Screenshots and a Name!
Your soon-to-be-favorite app is brewing inside the PowerBook. It finally has a name — KaDo List. Here’s a peek at the progress:
The picture above shows a new project being created. The drop down sheet has a spot for your overall vision of the project’s successful outcome. This information, along with other details, is available in a drawer for tweaking later during your weekly review.
This screenshot shows the main Project view with the filtering level set at “All.” Here we have created actions for this new project and assigned them to the appropriate contexts. This view serves mostly as a planning view but can also be used when knocking out tasks for a single project at a time.
This last image shows the Context view for “Calls” filtered by Next Action. The call to the VP about our Flying Car project is the very next physical action for this project. Thanks to the filter bar, no other actions are clouding the focus.
So what’s with the Airport-looking button in the toolbar? One click, and it will synchronize with a forthcoming web app which will also allow access from web-enabled mobile phones.
None of the above is set in stone, of course. I have been listening to all of your comments and emails, incorporating your feedback into what you see above. Thank you for your encouragement. That, plus my coffee habit, are fueling the 1.0 release of this app.
Karl Fischer wrote:
When is the RELEASE DATE ;)
Posted on 24-Aug-06 at 6:12 am | Permalink
Fred Priese wrote:
Looking great! I guess I should get GTD read already! :-)
Posted on 24-Aug-06 at 9:25 am | Permalink
Mogore wrote:
Why this name ?
I want to use your app, and in french KaDo sounds like “cadeau” (gift).
By the way, want you a french translator for items ?
Posted on 24-Aug-06 at 3:14 pm | Permalink
Justin wrote:
I think the name will work, however it reminds me of 37signals TaDa List. Good luck with finishing it up!
Posted on 24-Aug-06 at 3:57 pm | Permalink
Dani wrote:
Very excited about your app! Looks great so far! I would like to be a beta also if you dont mind.
Posted on 24-Aug-06 at 3:57 pm | Permalink
Michael Koziarski wrote:
Definitely interested in trying out any beta code you have. Having built my own GTD app, I may be able to provide you with some insights into what didn’t work for me ;)
Posted on 24-Aug-06 at 5:44 pm | Permalink
Jon wrote:
Mogore and Justin, thank you for the feedback on the name. As a happy 37signals customer, it is odd that I didn’t catch the similarity. And the french tip…I sort of have an excuse for that one :-) but need to do some thinking now. Translations would be appreciated. I will email privately if there is something we can do.
Dani, of course you can be a beta tester!
Michael, any advice would be golden. As a TextDrive user building a Rails application, I already owe you.
Posted on 24-Aug-06 at 9:56 pm | Permalink
Andy Fragen wrote:
Jon,
I’ve just finished reading GTD and KaDo List looks great. Any chance you’re still accepting beta testers?
Posted on 27-Aug-06 at 9:58 pm | Permalink
Jon wrote:
Certainly, Andy. You’re on the list.
Posted on 27-Aug-06 at 10:01 pm | Permalink
Cruftius Minimus wrote:
Hey Jon, nice clean design. Love the filtering.
A big “me2″ for beta testing if that’s possible.
I’m kind of relieved to see no “due date” column since that’s something in kGTD that i’ve tended to abuse in non-GTD-ish ways. Any plans in that area?
Posted on 27-Aug-06 at 10:58 pm | Permalink
Jon wrote:
Cruftius, thanks for the feedback. I have added you to the beta list. Right now, I don’t have any due dates in the app for the reason that you mentioned — it didn’t seem to gel with the GTD frame of mind. iCal and Basecamp keep my “hard landscape” at the moment, but I am open to ideas.
Posted on 28-Aug-06 at 12:57 am | Permalink
Bob wrote:
Although I understand that due dates might not be totally in the GTD spirit, I like to keep track of them and it would not want to clutter my iCal with every small due date I have.
But more importantly does it have start dates? I really like the ability of kgtd to keep things off any list that have no use in starting yet. It makes for a nice ‘Tickler folder’. Or do you have any specific Tickler features.
Besides if it you *still* have a need for beta-testers I would be most happy to join the list. I have experience with interaction design.
Posted on 28-Aug-06 at 5:47 am | Permalink
Andy Fragen wrote:
Thanks Jon. I suppose you’ll be sending those on the beta list the appropriate instructions for downloading, etc.
Are you going to create a mailing list for the beta feedback?
Posted on 28-Aug-06 at 2:03 pm | Permalink
Jon wrote:
Bob, I have been testing date-related interface ideas and have a solution ready that keeps the concrete items out of the app (like scheduled meetings) but allows project-related dates such as start dates to be stored. As long as I can keep it in the app and maintain absolute clarity, it will stay. If it adds any fuzziness, it may have to go. I hope to have this in your beta (yes, you’re on the list now) so your feedback will be welcome.
Posted on 29-Aug-06 at 12:19 am | Permalink
Jon wrote:
Andy, yes, you will receive an email with specific instructions when everything is ready to go. There will be an open channel for feedback — at least a mailing list but likely something less corporate. This beta group is comprised of some interesting people with lots of ideas and I would be open to chatting online, emailing directly, even chatting over the phone. We’ll see what works out when the magic day arrives :-)
Posted on 29-Aug-06 at 12:24 am | Permalink
Karl Fischer wrote:
Hi Jon, Are you still accepting beta testers ?
Colour Label Support will Rock !!
