Ask HN: review my app - a minimalist's to-do organizer | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: review my app - a minimalist's to-do organizer

getcodo.com

51 pointsk7d47 comments

I like the idea, but anything like this, at least for me, needs to be syncing to the web and have a web UI too. You don't necessarily need a mobile client, but a mobile optimized website for it is kind of a must have too.

But I agree that there's a need, though it is a crowded market.

Agreed about the need to sync to the web. If I was to undertake a project like this I would probably do it as a web app (to start) using the bleeding edge HTML 5 local storage stuff so you could use it offline. An inability to sync is a deal breaker for me and (probably) the majority of users on HN.

But overall nice presentation!

Yes, absolutely, the web syncing is a must. The idea is to take it a step further with some cool teamwork capabilities.

About web UI - there are a lot of web-based to-do list out there, so it's not really a big differentiator. For me, being a heavy user, web based to-dos didn't work very well and that was one of the main reasons I built Codo. Nevertheless I can see how it adds some value.

Mobile client - this one I'm also lacking most of all, so will do something about it sooner than later.

todo list apps are incredibly hard to get right. I have found I don't like most of them, and I have resorted to using tadalist most of the time. So far I am liking yours though.

It's really clean and simple, which is great. I also like that you used Air, even if others disagree.

I wish I could see all tasks at once. It looks like just adding an "All" list would accomplish that.

I also wish I could select more than one list at once (with cmnd and/or shift) and see both of them merged together in the main pane.

Adding tags with the pound sign is great, and the auto completion is even better. I really like that.

I wish the tag section could include a "tagless" option, to show me all tasks that lack tags.

If I select more than one task, I wish clicking a checkbox would effectively click all their checkboxes.

It really needs to have an online counterpart though. This unfortunately is really essential. I need my todo lists at home, at work, on my phone, just about anywhere. If you had that, I think I would totally use your app.

I also agree about using Air. I've only used Tweetdeck and this app on it, but it's got me interested in developing on it.

I understand there maybe be certain issues with the platform but it doesn't come without it's strengths.

It looks like you've already written the app. Most people won't install an app just to review it; however they will visit your site. You should have put the site together first and posted that. Then you'd have feedback before you started building it.

Good advice.

Minimum Viable Product: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_viable_product

Minimum viable product of a desktop application is not a website describing what your application will do.

Actually, that's exactly what it is:

The canonical MVP strategy for a web application is to create a mock website for the product and purchase online advertising to direct traffic to the site. The mock website may consist of a marketing landing page with a link for more information or purchase. The link is not connected to a purchasing system, instead clicks are recorded and measure customer interest.

The canonical MVP strategy for a web application is to create a mock website Note the web application text.

Codo is a desktop application and therefor the MVP is a desktop application. Prototyping a web application for a desktop application usually requires a complete rewrite not iteration.

MVP in general seems suspect and something hackers should avoid.

Example: Feature: (deploy first, code later) A link to a new feature in a web application may be provided in a prominent location on an existing website. The feature is not implemented, rather an apology, mock-up, or marketing page is provided. Clicks of the link are recorded and provide an indication as to the demand for the feature in the customer base.

I understand the difference in web vs. desktop. In this case, the intent as it relates to MVP is the same. The example given measured market interest without a prototype, so there is no iterative deployment issue.

I can understand the apprehension about MVP. As a coder myself, it is not an obvious approach (vs. putting out an actual beta) and I've not yet tried it. I'm interested in other people's stories and experiences though, and I'm not inclined to downmod a constructive conversation about it.

Get feedback on a desktop application todo list on a website? That feedback would be next to useless without at least a working prototype to try.

Using it! Love it so far, for the few minutes I've used. Perhaps this will replace my need for tadalist which I resort to every now and then when I have too much on my plate.

Would help to see numerical numbered list. I get a good kick personally knowing I have x things to get through.

I like the numbered list idea as well. Thanks for a tip!

I didn't like that I had to download Adobe AIR for downloading and installing your app. What speaks against making a .dmg file and allowing the user to copy your app wherever she/he likes?

1. Is it even possible to run an AIR app from a local AIR engine, without installing AIR? That would be quite slick.

2. Assuming that were possible, how is this to be packaged for Linux and Win32 such that it Just Works?

First time I looked at an AIR app I was also annoyed about having to install yet another VM thing. But, a few actually useful AIR apps later, I didn't care. So long as there isn't some creepy eternal background process running (cough Google updater cough Apple's itunes spy cough ) as residue, it's not an issue.

Nice app, but I'm not switching from my current scheme of a .txt file for local todos and Google docs for stuff I need to share or get from afar.

I wonder what it would take? I often have a list or two going, but .txt is just so convenient. Why leave emacs at all?

I have tried many methods and apps but always return to scraps of paper.

Current site I'm using is:

http://teuxdeux.com

Figured a few people might be interested in taking a look at this approach which is different to most others I've tried and quite simple.

