HolyGrail: Access to GTD info online, on mac and on Palm
Benjaloo
I don't think the overlap in membership is large and people in the two
groups have very different skill sets, I think.)
OK, here's my dream system that I'd love help in realizing. I would
like to be able to access (both read and write) my GTD/PIM info via a
web browser, with copies on my Palm AND on my Mac laptop
(since I won't always be able to get online and sometimes carry my
latop and sometimes can't).
Currently, I'm using Memos to store my NAs and Projects, which rules
out simply using
.Mac with iCal (Tasks stored there; also, iCal's Task features are
pitifully rudimentary)/AddressBook. (I suppose I could switch to using
ToDos/Tasks if it would make things easier; however, I'd also like to
have access to some Memos not just for GTD lists--plain text tidbits of
info such as I normally store in Memos (e.g. direction, shopping lists,
etc).
Here are some solutions I've thought of:
1. .Mac for calendar/addrss book, with text files stored on an iDisk
there as a substitute for the memos.
Downsides:
-I haven't found an easy way of getting the text files to sync with the
Palm (tried MacNoteTaker but couldn't get it to sync with iDisk easily,
also it was very awkward to delete files with MacNoteTaker, they kept
reappearaing unless simultaneously deleted on BOTH platforms.)
-also, it means to get at the lists, I need a text editor on whatever
machine I'm using online, as opposed to being able to edit directly in
a browser. I'd certainly prefer to use a text editor when I can, but
some machines don't offer that, e.g. public machines in libraries,
internet cafes, some machines in my work setting, etc.
-Also, .Mac costs $.
2. Online PIM services.
There are lots of them out there, but ScheduleOnline is
the only Mac-compatible one which syncs with the Palm that I've found
so far.
Pros:
-Lets me sync all 4 Palm apps AND any files from my Mac.
Cons:
-Doesn't let me store local copies of things on my Mac--syncs directly
from Palm to Web.
- Also, costs a lot (least expensive plan is $35/mo which permits up to
5 users, but I only need one user).
3. Combining something like .Mac for Calendar/AddressBook info together
with a
free blog (private) for text/Memos. I'd have to use use something like
SiteScooper to sync the
blog/website with my Palm and my desktop.
[I suppose I could use a Wiki as well as a blog, but the same
difficulties apply in terms of syncing the Wiki with the Palm and the
desktop; also, setting up a Wiki seems to involve a lot of web server
work, Apache, PHP, etc, which I'm sure I could learn but which I don't
have the time to learn (I used to do programming many many years ago,
but now I'm in a totally different field.)]
Cons:
-So far, setting up SiteScooper doesn't look so easy.
-Also, .Mac still costs a fair amount.
I'd love comments and suggestions--either from someone who has
something similar
set up, or just from anyone who knows something that might be helpful.
Thanks!
Ben
Evan Zimmerman
.mac contentedly for most of what you mention.
I have an iMac a Powerbook and a PC that I work on at one
time/location or another, depending on the day, and use text files for
all of my lists. I store all of my documents in the iDisk natively so
that they are synced between the macs and the PC (which can access the
iDisk as well). I then use DejaVu to sync the iDisk docs back to the
main Mac for redundancy in a nightly backup.
As for the Palm, I don't have that implemented beyond address
book/calendar. I expect you could write or download a simple
"clickable" Applescript to move your lists to the palm each day, but
I'm not sure about moving them back from the Palm to the Mac/PC to
retain changes. If you don't need to retain changes, just have access
to lists, you might be ok with a script.
I am a bit wary of using online only solutions, because I'm often on a
laptop without access and yet still need to save changes.
Evan
Merlin Mann
information and structure are seamlessly synced with a canonical,
secure online version. Then it's just a question of what _app_ you use
to (download, sync and) use the information, whether web-, device- or
desktop-based.
That's _my_ holy grail for practically everything, I have to admit.
Jonathan Greene
never go back to POP. I've got IMAP working great on my Mac (mail.app)
webmail if I want or via PC (Thunderbird when I've had to work on the
"other" side).
My biggest weakness is wanting to setup server side rules but not
having the skills to get it done without risking the loss of mail. I'd
love to just open my mail, have it sync and be there in the folders
already based on my rules.
