OmniFocus 2 obviously has quite a few improvements over OmniFocus 1. Not just a redesigned interface, but also new features like Forecast, Review, and Quick Open.
It also has some regressions. There are some visual bugs, some interaction bugs, and some missing keyboard shortcuts like Reveal In [Project/Context]. And while some people find the changes to data density an improvement, others are finding it limiting.
But that said, how are you feeling about OmniFocus 2 overall? If you have to choose between using v1 and v2 today, which one are you using and why?
I really like how making an adjustment in the eye of sauron updates the perspective automatically. I really like how easy it appears to be to add and remove projects from a perspective.
I really like being able to focus on a project from within a perspective that has its own focus. That was something that I was opening new windows for before.
I think quick open is an awesome feature.
I think the new layout is a lot easier to use. I think a big factor is that I tend to have long task titles rather than shorter ones.
Overall, I like it. Iāve stopped using v1, mainly to force myself to adjust to the new UI. It will take time for me to really determine if there are parts of v2 that I donāt like.
The only problem that I have, and you canāt solve it, is that in Forecast on my iPhone and iPad, it displays my work calendar. My Mac is my personal laptop, so I donāt see my work calendar there in forecast.
Thanks for releasing a new version of my most used program. A new version of OmniFocus is a nice way to start springā¦
Iām starting to enjoy it more as I spend some time with it. You start to become aware how important seemingly insignificant visual markers are to you. For instance; realising you can āshow folders in outlineā made a big difference to how I was feeling about the new outline aesthetic. Seeing what folder you are in without glancing over to the side bar is apparently important to me.
Iād like to see styles returned. I find, and also with omnioutliner, that engagement with a tool is improved if can be adapted to hit a subjective sweet-spot. Iām also aware this probably procrastination on my part.
As a whole, I like v2 much more. Itās aesthetically pleasing and the new sidebar is a nice way to access common areas of the app.
However, I do have a few complaints with it. I think that some of the icons (folders, expanding note field, etc) are difficult to see and click on because of their limited size. Additionally, discerning between Folder, Project, and Action titles isnāt very easy. They all look too similar without enough contrast. It actually creates some cognitive load having to discern the various UI elements. This is further compounded by all the different sections of the window: inspector, sidebar, content area, etc. Thankfully I can close some of these to reduce the visual mess when I donāt need them.
My final complaint falls in line with what others have said (and what you have brought up): data density. Thereās too much wasted space. I see less of my projects than I did before. And do we really need titles like āCalendar Eventsā in Forecast mode to highlight the fact that the timeline scale is for calendar events and not tasks?
These are just some of my thoughts. Overall, Iām happy with OF2. It has a few rough edges, but they arenāt particularly difficult problems to fix.
Iām a huge fan of Mark Forsterās DWM productivity system: http://alturl.com/yvh3h
Omnifocus 2.0 - particularly the Forecast view - supports this workflow wonderfully.
Love the Review functionality as well. Dare I say, Iām also looking forward to Friday (the day I review).
Itās too early for me to evaluate it very well, but a couple of things standout that I really like. Iāve been waiting for the Forecast mode for a long time, and it will make my work flow much easier. Also, having the inspector as a side bar on the right is really helpful. With OF 1 I did like the ability to have a different themes.
This post reflects my views exactly. Iāve just been using OF2 for a few hours, and my first impressions are Forecast is great (been waiting for this since I saw it on the iPad) - it really helps my workflow. Very much missing styles customization though - Iād like to be able to compact some of the views, change fonts, colors, etc.
I absolutely love the design of v2. I had stopped using OmniFocus 1 (I used it from the first beta until ~2011), because it was just such a chore to use. The new version is a huge improvement. And thereās a lot less fiddling to the UI possible (or even necessary).
The new beta is MUCH MUCH MUCH better than the first round, which I ended up trying for a few builds and then just abandoning ship altogether and using Reminders for a while (which wasnāt particularly great).
Creating perspectives in OF1 was a bit of a mystery when I first started using. However, I learned how to use it after reading some blog posts somewhere. Adding perspective icons to the toolbar was not intuitive unless you were a Mac geek who knew to control-click the toolbar to customise the toolbar. So, a lot of the power features were kinda kept behind the curtain unless you read a blog post explaining some of the semi-hidden power features.
Now, perspectives in OF2 feels much more straightforward and more accessible. Itāll take some getting used to but I think newbies might be able to create their own perspectives more easily.
