All web GTD

[misanthropic777]

I've determined that my current lifestyle can't really do a single desktop (like the outlook client (which I loved) or even any other single-machine software). I have 3 offices and on any given day will be in at least 2 of them plus moving around. However when I think about it, I have pretty darned near ubiquitious web access. Even when I'm not in an office I have either wireless or can use my phone.

So, I am attempting to implement an all web GTD arrangement.

What I've come up with so far is:
igoogle - customizable home page that shows the next 3 together:
gmail - used vanilla - I tag mail to projects but don't store actions in here
gcal - hard landscape
remember the milk - task lists, by day plus undated at the bottom

Anyone have any feedback? Done anything similar? What? How did it work?

[richard.watson]

I'm a desktop-solution person but have you thought of maybe trying a moleskine? If I ran around that much maybe I'd just want my actions with me all the time, and maybe a paper solution is worth a shot. I suggest this only because it sounds like you're integrating a few apps, and a bit of simplicity would do some good.

(Not the answer you were looking for, I know - maybe try out your plan and tell us how it goes :) )

[misanthropic777]

I'm not actually moving around the whole time - I go from one office for a few hours to another for a few hours to home for a few hours. Email is how people get ahold of me when I'm in one of the other places, but its not actually what I think of as a mobile lifestyle (where I'm out and about a lot); Its more like several different workstations, all of which are internet-accessible.

I've tried paper in the past - its fine for taking care of the hard landscape, but I find that dealing with tasks on paper (since so many come via email) is more trouble than its worth. And frankly, a lot less fun...

[AndyD]

If you love Outlook, why not try a USB memory stick, and run Outlook from that?

I did this for a while when moving between the "home" office and the "office" office!

Just move your Outlook *.PST file (it contains all your Outlook data) to a memory stick and your good to go.

When you get to any of the offices running Outlook, you can then open the *.PST file from the memory stick and work on it as usual.

With it on the stick, it's almost like Outlook in your pocket!

If you do this, it's a good idea to backup the *.PST regularly, so if you lose the stick you don't lose Outlook. Also set the password options too, so if you do lose the stick, the data won't be readable by anyone else!

Let me know if you need a more detailed tech explanation or step by step guide to do any of this.

Taking it further, there's always the PocketPC option - running a simplified but still usefull version of Outlook on a PDA/Phone type device.

I'm doing this with a Qtek9100 Pocket PC and it works a treat. However, if I was more office based I'd definitely pop the *.PST file onto a memory stick and do it that way.

Best regards,

Andy.

[toms73]

I have had good (not perfect) success using backpackit.com Keeps track of all contexts, projects, agendas plus notes,and can link to documents and writeboards.

[misanthropic777]

Hi Andy - That won't work because it isn't so much outlook I love as the GTD plug-in, which would need to be licensed and installed on each system I use. That gets expensive.

toms73 - I'll take a look at backpackit - that's worth a try!

[Tom Shannon]

I've determined that my current lifestyle can't really do a single desktop (like the outlook client (which I loved) or even any other single-machine software). I have 3 offices and on any given day will be in at least 2 of them plus moving around. However when I think about it, I have pretty darned near ubiquitious web access. Even when I'm not in an office I have either wireless or can use my phone.

Just FYI if you really like Outlook there's no reason why you can't continue to use it from a commercially available Exchange service. These sync your Outlook across as many machines as you like and can usually be accessed from a PocketPC anywhere you have web access, as well. I use this company:

http://www.4smartphone.net/

Less than 20 American dollars a month. I've seen plans as low as $5/month from other companies.

Tom S.

"You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat."
--Albert Einstein

[lldanj]

I also use multiple computers during a given day. I use Plaxo (free version) to synchronize. Basically, each computer automatically synchronizes my calendar, contacts, task list and notes with Plaxo (online) every once in a while (15 minutes, I think). Then, when I use my other computer, it syncs with plaxo and picks up any changes to my data. I find it a very solid and simple solution.
Dan

[misanthropic777]

I guess I wasn't clear - I ONLY like outlook because of the GTD plug-in, which is licensed and installed on a desktop-by-desktop basis. Therefore I would need to pay for it 3+ times, try to get the IT department at one of the sites to install it for met, etc. It isn't practical for me to do that.

