[TxMt] GTD Upgraded

[Mike Mellor]

Jonathan -

Lots of good points.  Let me try and address some of them.

On 6/15/06, Jonathan Ragan-Kelley <katokop1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Why should the user have to explicitly specify a list of contexts in a
> separate file -- why couldn't contexts just be inferred from those the
> user is already using, like in FMP?  They could of course be cached in
> a .context_cache file for faster access, but it seems to me that
> having an explicit, separate configuration file is entirely
> unnecessary.


FMP is pretty much the opposite of the current bundle, more of less.  As I
understand it, FMP allows a user to add tasks into a single list, which is
then used to create separate context based lists.  What I am trying to do
with the GTD bundle is to enter tasks into project lists (separate files)
that can then be used to create context based lists (right now it's a single
list view, organized by context).

Having said that, the purpose of the contexts.gtd file is to allow a user to
create user-specific contexts, e.g., @MOM'S_HOUSE.  There will be a base set
of contexts that are already in the bundle (TASK, CALL, EMAIL, etc.).  If
there is a way to build it into the bundle without a separate file, I'd be
glad to use it.  The separate file is based on my limited coding skills and
knowledge of TextMate.


The other complexity I don't yet fully grok is why there is this
> notion of task-type that's orthogonal to both context and project.
> >From my own experience, at least, this sort of added layer of
> complexity over and above basic GTD (traditionally you just have
> @email, @work and @home, not tasks vs. email vs. ? | @home vs. @work
> leading to email at home vs. task at work) always winds up getting trimmed
> away in the end, and, where the distinction is genuinely useful, it's
> usually because you actually have a new context distinction
> (@work-email and @home-email), not because these sorts of things need
> to be fundamentally orthogonal throughout, complexifying the system
> even in cases where the location is irrelevant.


I think this actually meshes with the first part, based on what a user
wants.  I'm pretty happy with just TASK, EMAIL, CALL, BUY, etc., but a few
folks want to be able to create more detailed contexts. I think this method
supports both preferences.


> Anyway, just my 2c after watching from a distance for a while.  I'm
> quite interested to see where this goes.


Thanks.

Mike
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