Thinkweird’s Blog

There are numerous applications to manage your time and keep a To-do-list. For me the ideal application of this category should meet the following standards:

• It should be freeware
• Simple to add, delete and organize tasks
• Remind me with sounds, preferably some cool sounds
• Intuitive interface
• Sleek in size. Not colossal programs for such a simple job

To be sure, the simplest method is to create a text file on the desktop and write down the things to do in that file. If the owner of this to-do-list file is persistent with his tasks and often finish them promptly, this easiest solution also becomes the best solution.

I wanted something fancier which can keep reminding me of the things to do, but I will stay away from any program that takes too much time to organize tasks.

Here are a list of the programs that appeared on my radar:

• MindManager – The best brain-storming program. I love to use it to organize thoughts and ideas or help me make decisions. It could have been my first choice as a time management software because it has pop-up reminders for scheduled tasks. However, it can’t play sounds for for the scheduled tasks and adding a reminder isn’t very convenient.

• Chaos Manager – I used this program extensively before together with Atomic Alarm Clock. Actually, this post is inspired by this program because I forgot its name and searched widely on the Internet to find it. It is completely free and comes with a lot of skins. Tasks can be easily added and it reminds you by pop-upping a window with a chime sound.

• Tudumo – After using it for a couple of minutes, I’m very impressed by its elegant design and the intuitive task organization. Its site describes the program as simple and powerful and it certainly lives up to what is says as a popular GTD (Getting Things Done). It does not play sounds but its interface makes task organization a breeze. Highly recommended for anyone who is willing to buy it after 60 trial days.

Registration fee apart, Tudumo certainly tops the rest two program all off. And my choice goes to Chaos Manager because it is free and does the job.

I highly recommend Dirfile.com when you are searching for planner programs or other freeware to use. I found the dear old program — Chaos Manager on this site.

Update 1: Tudumo is more like an organizer while Chaos Manager is a powerful reminder. One drawback I found in Tudumo is that events can only be scheduled on sharp hours and half hours. For Chao Manager, its sounds of reminders files never fails to get your attention — a duck quack, a bullet ricochet and a chime.

Update 2: Here is a Chinese site on the topic of GTD (Getting Things Done). I’m considering starting a category for self-improvement.