This actually gave me an idea. TXT file import/export and potentially automatic synchronization would make a lot of sense.

Especially since the primary niche I'm building this for is a technically-savvy crowd, such as developers and development teams.

This way you might even use a text file if you prefer for managing to-dos, but Codo would make sure it's synchronized to web and even take care of teamwork-related aspects.

As such I like it and it seems to be exactly the sort of thing I've been looking for, however there needs to be sync feature and a way for me to view and update my todo list from a browser. Add that and I'm really interested.

Offtopic: I thought that the market for to-do organizers is supersaturated at this points. Is it that there just aren't any good ones? What do you expect the marked for this thing to be?

Personally, I use a white board for lists of projects that need to be accomplished, and my e-mail inbox for the list of things that need to be accomplished soon. Not a perfect system, but at least I can glance at both quickly as I always have Thunderbird open and sit in front of my whiteboard.

There is a bigger vision for new kind of teamwork web service and methodology. It came from my own experience while leading a product development team for several years. General idea is to have a very light / low friction way of planning and tracking teamwork.

Most of current tools in the market focus on projects rather than teams. My believe is that there is a need for both.

To-do app serves as logic starting point for this, kind of a core.

I use Evernote for todo management. For me, the essential feature is, that the todo application is the same as the knowledge management (or notetaking) application.

For example, the todo might be "Fix the bug #1234". In Evernote, this will be the name of the note, and in the body of the note, I copy the bug description, and write any other stuff I discovered during my work. I found that the applications which only maintains the lists of todos are not useful for me.

There are some ideas in this direction as well. It makes sense to organize to-dos and notes in the same fashion.

I'm actually using Evernote myself, it's a good app, but still there are are a number of unnecessary features, and couple critical ones missing.

A couple of things I would like: - Mark todos as recurring - Reminders/Alarms - I would prefer if we could add more to todo. Add todo, give it a title, then fill in the body. - A "Done" button rather than a checkbox - Give todo items a due date in addition to today tomorrow someday.

You say this is a minimalist app, but these are essential for me.

I wouldn't add any of those things... everyone has different 'essential' features.

Sorry if it came out wrong, that's why I said essential "for me".

Recurring & scheduled to-dos - although it was tempting, I decided to leave it out. First because it's against good productivity principles (the less you commit to specific dates, the better), second because calendar software works good enough for that.

About multiple fields per to-do - that's actually against one of the key principles - keep it simple, be minimalist. It keeps your to-do list focused, not overloaded with too much noise and secondary information.

Done button - you can use "Space" shortcut key for that.

"the less you commit to specific dates, the better" I didnt know this, I will have to read more about it. Thanks!

check out this post from Marc Andreessen http://pmarca-archive.posterous.com/the-pmarca-guide-to-pers...

Great for a minimalist app, but I have found a bug already. I created one todo for today, then created another and immediately clicked the Move to Someday button. The Today todos all vanished except for one I had created earlier. Clicking on New Todo restored the lost items.

Good work man.

One suggestion: I think it would be nice if you could tag when a task is "done". At first it doesnt mean much but I can imagine 3-4 weeks into using this id have hundreds of tasks completed. It would be helpful to be able to see when stuff was completed.

I'm intending to add a dashboard which would look kind of like a calendar with would show completed task on each day.

Instead of for minimalists, why not just say "...for You." The minimalists know who they are, and those who aren't sure yet may not be ready to jump into all of the associations.

Anyone else here use Org-Mode (ala emacs?) Getting a text file sync'd is an rsync matter (but it does require 1 box with a public DNS name/static ip).

Like it so far. Air doesn't bother me, I guess I'm an Adobe whore. In a weird way I prefer it for simple tools like this.

This looks good, but I'm pretty happy with TaskPaper, which hits a very similar niche and doesn't require Air.

Logo design must be inspired by Hulu.

I like it, very clean and simple. The # tagging allows to make it flexible.

I installed it on Ubuntu and the menu/tool bar was missing.

Have to admit - haven't tested it on Linux yet. Will look into this today.

one thing you might like to look into is having it talk with some of the todo websites out there, like remember the milk (one of the more popular ones)

Speaking openly, it's a business related issue.

The desktop app is free and it always will be. I'm even intending to open source it one day once the code is solid.

The business model is to provide added value via web-services. Some of it may also be free and some may be charged for.

So, being said that, It makes sense to provide migration path from RTM and alike, but integrating directly with it - not so much.

Maybe I'm dumb, but I can't quite figure out what the "Review" label means. What does it mean?

It's kind of parking area where you can put to-dos which you haven't decided what to do with yet i.e. For example, for quickly dumping ideas etc. Later on you can go over the list and decide whether an item needs to be done today, someday etc.

On a related noted - some in-app "hints" that explains this would be great. Something I should really add ...

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