It is remarkably disappointing the Custom Perspectives of OmniFocus are NOT a core feature of ALL versions of OMNIFOCUS, rather withheld for more money. Filtering and sorting of Projects and Tasks have been a standard part of effective GTD applications for some time now. I beleived OmniFocus to be a GTD task management app of the highest order and best in class. But that isn’t so. After all, the advanced filtering/sorting features Custom Perspectives, necessary for efficient GTD methodology or hybrid GTD methodology are only available in the Pro Versions. I guess I should say more KUDOS to OmniGroup in having the forthought to modularize their app code making this possible. But not really, when you’ve withheld features that should be part of the core. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Feels kinda like pay to play. Is OmniFocus Plain fully fuctional,YES. Is it a fully functioanl complete GTD app, only if I want to pay for the withheld features.
It seems fair enough to me. If your needs are simple (you just want a to-do list with projects, contexts and review dates), you pay a cheaper price. If your needs are complex (defining your own workflows, AppleScript etc), you pay a more expensive price.
I agree with amy, more than fair enough. Just like anything else in this world, the more options you want, the more the cost. OmniGroup is a business. I have no problem with paying for additional features. I can work GTD in the basic version, just set defer dates and use context lists to see what you can work on next. Having the ability to build your own custom Perspectives is a huge benefit, like the difference between a cheap car and a fully decked out car.
Point missed. Appreciate the responses. You all are correct and I would agree, as I pointed out originally, OmniFocus is functional. But, I would like to stress that advanced custom filtering/sorting are “standard features” in most all top notch Task Managemnt applications. So in all FAIRNESS and for clarity’s sake I simply say that there should only be ONE version of OmniFocus or OmniFocus Pro or whatever you want to call it. But there should be only ONE version, it should be a complete package inclusive of all features, price it for $100 or $500 or $1, but inclusive of all features, especially advanced custom filtering and sorting. Neither POV will be pursuaded differently, so no need to respond further. Anyway, thanks again for taking the time.
I don’t think it’s “point missed.” I don’t see Things having a custom perspective. I have to type in a search term or a tag to find different tasks. That’s how Things does sorting and filtering.
Perspectives is a “saved” set of conditions that gives me quick access to viewing my data in different forms. Some people are content with just using search to find their tasks. We also can visit the projects perspective to select a project or visit the contexts perspective to drill into a particular context.
Other folks might want to use pro features such as perspectives and Applescript capabilities.
I’m guessing that “point” being made is that OmniFocus 2 with Pro upgrade is too expensive.
OmniFocus 2 is fully functional. As amy and atr said, it’s fair enough for them to pay the pro upgrade price. So their point was well made.
No, point was that OmniFocus 2 with Pro Upgrade should be the only version of OmniFocus 2 and it should priced for whatever OmniGroup chooses, I’m fine with $500 or $100. But just one package all inclusive and those who can’t afford are just out of luck. That’s the point.
I can’t see any downside to having the non-pro version as an additional choice.
There are some of us who are “lucky” to have choices. It doesn’t hurt. From the looks of where this conversation is, it looks like there are users who are fine with having two levels of OmniFocus. I wasn’t held hostage to a “ransom.”
