Odot is a simple but powerful task manager, meant to address the problems of simple to-do lists. To this, it aims to incorporate:
- a hierarchical tree of tasks, to allow task subdivision. This provides better task organization and addresses the need to split "iceberg" tasks into manageable units. See for example Checkvist and Workflowy.
- an auto-updating model for items without a well-defined deadline, like TeuxDeux.
- a multi-component, objective priority scale (work in progress) to better inform execution order. This includes setting due dates with various levels of precision, and allows settin complex repeating patterns.
- a visual planner (agenda), where tasks are automatically filled given their estimated duration and the time available (but can be manually readjusted). They also rearrange automatically if tasks aren't marked as completed.
- ability to tag and filter tasks in real-time with a powerful search engine
(think gmail, github, duckduckgo). This is just for extra convenience.
But some tags could even be configured to automatically fill
some of the priority components (e.g.
#work-->commitment:paid work). Perhaps also a context (@home, etc.) for location-based task selection. - A simple text-based interface (see todo.txt) for current tasks. SQLite for archived (completed / deleted) tasks, so it works perfectly offline. Perhaps a node-webkit app.
- With cloud storage integration so it syncs across devices for free, see TextDrop for example.
Initial plans were to make this a client-side browser-based app, consisting of a simple html file and a text file serving as the "database", which would be located in a synchronized folder, such as Dropbox or Google Drive.
This would have made things easier both in the development side (because it would outsource user account management and file versioning), and in the user side (because it would eliminate the hassle of creating Yet Another Account as well as any security concerns associated with that).
Alas, this is not yet possible (in the browser) with client-side code only, so Odot is being built as a server-side app instead. This means that, while there's a demo in the works that can be played with, it won't load or save data; you will have to host it in a server if you want your data saved persistently.
Odot is still mostly in the planning phase, with very little actually implemented. Feel free to contribute ideas, fixes, improvements, and (constructive) criticism. Check Odot's roadmap for an outline of upcoming development and planned features. (Click on the (more) links to read each milestone's detailed description).
Meanwhile, there are plenty of good apps out there that follow some of the principles outlined for Odot. Checkvist, HollyApp and Workflowy are highly recommended.