The plug-in allows you to hit a button as you read your mail and tell the system what to do with that (file for reference, defer for later, delegate to someone else, etc). In a perfect world I would like that same functionality, but since the world isn't perfect I would at LEAST like to be able to do those things from wherever I was. Thus using web-based tools.

[Tom Shannon]

I guess I wasn't clear - I ONLY like outlook because of the GTD plug-in, which is licensed and installed on a desktop-by-desktop basis.

Sorry. It wasn't clear to me that it could only be installed on one machine. That's a mighty restrictive license. I've seen programs that cost thousands of dollars where they do that but usually small time stuff like this can be installed on multiple machines as long as its used by a single user (at work and at home for instance).

[shrug] I guess that's the way of things.

Tom S.

[misanthropic777]

Sorry. It wasn't clear to me that it could only be installed on one machine. That's a mighty restrictive license. I've seen programs that cost thousands of dollars where they do that but usually small time stuff like this can be installed on multiple machines as long as its used by a single user (at work and at home for instance).

[shrug] I guess that's the way of things.

Tom S.

Sorry if I came across harsh. You just have NO idea how cranky I was when I found out. My poor husband had to listen to me rant for the better part of an hour over it.

If that weren't the case your solution sounds great - being able to sync the contents of the different installations would definitely help, and that's a good thing to know about! Maybe someone else can use it.

[Barry]

I have been trying to settle on an all-internet implementation as well. I have something similar to yours. Like you, I use Gmail and an internet calendar like Gcal (I am using AirSet, but considering a switch to Gcal). I have not tried RTM. For the lists I decided to go with a simple document rather than a database approach. I am using a Google Documents document for that. I set it up using the HTML list formatting and the items can be dragged and dropped to reorder the list if I want.

My contacts are currently in AirSet as well, but I am thinking of converting them to a Google Document like my other lists. That would give me an all-Google implementation with a single log-in.

One thing that I have not yet put on the internet is my tickler. I think it would be possible to set up a dedicated calendar in Gcal for tickler items, but this seems like too much fuss to maintain. I am probably going to set up a 3x5 card file as a small physical tickler system.

In my case, I print all this out and work from a paper binder, but I like having most of it backed up to the web and having appointment reminders sent to my cell phone.

[Toes_NZ]

I also work at different locations every day. I am using a portable gtd setup on a usb key. It consists of my life organised http://www.mylifeorganized.net/ running completely from the key and my outlook pst file also on the key. Have been using this setup for several months now and it works a trick. Another program that works from a usb key is Time & Chaos & Intellect. Intellect is quite a good alternate to Outlook. If you do setup outlook on a USB key, purchase a high speed key, I am using a Corsair Flash Voyager GT 4g which works well.

[sjdavis113]

My laptop just crashed and I'm seriously looking into some open source apps such as Open Ofice. From what I've read, there is no PIM integrated with this particular app, although there seem. to be some more than adequate PIM apps available that are free or cost very little. I use my laptop with me everywhere along with a BB. Any advice or suggestions with non Microsoft office suite programs with integrted PIM capabillties? Some have mentkoned GMail, google docs, etc but is that all integrated? And is there a PIM app that would work well with google? I'd appreciate any info or suggestions from fellow GTDr's.

Stacey

[misanthropic777]

My laptop just crashed and I'm seriously looking into some open source apps such as Open Ofice. From what I've read, there is no PIM integrated with this particular app, although there seem. to be some more than adequate PIM apps available that are free or cost very little. I use my laptop with me everywhere along with a BB. Any advice or suggestions with non Microsoft office suite programs with integrted PIM capabillties? Some have mentkoned GMail, google docs, etc but is that all integrated? And is there a PIM app that would work well with google? I'd appreciate any info or suggestions from fellow GTDr's.

