Move to a different solution if interface concerns aren't addressed?

[savantier]

Continuing the discussion from How do we feel about the checkboxes on the right?:

@Dale

I have no expectation OF1 will be updated beyond a short time period after the release of OF2. I have only been posting here because the use of a right-hand checkbox in combination with its new role in OF2 is one of my primary reasons I find OF2 difficult to use. With all of the hoopla over the “improved interface” my concerns are drowned out and I am exploring my options in investigating other tools to attempt to maintain the productivity I have come to expect from OF1. Continued use of OF1 is not an option as this solution would be short lived.

If I may ask you a further question:

If the interface is causing you frustration will you continue to use such software if these items are not addressed? This is what I am preparing for, if aspects of the software are not addressed I see no reason for my upgrade. I have been using OF1 since about 2008 (if I recall correctly) and it might be time to move to another option.

I highly doubt OmniFocus 1 will be updated at all in the near future. As said, if compatibility issues arise on OS X 11/10.11, then their default option would be to tell us to upgrade to OmniFocus 2. That’s to be expected of course, and if the data density and other UX issues aren’t solved then I’ll stay on Mavericks, unfortunately.

In terms of long-run: I personally wouldn’t upgrade to OmniFocus 2 (despite being eligible in terms of my software license), since having poor data density is an productivity-shattering defect. It’s kind of like having your peripheral vision cut off completely, so that you have tunnel vision. Not exactly ideal.

In terms of defecting to another app – two issues with that.

1. I’ve just jumped ship to OmniGroup. I’ve always seen their software as overly expensive (now I see it as justified, of course) and relatively boring interface, from the old OS X Tiger days. So I didn’t really touch their software until early last year when I saw OmniFocus 2 with its modern interface.

I beta-tested OmniFocus 2, was pleasantly surprised. Fantastic. I also downloaded OmniPlan for iPad (sadly, the old version) and found that to be quite useful (despite its price).

Earlier in September, OmniGroup released a public beta of OmniOutliner 4. I tried it. Phenomenal note-taking capability. If combined with DEVONthink (as the data/knowledge repository), it is a killer combination (as compared to lesser workflows like Pages and Finder, Evernote and it’s built-in editor, …).

So yes.

Back to the topic.

Ideally I would not like to leave the OmniGroup ecosystem because 1) I’ve already joined it 2) OmniGroup is a respected software development company with a long history from the NeXT days.

2. There is no other alternative in the market at the moment. Cultured Code’s Things has a phenomenally slow development cycle (like OmniGroup and DEVONtechnologies), but without the history or an additional suite of products. It could just go the way of the Hit List, which vanished after the iOS App Store/Mac App Store era struck.

I trust OmniGroup to stay in business for a long time as its history has shown, and the profits that OmniGroup makes in its niche should be relatively significant as well.

I look forward to seeing OmniFocus on the iWatch and the iEye in the near future.

To conclude: I have no idea what to do. I think thinking about leaving OmniFocus for good at this point is a bit too premature. But if OmniGroup ignored all our proposals and objections, then as a user I’d be sorely disappointed.

Yes, design visions should be followed, but on the other hand, see all the ‘backtracking’ with iWork 5 from Apple, who historically ignores all its users.

Legitimate concerns about UX, usability, workflows and efficiency is legitimate, whether it comes from the majority of the users or the passionate minority.