Posted on 29-Aug-06 at 5:22 am | Permalink
Jon wrote:
Karl, you’re on the list. I’m a fan of color labels too but don’t know if they’ll make it into the 1.0 release. We’ll see how things shape up as we approach the beta release.
Posted on 29-Aug-06 at 10:02 pm | Permalink
Essl wrote:
I love love how simple this is, keeping it lean and mean will separate you from the midnight beep app…
Posted on 01-Sep-06 at 8:32 am | Permalink
Andrew wrote:
Hi, I am a cocoa developer and would love to be a beta tester. I can provide quality feedback.
Thanks so much,
-andrew
Posted on 07-Sep-06 at 1:49 am | Permalink
Jon wrote:
Andrew, you’re on the list.
Posted on 07-Sep-06 at 6:39 am | Permalink
Matt Wynne wrote:
Great work Jon, it looks like it’s coming together nicely. I’d be keen to do some beta testing for you too if you’d like.
I’m interested in the ’sync’ button - I’ve been thinking for a while that I’d like to be able to export an XML doc of my todo list from kGTD, thereby being able to copy it up to the web or wherever and use XSLTs to pull out context lists. Do you think your tool might be able to provide an export function like that? Or are you even perchance using XML for your back-end anyway?…
Posted on 07-Sep-06 at 11:40 am | Permalink
Jon wrote:
Thanks, Matt. You’re on the list. And yes, the web syncing piece of it talks to a web app that splits out tasks by project or by context. I haven’t posted much detail on what’s coming in that area but it won’t be long. Regarding the XML formatting, the back-end of my app uses Core Data which allows both XML and SQL storage of data. I am using XML for easy tweaking during development, but the release version will be using the embedded SQL engine to make sure everything is snappy. I’ll take the export idea into consideration. Thanks for the input.
Posted on 07-Sep-06 at 1:16 pm | Permalink
KaBlog / MILESTONE: KaDo List Now Runs on KaDo List wrote:
[…] Thanks to feedback from my last screenshots post, and some keen advice from a fellow CocoaHead in St. Louis, I have decided that KaDo List is now officially a code name. The real name for the app now reflects the true spirit of the experience. It will be announced along with the beta release on this blog. […]
Posted on 10-Sep-06 at 10:49 pm | Permalink
Steve wrote:
Hi Jon,
I like what I see. I have been trying everything I can find to implement a gtd system that works of me. If you need another beta tester I would love in.
Steve
Posted on 11-Sep-06 at 8:36 am | Permalink
Jon wrote:
Thanks, Steve. You’re on the list.
Posted on 11-Sep-06 at 9:42 pm | Permalink
Linda wrote:
This looks really great — I would love to be a beta tester if you are still accepting requests.
ld
Posted on 20-Sep-06 at 10:43 am | Permalink
Jon wrote:
@Linda:
Thank you. You have been added to the list.
Posted on 21-Sep-06 at 11:51 am | Permalink
thomas wrote:
looks great! if you’re still in search for beta testers, fill me in!
Posted on 26-Sep-06 at 6:37 pm | Permalink
Rishabh R. Dassani wrote:
I like the name more than anything…..lol
Posted on 28-Sep-06 at 2:15 pm | Permalink
David wrote:
Actiontastic is a great step in the GTD direction for OS X!
A few suggestions that would make this easier and faster to use are below. I’m not suggesting an over-blown application, but one with enough “power” so that entry is simple, fast, and very flexible for any kind of project and action.
1. If I’m on the Projects page (tab), and I’ve selected a project (for example, “Plan Trip to Spain”), we can currently click the “+” symbol to get a new action in this project. However, there should be two other methods of getting a new action: (a) some key sequence, and (b) double-clicking on any line in the right-hand window. I agree with other users who have said that there also needs to be a way that when we press RETURN after typing in an Action, a new action appears under it. This would allow us to enter a long list of associated actions.
2. The same thing holds true for the Projects screen.
3. Right now, the list of Projects and Contexts is sorted alphabetically, and I can’t find a way to rearrange them.
4. Subfolders - MUST have subfolders! — for Projects AND for Actions! If we want, we can then group Actions into logical groups.
5. iCal integration, as many others have already commented.
6. Actions need to be a bit more sophisticated in terms of data they can hold; specifically, we need to be able to include links to Internet sites, links (aliases) to files on our computer, etc.
7. If the length of the text of an Action is longer than the Action column, there is no way to read it. Double-clicking on the Action row only allows us to edit it. We need a way to show/edit more info per Action item.
8. Due dates for Action items AND Projects! For example, every action may have a specific due date, and the Project as a whole may have a due date. Due dates need to be shown in the main window so we can sort on them.
9. It would make entering Actions faster if every new action inherited the Context of the previous one entered; if we change its context, then any subsequent Actions would assume this one. This would save a bit of time rather than having to set the Context for every Action.
Alternatively (or additionally), there could be a key sequence that we could define for each of our contexts to quickly set them, or some other fast way to set the contexts.
Alternatively (or additionally), allow users to use shift-click and option-click to select multiple lines of Actions, then set the Context for all of them at once (similar to the way iTunes allows us to select any group of songs, Get Info, and change anything for all of them at once.
10. What if Action A MUST be started/completed before we can do Action B? How will Actiontastic handle this? One way would be dependencies (starting Action B is dependent on starting or completing Action A).
We’re all looking forward to seeing the future development of this application!
Best luck with it!
Posted on 29-Sep-06 at 1:06 am | Permalink