What I want in PIM software

http://wiki.andy.glew.ca/wiki/What_I_want_in_PIM_software

I confess:
I keep trying to use [[PIM (Personal Information Managemernt)]] software,
but I keep getting disappointed.
I keep falling back to low tech solutions,
such as index cards.

* In 1997 Moshe Bach, seeing me using the paper ScanCard system years ago, said that he had lost all respect for me as a hacker. :-(
* See [[Organization, technology, evolution of]]


But... I know the advantages of computer.

This page for notes on what I want in such a system.

Perhaps I should keep these notes in private, and secretly developer a killer app.
In my copious free time.
(:-()

= Embedded in a Log =

My overall vision:
* smart stuff embedded in what is overall a log, a diary.
* i.e. overall unstructured, with structured nuggets embedded in it.

Actually, a log has some structure: timestamped items.
But further specialized structure embedded in such items:
[[to-do lists]],
[[checklists]],
[[trackers]].

I envision this as XML, but am not religious about XML.
JSON, however, I think is too stupid to represent what I want
without a lot of extra work.



= Checklists =

== Transcludable checklists ==

Checklists should be hierarchical. More: embeddable. [[Transcludable]].

Nearly everything should be transcludable, both as source and destination.
E.g. text blocks should be transcludable into checklists, and vice versa.


E.g. the checklist I use to remind me what not to forget when I go to the coast
may have my PC travel checklist and my kayaking checklist transcluded into it.

Checklists and to-do lists are closely related.

== Tracking partial progress ==

In my [[GTD]] [[tickler file]], I have many repetitive items like
"Check that all of my many email accounts" are working.
I try to automate as much as possible, but manual checks are still worthwhile.
E.g. "check that I can log int to all of my password manager accounts".
"Check that I can log into my password manager".

I have tried making the check of each account an individual tickler item.
Overwhelming.

But making a single item a to-do for checking that all of my many email accounts is working is equally overwhelming.

I want to create a single repetitive checklist.
Listing all of the things I want to check.

Repeating with an overall frequency.

A checklist to remember what I have finished on the current iteration,
and, more important, what I have left to do.

Supports activities that you do at a low boil, such as checking one account per day.

= Projects =

Following [[GTD]], there are projects, separate from tasks.

I divide my projects into
* [[Current Projects]]
** things I am currently working on. Things that I am trying to actively drive.
and
* [[Background Projects]]
** things I may work on for months or years
** accumulating info as I go.

= Scrubbing =

One of the most important things about a PIM is scrubbing.
Ensuring that information is revisited periodically.

Tasks need to be revisited on next action dates.
Ditto current projects.

Background projects may not have next action dates
- although revisiting as time allows is a good idea.

Revisit all reference items?  All assets like checklists?

= Reminders =

It is often useful to have not just an agenda for the day,
but also a next reminder.
Many items seem too unimportant to put on an agenda or calendar,
but are importahnt enough to create a reminder for.

When completed, the reminder can be automatically logged.

It is often important to create reminders not just for the beginning of a meeting,
but also for the end.
That way, you can choose not to allow your  meeting to run longer than planned, even if nothing is scheduled next.
(I assume that there are always jobs that can be fit into unscheduled tgime).

= Calendars - min time =

It should be possible for a calendar to reserve, not just specific blocks of time, but specific amounts of time at no particular instant.

E.g. "I want to reserve 8 hours per week for 'sharpening the saw' - it doesn't matter when, but must be in blocks of >2hours".
Accept meeting requests uip to that point...

= Exercise Trackers =

I have been enjoying Android exercise trackers that count situps, pushups, etc.
But many are too specific.
It should be possible to have a simple counter app that can count...  whatever you want.
E.g. sun salutations in yoga.

Basically, name of thing being counted,
and generic count trigger: shake, touch, etc.

= Trackers =

Should be automatically logged.

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Did I mention, again, that I want same formatting in wiki blog log etc.