July 27, 2006

Online ToDo Lists: Feature Rich and Flexible

Keeping a ToDO list is the ONLY way thet you can ensure you don't forget things you have to do and manage what you have to do. Some peope prefer to use a paper todo list but for years I've used a PDA (and before that the old fashioned Casio and Sharp electronic organizers). I have now a Dell Axim, that I want to replace as it's too big - especially now that I've been trying out Verizon Wireless' (quite slim) Motorola Q. Another option you might want to consider is an online ToDo list.

One limitation of an online todo list (that is not synched to your PDA) is that you would have to print out the todo list so you have it with you to remember to do. Having a todo list online only is ok for a project that does not require checking several times a day, I suppose, but for day to day taks, you really need something in-hand.

Ken Yarmosh of Technosight writes about one online todo list who uses and includes links to many more. He writes A while back, I started using Remember the Milk as one of the key tools to help me keep track of "To Do's" or other general things I needed to accomplish that were not necessarily time specific (i.e., they needed to stay on my radar). Remember the Milk (RTM) is pretty powerful, allowing multiple lists to be created and viewed from separate tabs - ideal for separating the lists for each part of your life.

Tasks can also be prioritized, as well as tagged to create "smart lists". So, for example, if you had two items that need completing but are currently dependent on others, you could tag them with "waiting" and subsequently create a "Smart List" with that tag (where you could view all items tagged with waiting). Other things that RTM does well is preserve list/task completion history (from deletion or archiving), allows other RTM members to assign you tasks, and supposedly supports iCal (although I haven't been able to get a list to sync with 30Boxes or Google Calendar).

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