After reading David Allen’s personal management book Getting Things Done, I’ve monkeyed around with a number of the software tools and hacks that incorporate his organizational ideas. Nothing has stuck with me. I had a system set up in TextWrangler, BareBones Software’s free text editor, but it was…well…barebones; not pretty to look at. Last night, I discovered the GTD TiddlyWiki and it’s rockin’ my world. Within an hour, I had my whole org setup transfered to a TiddlyWiki page under a Firefox tab.
To use TiddlyWiki, you have to know Wiki formatting, but that is easily learned (instructions included). The entire “app” is bundled as a single HTML page that you save to your desktop and then set up/customize as you please. You can store the HTML locally or remotely, as your needs dictate. The interface is handsome, the functionality is very smooth, and there are nifty features, such as auto Time/Date stamping of entries, RegExp searching, auto backup capability, and printing of each item (called a “Tiddler”) to 3×5 cards to use with your HipsterPDA. I freakin’ love this thing!