The first OF2 private test was very strange and the design language was very unfamiliar. It introduced new UI elements that I didnāt recognise before from an iOS 7 or Mac OS X viewpoint. The new private test actually builds upon the experience I learned from OF1 for Mac and OF2 for iPhone. It uses elements that Iām familiar with now. The new circle checkboxes from OF2 for iPhone, the Forecast from OF1 for iPad, and the new righthand inspector from other programs like Apple Pages or Numbers. Building upon previous experience helps to ease the transition from one version to another version. That was very helpful. Iām grateful for the new UI.
I think the colours do need a bit more contrast and pop. iOS 7.1 now has a preference setting for āIncrease Contrastā. Maybe this will help? I know that I do have to struggle to see small things such as the note icon. Is there a note entered for this task?
I donāt necessarily like to see OF2 take over my whole screen. So I do shrink the window width down but I do keep the maximum height.
The forecasts view is my fist port of call each day.
I love theoption of having the inspectors window permanently open on the right
hand side bar.
Really love that when I select a task to which I have attached multiple documents, I can view each of those documents in that right hand sidebar without losing the data density in my tasks lists.
Overall, v2 is very nice. And a drastic improvement over last years betas! :P As such, it is useable in its current version, and I am trying to use only v2 (however, find myself switching back to v1 to check things)
Am loving the new lease of life perspectives have in v2; the access, design and capabilities are brilliant. Also liking the inspect view being sticky.
However, the aesthetics of v2, generally, are worse. Making it quite difficult to find, view and therefore act upon actions, in comparison to v1.
In this, I mean that v1 was tight, compact and clear (different actions had different colours and line spacing was configurable); allowing me to view long lists quickly and completely. Conversely, v2 has large open expanses of white space, large rows and no colouring; meaning I get to see less of my actions, with their info spread thinly over a wall of white, and no idea if it is next action or single action (blocked are greyed text, so there is some visibility there).
Overall, the design framework is better, much better. But, I feel there needs to be the clarity that v1 had, which came mainly from style capabilities.
I donāt think I could go back to v1 now. V2 is so much more visually appealing and cleaner. But the biggest advantage I get out of it is that with the new 2 line format (as apposed to the columns of v1), it now renders perfectly when I go from displaying OF on a thunderbolt display and then undock and use it on the laptop display. With the old version, the change in resolution used to play havoc with the columns and window size. This v2 beta seems to transition between the two perfectly.
Also, a big thumbs up to the UX improvements over the previous beta. This is miles ahead of that and a great credit to your designers.
OF 2 is a major improvement in terms of consistency. Using OF 1 after adding tasks in OF 2 for iPhone I felt like riding a horse after sitting on a motorcycle. I donāt know if the position of the ācheckboxesā is an improvement with respect to Fittsā law, but it uses space more efficiently and makes me feel at home when switching between the iOS and OSX app.
Iām 100% in OF2, now that Perspectives have made it in. I like the aesthetic (personal taste), and additions like the Forecast view are great. I would like more control over data density and maybe some over look and feel (styles?).
OF2 has been fantastic so far, The data density isnāt really a problem for me when it comes down to actually doing work (imagine that), as I have deferred most things I donāt want in my today perspective, so theres only about 5 actions most of the time.
I agree with a previous commenter about nested actions though, these are not defined enough for me, and it can feel a little bit of a chore when iām in project view. I think this is due to the checkbox not providing a visual queue by being on the right side.
I still feel a little uneasy with the checkbox being on the right side rather than the left side, Iām not used to it in OF2 for iPhone yet. Would like an option to switch this, but definitely a nitpick thing.
Quick Open is incredible, I love it, and it has become muscle memory already.
I would actually like the option to have more colour if iām honest, I would like to be able to assign a colour to a context, and see that colour in the words in any views.
Iām loving version 2. Finding some niggly things ā some of which will undoubtedly get changed/fixed, some not ā but overall I think you guys have already delivered something very, very nice, and well-polished. Congrats.
Overall its really good and sure will be great once ready for prime time.
Importantly 24hrs in and OF2 beta v2 is already my go to, mostly due to forecast view.
Thats including a few crashes, tweaks & polish would like to see ( more on that once spent more time ).
OF2 beta v1 didnāt stick like this, largely due to performance, crash issues but also as just didnāt warm to it, so used OF1 as default through that phaseā¦ not been back to OF1 at all today.