Stacey

What are you looking for the PIM app to do? Google apps (word processor, spreadsheet, etc) are somewhat integrated with gmail and gcal (the email and calendar applications). The missing piece is the task list. Remember the milk is good, although I've started using gmail itself. Vitalist and todoist are others.

The more I look the more really neat firefox extensions I'm finding to make these things work together better. But I really wish google would make a task list....

I've seen discussions

[billjw]

I use GMail and Gcal and would kill for a good task list. I am a bit surprised Google hasn't come up with one before now.

Anyway, I played with Todoist and noticed there is a iGoogle module that links to Todoist. So, I haven't finalised my thoughts and I do start a new job on Monday so I may not need a web based solution but, on my iGoogle, I have my calendar (with Agenda visible), my Todoist list and my Gmail - all on one screen.

Don't know of that helps anyomne but I'm not sure I need much more. I think Todoist could do with some tweaks but I am sure, in time, it'll get them.

If that doesn't solve any problems, please don't flame me!

Bill

[Barry]

I would be surprised if Google didn't come out with a task list application soon. At that point, the various Google apps (mail, calendar, tasks, docs) would be pretty close to a complete, integrated PIM. Meanwhile, I am keeping a task list as a Google Doc to round it out.

For what it's worth, AirSet seems to be a pretty complete online PIM, except that there is no email.

[billjw]

For what it's worth, AirSet seems to be a pretty complete online PIM, except that there is no email.

Looks like there might be now... :)

Or am I missing something?

[Barry]

Looks like there might be now... :)

Or am I missing something?
I may be the one missing something, but my understanding is that AirSet has a messaging function and a way to send email, but it does not provide the functionality of something like Gmail. It only allows you to send out announcements to your group members. No way to receive or read email. They may well add that function at some point.

[12hourhalfday]

It sounds good to me in theory but I still feel most comfortable with analog solutions.

1. Hipster PDA
2. Lots of Moleskine Notebooks

Don't get me wrong though. My main system is located in my Blackberry.

[silvia225]

Todoist has had many improvements recently. There is a good extension to add NAs. It can be integrated with Gmail and has reminders, Mobile access, Todoist API, QuickSilver plugin,widgets for iGoogle and Netvibes, a widget for Dashboard (Mac OS X only). It also works with labels and it is recommended for those who likes keystrokes. The query function is getting better, too.

http://todoist.com/

Silvia

[kewms]

Before going to a web-based solution, you might want to make sure that you really, truly, have web access *all* the time. That's less of a concern if you are switching between stable offices, but it's a huge concern if you are planning to work at random places like coffee shops. Murphy's Law says that the more critical web access is, the more likely it is that your favorite location will have a line out the door, or will have its own access go down, or something.

There's also the personal preference issue, of course. I went to a paper system in part because I realized that while I could use electronic tools anywhere, I really didn't want to. Somehow I found electronic tools overly intrusive.

YMMV.

Katherine

[Barry]

My company is updating its information security policies which will include blocking internet document storage services like filesanywhere and Google Docs. I work at a government contracting organization and this is part of a push from the government to it’s contractors to comply with government information security guidelines. These kinds of concerns could easily spill out into other sectors as best practices. I think the underlying concern is that the ITS department wants to make sure that no one is taking sensitive corporate files and storing them on internet servers that are not under the protection of our internal security.

This will put a big dent in my web based GTD implementation, which is relying on GDocs for list management and contacts. Or at least my access to it from work.

This post is mostly just a heads-up for others that this could be coming your way at some point.

I think the way I will be handling it is to convert each of my GDocs to a Gmail message and storing it as a draft. It can still be easily edited and printed that way and should still be available to me at work (we’ll see after 10/1). This will also be convenient since it will be integrated with my personal email that way.