Stay Organized…and Update Wisely
July, 22nd 2010I LOVE lists. To-do lists, unorganized lists, definitions lists. Love em. But to focus on the former today, I really like to-do lists for handling my day-to-day tasks from development assignments to groceries.
I downloaded The Hit List as part of a MacHeist bundle last year and it’s the only application I still use from the lot. I love it. The interface is easy to navigate, the keyboard shortcuts are totally logical, and it makes this super happy sound when you check off an item, which gets you pumped to complete more!
But there’s always a ‘but’. I’ve been using Hit List since I bought it in early April of 2009. That’s over a year ago. The product is still in beta and the update process is “throw up in the mouth” worthy. Every couple of months when I open the program I get this:
No automatic update. No letting me use the licensed, “expired” version. No taking me directly to the website to update. Not to mention, that when I do copy that URL, open a browser and visit the page, it’s not even the update/download page that I need, it’s their home page with all their products. ACK! This stinks. If you are forcing your users to upgrade, let them upgrade with ease. And this happens way more often than necessary. The updates that are being made aren’t critical. Check out the last two:
I could handle this frustration more if this was a free app, but it wasn’t. The top of my to-do lists have now become: update my to-do list! Lame! I’ve also emailed them about one of my issues with the program and never received a response. Their last site update was in September of 2009 and their Twitter account has gone darker than Jack Bauer when he was all mixed up in the dope. This stinks because they spent time making a great, easy to use application, with a crappy support side to accompany it.
So where does this leave us:
- Developers please be nice to your paid users when they want to continue using your application and let them actually use it.
- What do y’all use to organize your lists? Anyone have any recommendation for a more user friendly to-do list application? Preferably one that has fun sounds.
Comments
Jack Bauer was messed up on dope?
Posted at 10:01 AM on July 22, 2010
I agree on everything you said with The Hit List. It’s a great piece of software, but geeze, these dudes need to get on the ball. The beta message had me confused too - since I am a paid user.
They have also been promising an iphone app for a year or so now too.
It’s a great piece of software - I’m confused as to why the development just sort of dropped of the earth.
Posted at 10:06 AM on July 22, 2010
I have also been subjected to The Hit List’s jump-down-the-rabbit-hole method of communicating updates to their “customers.” *GASP!* I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE!
If I didn’t love the damn product, I would have bailed on it months ago. I’m ultra picky about my to-do list apps, and it took me a long time to settle on one that fit into my frantic right-brained method of working.
I’d give them some more of my cash dollars if they actually would develop the iPhone version. Oh, to dream… to… dream.
Posted at 10:32 AM on July 22, 2010
3x5 cards for to-dos. Create in AM - goal is to toss end of day. Sounds only limited by your imagination.
Posted at 10:40 AM on July 22, 2010
Boyink, I love it! I’ve tried something similar in journals, scrap paper and post-its. The problem I always ran into is that I never found myself carrying those things around with me. To the office/home from the office, to the conference room, etc…
The Hit List syncing is my white whale I suppose. “Oh, to dream… to… dream.”
Posted at 10:51 AM on July 22, 2010
I use Things.
@Boyink I would make the Star Wars Lightsaber hitting something sound every time I complete a task. I use 3x5 for projects, but find them limiting for small tasks.
Also, I used to use the Hit List, but how can I, at this point, use a product with this sort of track record. I can’t. Things isn’t perfect, but it’s kept up-to-date and is constantly improving.
I may be a bit biased, but great article.
Posted at 10:51 AM on July 22, 2010
Yea - it’s probably easier for me having work and home all under one roof. But for some reason doing PM on paper gets me into a different and more appropriate frame of mind - similar to my whiteboard approach for project planning & strategy.
I’m sure it’s nothing to do with age..;)
Posted at 10:54 AM on July 22, 2010
@Noah - It depends on who you ask. According to the internet: “Jack Bauer was never addicted to heroin. Heroin was addicted to Jack Bauer.”
Also, best message board thread ever (or at least today): http://boardstest.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=364986
@Jason @Chris - right? I was going to check if that iPhone app ever came out, but figured there was no chance.
Doesn’t anyone know anyone on the world wide web that knows these Potion Factory workers?
@Boyink I like the 3x5 cards. A hippie might tell you otherwise, but I like the idea of destroying something when I’m done with it. Sort of like a piñata. Might make up for the noise. Maybe I can get mini piñata To-dos!! Someone make these!!
Also, I’ve done the post-its. @Mark knows all about it. I was as addicted as Jack Bauer. It was trouble and messy. And they always fell off my screen.
@Kenny does Things have a sync-able Desktop and iPhone app?
Posted at 11:35 AM on July 22, 2010
@Jenn It has a sync-able Desktop, iPhone and iPad app. Wireless only, but a cloud-based option is coming.
Posted at 11:37 AM on July 22, 2010
Completely agreed. I bought the hit list the same way, and still use it… and still get angry that something I paid for expires and makes me go do extra work every so often.
Posted at 11:50 AM on July 22, 2010
I use TaskPaper and it has cloud syncing. It’s quite minimal, but gets the job done.
Posted at 11:55 AM on July 22, 2010
I’m also a big pen and paper type of person too. I ran across the Printable CEO series a few years back and use a good number of the documents for tasks, project lists and also for timekeeping in spurts.
The Printable CEO Series
Posted at 12:01 PM on July 22, 2010
Out of a similar frustration, I built my first web app - List Cloud. It’s free, cloud-based, easy-to-use, offers simple list collaboration, and an iPhone app is in the works. I’d love for you to try it out and tell me what you think. Check it out at http://list-cloud.com!
Posted at 05:35 PM on July 23, 2010
i just found gqueues.com
a 3rd party Google integrated app (or whatever they are called, built in Google Framework, available in their system, use your Google ID for sign up.
Free, but is $25 to integrate with Google Calendar, SMS, sharing & some other things.
Similar to TaDa List, ToodleOoo, toodledo, remember the milk…
However, I think it is far better than those options. I like the UI, ability to add filters/searches, overall paradigm. Has outline. Just works for me.
Seems to be continually updating and on top of it.
I’ve not yet tried with calendar. And yeah, I know is web based, but does have iPhone formatted web version.
Another one worth looking at is teuxdeux.com
Simple, clean elegant.
Posted at 04:04 PM on July 27, 2010
Elliot Kember’s Speckle is rather good if an online app works for you: http://speckleapp.com
Posted at 02:23 AM on July 28, 2010
I use omnifocus. Way more intense than I first wanted, but now I use most of it’s features and I am unsure how I would go without them now. The development is also pretty steady. I had concerns about Things since the development in some areas (cloud syncing) seems to a goal that has promised for sometime, and never achieved.
Posted at 08:48 AM on July 28, 2010
Things is the only thing that works for me. The idea of tasks getting marked for “Today” and everything else being “next” until you want to make it “Today” is fantastic. As well, the quick keystroke for the quick entry window is fantastic. I just wish it had Basecamp integration for time tracking against tasks and task syncing.
I did try this with Minco using iCal as a conduit and it got pretty close. If Minco makes a Basecamp connector than it will work.
Anyway, someone left a ziploc bag of poop by my office door this morning with “clean up” written on it. On the bag, not the poop. But I don’t have a dog. And I poop in the toilet. *Every* time. So its not mine. Suggestions?
Posted at 09:33 AM on August 02, 2010
Post a Comment