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Ask HN: Best to-to list, outliner, task manager
1 point by owkaye on April 29, 2011 | hide | past | favorite | 12 comments
I'm seeking a simple to-to list, outliner, or task manager to help me list individual tasks -- and to sub-list in priority order the steps needed to accomplish each task.

I think a tool like this was posted here some time in the past, but I cannot remember its name.

If you have any suggestions for a tool that can handle this in a simple, effective interface please post it in this thread -- and let's discuss the pros and cons of each so I can figure out which is the best tool for my needs.

I seem to have a huge number of tasks to accomplish in the new responsibility I've taken on as a manager of a small farm property, and in between programming projects I would love to be able to go to a simple online tool and immediately see a complete list of all the tasks I need to accomplish -- along with the required steps needed to complete each task -- so I can focus on what I NEED to focus on and therefore become more productive.

Thanks.



I've tried about a million, and have found Todoist.com and Workflowy.com to be the most aligned with how I manage to-dos.

They both allow hierarchal task lists like you want, and both have extremely clean interfaces.

Workflowy is particularly useful for focus, as it allows you to sort of "zoom in" on one task so you see only that task and its subtasks.


I will start by looking at workflowy since you like its ability to focus on a single task when that's all you care about at that time. Thanks. (edit: I think workflowy may be the one I heard about here a while back, the name sounds somewhat familiar.)


I use a notebook and a pen. Very cheap, highly portable, super high resolution, infinite battery life.


Please do not post time-wasting comments like this. I asked a serious question and I would appreciate a thoughtful and useful answer.


My answer was serious. I've tried computer "to do lists" many times. None are as fast, convenient, accessible, or inexpensive as a simple notebook and a pen. Sometimes the best solution does not involve a computer.

I rewrite my tasks each day. This tends to have the side effect of making me complete those nagging little ones that sometimes seem stay forever.

To prioritize, I just put a little star next to the important tasks. I tried using different color inks and annotating with categories in the past but found this to be a waste of time.

It is a permanent record that I don't have to worry about backing up. I've got notebooks going back over 20 years now.

I guess one down side is that one cannot data mine it, I question the actual usefulness of such an activity.


I've tried pen and paper and it doesn't work well for me.

I have no time or desire to rewrite my tasks every day. There are literally hundreds of them, each with tens or hundreds of sub-tasks needing to be finished before the main task is considered complete.

Basically I want to use a computerized system because I believe that it will be far faster, easier and more flexible for me.


No where did you say the tool had to be online. I find paper and pen the best option as well.


it doesn't have to be online, but it must run on a computer. There, I hope this makes it clear that pen (or pencil) and paper is not an option ... :)


I think this thread has served its purpose. Workflowy appears to be the ideal tool for what I need. If someone has a better suggestion please email me, my email address is in my profile. Thanks.


THings is a pretty good one, available on many platforms


If you can post a URL and/or provide some reasons why you say this is a good one, that would be helpful. (edit: I found a program called "Getting Things GNOME!" that is probably similar to the one you referred to as "things". Thanks.)


http://orgmode.org/




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