I use ChatterEmail on my Treo and can sync up to 8 folders including
sent which is excellent, but without server based filtering I only use
the inbox and file as I receive while on the go.
LikeSoy
Voodoo Pad on my Macs at home
... exported to my iPod
... which is mounted to my PC at work where I keep the files open in my
text editor
I know there's a more elegant solution right under my nose, but we all
know what an endless cycle that can be.
Benjaloo
with a package called First Class? It's hosted on a server (Win or Mac
OS X) and the client software runs on Win, or Mac; also accessible via
browser from any platform (incl PDA, Unix, etc). Syncs to Palm (not
sure about PPC).
You can get a free copy for up to 5 users. The downside is setting up
the server, which doesn't sound superhard.
Does anyone use this or have any experience or opinions to share?
thanks
Ben
Evan Zimmerman
me nervous.
Evan
_________________________
evan.zi...@gmail.com
Myrcurial
The software is by Soft Arc.
J
Evan Zimmerman
class" palm software ;-)
Thanks
Evan
_________________________
evan.zi...@gmail.com
Benjaloo
found---what you found is some organization's FirstClass server login
page.
here is the company's web page with details about the package
http://www.firstclass.com/
brownstudy
else before the thought was e'er born, but if you have a Yahoo account,
there is the Yahoo notepad. Plain text, categories, nothing at all
fancy. But I think the Intellisync software can make your memos into
Yahoo notes and vice versa. Sync to your Palm desktop, which you can
then sync to your Palm.
Of course, it depends on your being online to access the stuff from
your Mac, but...one more kludge, another dependency, not as simple as
one bin for everything. I like my Yahoo stuff because it's been around
for awhile which gives me the illusion it will be around for many more
years, so my data is relatively safe.
I tried using Intellisync once and it munged my Palm setup, so I
haven't tried it again.
Mike
Benjaloo
compatible Intellisync.
I agree I'd rather not have 3 separate copies of my data--more
opportunities for messups with syncing and such. OTOH, having the
stuff available all 3 places is really attractive. I've toyed with the
idea of not entering stuff into the Palm directly, using it as
read-only--just leaving myself voice memos for new stuff and then
entering it online (ideally) or on my Mac (if I can't get online).
Jeffrey Long
because I use two computer programs that are incompatible for sync.
One is Devonthink on the mac and the other is ADBIdeaLibrary on the
PocketPC (freeware and excellent database for GTD).
Rather then trying to shoehorn myself into one monolithic system, I'm
trying to learn how to use both. This is not entirely different then
my physical filing system. I'd love to shoehorn my physical filing
system into devonthink by scanning everything into pdf's, but the time
it would take to do that doesn't justify the advantage. So, I have 3
reference systems. One in devon. One in my pocketpc. And one
physical. Most of my contexts are in the pocketpc. Most of my
reference is in the Mac. I keep mobile contexts and mobile references
in the Pocketpc and I keep permanent reference material in the Mac. I
make changes to both address book and iCal on both pocketpc and Mac and
then syncronize the two. I still have a ways to go in terms of
organizing the placement of the right things in the right place, but
I'm getting there.
Jeffrey
www.jeffreyclong.com
Nik
Filemaker based system that syncs nicely to the Palm with Filemaker
Mobile.
Check the "Filemaker?" thread for more, but you can DL it here:
<http://homepage.mac.com/inik/files/GTDFMP.zip>
Requires Filemaker 7 and EventScript. Filemaker Mobile 7 for the
Palm/PocketPC is also required if you want that kind of portability.
Haven't looked into web sharing yet, but that's the next obvious step.
Going to fix some other stuff first, but if you have a Filemaker
server, you should be able to set it up via Instant Web Publishing
without too much trouble.
Craig
is that this would be cost-prohibitive for my limited needs.
Benjaloo
it free for up to 5 users, but you need to set up the server yourself.
I'm working on getting dynamic DNS set up on a desktop Mac and then
trying to set up the software there. the setup is the cost, clearly.
I may even hire a student with the right skill set to do it for me.
Anybody on the list have the desire, have those skills and live in
Boston?