From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Pete Phillips Subject: Re: Another GTD question. Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:28:37 +0100 Message-ID: <21793.1161516517@lap1.smtl.co.uk> References: <76f7cd71190bcff68e57e71d163fe49f@science.uva.nl> <3c12eb8d0610041011g22dda93ahf42608e6482f8c77@mail.gmail.com> <453A8918.4090405@gmail.com> Return-path: Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1GbbVe-0003JE-8I for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 22 Oct 2006 07:28:54 -0400 Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1GbbVc-0003J0-Lv for Emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 22 Oct 2006 07:28:53 -0400 Received: from [199.232.76.173] (helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1GbbVc-0003Ix-HS for Emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 22 Oct 2006 07:28:52 -0400 Received: from [193.131.77.174] (helo=mailhost.smtl.co.uk) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.52) id 1GbbVb-0007jb-QI for Emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 22 Oct 2006 07:28:52 -0400 In-Reply-To: Message from Christopher Kuettner of "Sat, 21 Oct 2006 22:54:48 +0200." <453A8918.4090405@gmail.com> List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: Christopher Kuettner Cc: Emacs-orgmode@gnu.org Chris> Aside from that... Chris> What is the basic design model for org-mode? What is org Chris> supposed to be? Where it is headed? I thought I got an Chris> outliner with dates-capabilities. No it's almost a full Chris> fledged publishing platform... Someone mentioned that org-mode is a bit like perl. I agree. Way back, someone described perl as "the Swiss army chainsaw of UNIX programming". Over the last 12 months, I think org mode has evolved into something akin to the "Swiss army JCB of organisational software" (to stretch a metaphor until it screams for mercy!). The 3.14 manual (May 2005 ?) says: Org-mode is a mode for keeping notes, maintaining ToDo lists, and doing project planning with a fast and effective plain-text system. Org-mode develops organizational tasks around NOTES files that contain information about projects as plain text. ...... Org-mode supports ToDo items, deadlines, time stamps, and scheduling. The latest manual (up to 85 pages from 42!) makes the same claim. So I think the basic design model is clear. Yes, it has had a massive amount of development over the last year - the tags functionality (which has its own section in the manual) was the function that made org-mode indispensable to me, and the other major addition was the publishing function (which I have never used, but clearly there are some users who have found this the indispensable part of org-mode). However, the underlying goals of maintaining TODO lists with a fast plain-text system remains unchanged. Chris> I think you did a terrific job so far. And like others, I feel I don't say this often enough. Carsten is a real star - I assume he has a day job where he has to do work to earn his keep :-) but the level of support is astounding. I have had a few major issues in the last year where I have been sending files and emails back and forth to Carsten during the day, and he has fixed the problem within a few hours. Chris> Maybe you have to make some fundamental decisions here... I disagree with this. As far as I can see, the development has been very much in accordance with the original design criteria. Yes, it is now much more sophisticated, and it allows you to do the same thing in many different ways. This to me is a benefit of org-mode - I keep learning new things I can do. For example, the link with diary/calendar mode is awesome - and this week I learned that I can change the dates of Deadlines etc in the Agenda buffer using the Shift-Cursor keys, which has saved a whole lot of tabbing to the org-mode buffer to change each date, then 'Ctrl-X B'ing back! Very slick. I implement a complete GTD system using org-mode, which I use intensively - it runs my working and home life. At present I have 198 Work projects (using David Allen's definition of a project), and around 100 Home projects which I am managing with org-mode plus the 43 physical folders and project files. If I ever feel that it is going in the wrong direction, I will make my feelings known, as I depend on it. However, at the moment, I do not think Carsten needs to make any fundamental decisions, as development appears to be continuing on the right track. Pete