Hi Kelly

I've been using GTD for 5 years now. Originally I wasted so much time trying out different software but settled on Palm Desktop and have stuck with it for the last 3 years. OK it's not very sexy but it is very functional and I have yet to find anything to approach it for speed and ease of use. I'm primarily a Mac user but use the PC version of PD installed on a Windows XP partition on my Mac rather than the Mac version of PD which is simply awful. I currently use my old Tungsten T3, having discarded a couple of Treo's along the way. I prefer a slim mobile/Cell phone and carry my Palm separately as and when I need it.

Steve

Kelly,
Thanks for the post. I've been GTD'ing since October '06 (2 years!), and it's been a fantastic experience. I can't imagine doing what I do without it. Early on, I found your blog, and I've been reading it regularly ever since. Lately, I've transferred into Palm Desktop from Outlook, mainly at your suggestion. I have loved it. So, thanks for that.

I also wanted to say thanks for this line from your column: "Palm Desktop is one of the first applications I open each morning and I am scanning my Calendar and Action lists throughout the day, as often as I can." When I read that, the penny dropped. "Review" has always been the weakest link in my GTD system, often relegated to when I want to "Do" or when I'm doing a Weekly Review. I honestly had never thought of reviewing for its own sake every time I have a couple of free minutes. I started that yesterday after I read your column, and it's already made a world of difference.

Thanks!

-Jason

Kelly,

Do you use a Palm Smartphone or just a Palm handheld? I ask because I really wanted to go back to a Treo recently and am finding that all of the new models contain Windows Mobile. Just curious what handheld you use and if you recommend the Palm O/S (for its ease of use) over Windows or have no real preference?

-Kenny. GTD Strong for 1 1/2 years.

Hi Jason--

Yes, daily and weekly reviews are essential. Nearly any free chance I get (and feel like it) I am scanning my calendar and lists. The reason I love having my lists portable on my Palm is that those reviews can happen nearly anywhere I happen to be. I see lots of people have their system fall apart simply because they forgot to build any list portability in. If you're roaming around Home Depot and your list of things to get next time at Home Depot are stuck on your computer back in your office, the lists become useless. Portable can be as simply as a printed list too--if you don't want a handheld or your company doesn't support them.

Kelly

Hi Kenny,

I use a Palm with Palm OS. I've always used Palm OS, so moving to Windows Mobile on a Palm would seem foreign to me, but it works better for some who are already familiar with Windows UI, especially if you've never used Palm OS. Palm is still making Treos with both Palm OS and Windows Mobile, and seem to rotate on releases and wireless carriers. I just recently used a Palm 650 on Palm OS before switching to the Centro. Depends entirely on what works with your wireless carrier, but the latest Palm OS Treo is the 755p: http://www.palm.com/us/products/index.html

-Kelly

Kelly wrote "Because my email lives in Lotus Notes, I lose the ability to link an email to a task."

To get the URL of a Notes document you're reading:

1: Right click on the document (either while reading the document or from the view). A context menu should appear.

2: Click "Document Properties" from the context menu. A properties box should appear, with "Document" in the title bar. If you don't see "Document Properties" in the context menu, you are probably editing the document, and you'll either need to switch to read mode (if allowed) or right-click the document from the view.

3: On the properties box, click the "+" tab. If you don't see the "+" tab, either you're using an old version of Notes or you're in edit mode and you'll either need to switch to read mode (if allowed) or right-click the document from the view.

4: The "Identifier" field contains the Notes URL of the document. You can highlight and copy it to the clipboard, then paste it into your tasks.

To open the URL, if Notes is set up correctly then you should be able to treat it like any other URL, including typing it into your web browser.

If certain registry entries are not set up correctly on your PC, then you may need to start Notes first and/or you may need to enter it into the location bar in your Notes client. The easiest way to get the location bar is by the keyboard shortcut ctrl-l (lowercase "L").

Free tip for people who like keyboard shortcuts: In version 8+, Ctrl-shift-L shows you the list of keyboard shortcuts.

I own a Treo 650, which I'll probably give up soon for a Centro. For a couple of years, I've been using Agendus (www.iambic.com), both on the handheld and on the desktop. It runs on top of the native Palm databases, but offers a richer set of features than Palm Desktop.

For list management, I use ThoughtManager (www.handshigh.com). It also has desktop and handheld modules. It hasn't been updated for awhile, but I simply haven't found a better list manager.

Both Agendus and TM are commercial applications. I'm in no way related with their developers.

Thanks Kelly. I'm on a Mac, since the Palm Desktop isn't as intuitive and as easy to use as the Windows version - what do you recommend your clients use on a Mac?

Thank you.

Hi Tim,

Not in any way an endorsement...but one of the more popular implementations of GTD on a Mac is OmniFocus. Or Entourage.

Kelly

Hi Kelly, enjoyed the seminar in Tampa last Friday.

I would like try GTD on my TREO, but dont quite get the big picture..

For a project such as "Implement New Widget", there are sub projects of "Research", "Selection", "Training" and "Installation"

I can see keeping things in the task list under the project/subproject. but then what? move the tasks to a context when they become next actions?
Then move them back to the subtask so I track and remember what I have completed?

I have bonsai, but I am trying to resist the lure of 3rd party software.

The engineer geek in me wants to print out the results and references,.

Perhaps I need to embrace outlook?

Happy Sunday

Lee in Florida

Hi Lee!

Let me see if I can help out.

You wrote--> [do I] move the tasks to a context when they become next actions?
Kelly-->Yes, if project support had the action tracked. I bet you get lots of actions done that were never stored in project plans/support--you just organically, naturally new what was next.

You wrote-->Then move them back to the subtask so I track and remember what I have completed?
Kelly-->It depends. If you don't need any project history, then no. Just mark them complete or delete them. I only have a few projects where I need to report back on status to others also collaborating on the project, so I am going back to the project plans to capture history.

You wrote-->I am trying to resist the lure of 3rd party software.
Kelly-->that's smart. Software is only as good as what you put into it.

You wrote-->Outlook is certainly more robust than Palm Desktop, especially for the email and calendar integration--but again, it's only as good as what you put into it. Go for simplicity.

Hope this helps!
Kelly

p.s. I enjoyed Tampa! Great seminar.

I'm ramping up with GTD and your tips have been a big help.

I'm on a Mac and highly recommend Mac users (and PC and Linux users) check out a free, GTD specific app: ThinkingRock (TR) - written in Java so runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Reviewers/users say it's a robust and polished GTD app. I'm finding it handles all GTD concepts beautifully.

I searched the entire davidco site and found no references which surprised me somewhat.