I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file • Hacker News Board

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#461

Post by LAC-Tech » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:33 PM UTC

I solved my problem with a todo stack, stored in a text file.

Basically it's a TUI app that operates on new line separated text.

Insanely simple. can only operate on the top 3 todo items. All one shot keypresses to manipulate.

But I absolutely love it. Use it every day. Those one shot keypresses to manipulate may not sound like much, but it's always 1-4 less keypresses than I'd need in vim, and the limitations free up a lot of mental space.

(I'd give a link but it's posix only and I you'd have to compile it yourself, and also I don't want to implement your features).

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#462

Post by harha_ » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:37 PM UTC

I can't believe this is what hackernews has become. This kind of stuff is at the top.

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#463

Post by ElijahLynn » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:40 PM UTC

Checkvist is pretty decent, entirely keyboard shortcut driven. I'm a beast when it comes to making and editing lists with Checkvist, so fast.

I can rearrange, nest, denest, move up or down in hierarchy, just focus in on one hierarchy, mark as completed, filter search.

All with keyboard shortcuts!

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#464

Post by ElijahLynn » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:41 PM UTC

l1am0 wrote: post #338

Shoutout to checkvist.com use them for years. Exactly enough bells and whistles. It fits my brain of an endless deep list. Have no affiliate with them apart from paying them each and every year.

TruTruth! I've been paying them for a couple years too, and am still in the camp of "take my money".

Such an efficient to-do list that has progressive enhancement of some sorts where you start out with a list and if you want more features they just kind of are there but they don't get in the way unless you want them. I love how I can do everything with keyboard shortcuts with Checkvist!

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#465

Post by anzumitsu » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:45 PM UTC

don_neufeld wrote: post #398

anzumitsu wrote: post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you give some examples of your 100 daily actions? I’m struggling to understand how you’re scheduling so many things, like I’m sure I complete 100 actions in a day but most are going to be things like “brush my teeth” or “clean up the dinner dishes”, which I personally wouldn’t schedule.

It's definitely detailed. Here are a few from today: Call PG&E about medical baseline allowance Check SM Court website re: Conservancy ruling Expect next invoice from [redacted] Order refill of [medication] Book service for [vehicle] Various financial transfers associated with agreements. Tons of project related tasks for work I can't share etc, etc.

Sounds like you need an assistant haha. I’m glad your system is working though.

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#466

Post by russellbeattie » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:45 PM UTC

fmbb wrote: post #209

pancakemouse wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What this shows to me, as someone who has committed some of the unholy crimes above, is that people want their system, however esoteric, to come naturally to them. I think reading docs, understanding a new system which someone else has designed, and fitting one's brain into _their_ organisational structure is the hard part. Harder than designing one's own system. It's the reason many don't stick with an off-the-shelf…

Also, if you are a developer by trade a lot of these features are quick and easy to implement.

Exactly. Most people wish they could customize their Todo app or system to their specific preference or need, but have no way of making it happen. Devs can, so they do.

What's interesting is AI is going to change this. Entering a prompt for an app that has all the features you want is already pretty trivial, and will only get better.

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#467

Post by j0e1 » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:49 PM UTC

AiAi wrote: post #194

Igrom wrote: post #92

Reading through the comments under this thread, there are many users who swear by a plain text file, but who then build quite a lot of snowflake software to regain functionality offered by more structured TODO applications. That includes: - having your computer alert you to things that come up - being able to tag notes - being able to add events to a calendar - being able to set priority of tasks - expecting prioriti…

I think one thing that is missing from emacs/org-mode is the mobile integration. There are apps that handle some features of org-mode on mobile, but probably missing features of the desktop version. Currently, I manage my notes only on the desktop because I haven't found a good companion on mobile.

If you have Android, emacs is now officially supported on Android (https://f-droid.org/packages/org.gnu.emacs). Along with https://github.com/Julow/Unexpected-Keyboard, it turns out to be a pretty usable (assuming you are the type that is okay working with emacs in general). I am now in search of a simple way to sync notes between my phone and computer (without using Big Tech solutions).

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#468

Post by russellbeattie » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:49 PM UTC

I tried a bunch of different shoe styles, but decided that cheap sandals are really all you need. You people wearing boots, sneakers or loafers should really consider going back to basics.

I mean, we all have feet, right? And we all want to protect the soles of our feet, so there's really no need for all the bells and whistles like laces or padding.

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#469

Post by goncalossilva » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:51 PM UTC

> Todoist: Great until I realized I was gaming the points system instead of doing actual work. Turns out completing “drink water” 8 times a day doesn’t make you productive.

OP was drinking 2+ liters of water per day. It may not be productive work-wise, but it's productive health-wise.

So... win?

Re: I tried every todo app and ended up with a .txt file

#470

Post by shinycode » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:52 PM UTC

For work I use pen and paper now. Sometimes a notepad on the Mac and every few days I sum everything up on paper. For iOS the best tool I found is Goodtask, a lot a customization, build upon Reminders from Apple so a single source of truth, integrates with calendar and Siri. Awesome app.