One other interesting news, this time from Omni blog, is that we can expect a first beta in no more than a couple of weeks, and that most of the efforts has been geared towards a standard file format that will be compatbile with future versions. This is something that I lilke. [...]