Calendar Software Recommendations

[Steve Pavlina]

For the past few years I've been happy using a paper calendar. My schedule has been getting more complex though, and I'd like to give calendar/scheduling software another try. Basically I want to be able to schedule one-time and recurring appointments and insert items from my to-do list. I'd like something that can incorporate goals, projects, and actions in a GTD-like manner.

Any recommendations for your favorite calendar applications?

In the past I've used Outlook as well as a Palm IIIxe, but it's been several years since I've tried either, so I'm not current on their latest capabilities.

I'd prefer a PC desktop app, since I don't roam that much, but it would be great if it had the capacity to sync with handhelds and/or to a laptop.

[nurikabe]

I've fiddled with a lot of different systems over the years and, in the end, have settled with a fairly "standard" Outlook/Exchange Windows Mobile setup due to superior calendar sharing and mobile sync support. As I use Exchange, I can grab all of my data over GPRS or connect via WAP from other mobile devices. Exchange webmail is also solid and cross-browser compatible these days. All of my data lives on a server somewhere in New York so I can grab it on the road.

The David Allen company has a GTD Outlook add-in that looks promising: Getting Things Done Outlook Add-In Support

[Jill]

Franklin-Covey also has an Outlook add-in based on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which you might want to look into. I had it installed on my previous computer and really liked it at first, but I'm not as disciplined as you, Steve, and gave up on it!

I probably still have the disc, I should try it again...

[Steve MacLellan]

Try:
Calendar Project - Home of Sunbird™ and Lightning

Regards,
Steve MacLellan

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by Steve MacLellan

Try:
Calendar Project - Home of Sunbird™ and Lightning

Regards,
Steve MacLellan

Nice, thats pretty cool, however I love using all the integrated Google apps...Keeping all my apps, mail, feedreader and news right on my homepage is amazing. The onlything missing on the google homepage is a GTD, heh.

[WanderingOak]

Originally Posted by Lucas

The onlything missing on the google homepage is a GTD, heh.

There is a 'to do' list that you could customize into 'next action', 'someday, maybe, etc. I haven't been able to get them to work with OS X and Safari, although they work fine with XP.

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by WanderingOak

There is a 'to do' list that you could customize into 'next action', 'someday, maybe, etc. I haven't been able to get them to work with OS X and Safari, although they work fine with XP.

I dont actually use a GTD, but it seems to have flared up on the web in the past year or so, so maybe its worth looking into.

[Brutha]

There is a 'to do' list that you could customize into 'next action', 'someday, maybe, etc. I haven't been able to get them to work with OS X and Safari, although they work fine with XP.

Neither OS X forces you to use Safari nor XP forces you to use Internet Explorer, don't confuse browsers with operating systems.
Firefox should work fine on OS X and with the Google stuff.

[TheHulaQueen]

Can someone let me know what GTD stands for? I use a more Tony Robbins style RPM method and am curious!

I downloaded the calendar program Sunbird as recommended above. Thanks!

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by TheHulaQueen

Can someone let me know what GTD stands for? I use a more Tony Robbins style RPM method and am curious!

I downloaded the calendar program Sunbird as recommended above. Thanks!

Getting Things Done

[nurikabe]

Originally Posted by Lucas

Getting Things Done

Amazon.com: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: Books: David Allen

[Zero]

I prefer Sunbird, but you can also give this a shot: Chandler

[Milo Riano]

I use Outlook a lot and has been very pleased in terms of collaboration with other people, organization of data, feature set capabilities, etc. Plus I am sure it will continously progress the software since it is headed by Microsoft.

[New Every Day]

I use Franklin Covey's PlanPlus program. It syncs up to my phone/PDA and it really works well with me. After I read GTD, I changed some of what things meant and that has helped me a lot.

Most of the things on my To-Do list, I have listed under "Master Items" and have very few things on my daily list. I use my A list items for things to be done this week, B list for this month, and my C list is for whenever they get done.

It may sound strange, but it works for me.

They also have a project section so that you can organize projects and they will automatically get added to your to-do list.

[rockstar]

I have used several well-known calendar and todo list apps that is around and here's what I found relatively better than the other on the PC :

kontact

It's on linux, but this app alone could justify your switch of OS. It's that good. It's a full-fledged PIM but you could just use it's KOrganizer component as standalone calendaring and todo list, although you'll miss a very nice integration with mails, feeds, notes and contacts apps.

Assuming you can live within it's functional area (linux, kde, device and os it's support for synching) it's the best I know on PC.

Some highlights/impression :

* Nicely looking : don't refer to much on the outdatred-screenshot on the site, the current state looks much better
* Simple, unbloated (at least from geek-standard of bloatedness )
* the thin red line of current time on the calendar view is a simple yet elegant and useful touch, adding a "realtime-feel" to it
* high standard compliance (vCard, iCal, vCal, online calendar access, etc..)
* I haven't found any typical use case of calendar/todolist that it does not support yet
* mature and stable with no bugs I have encountered yet in my use of it
* could make hierarchical interrelated tasks
* command line operation for those who into scripting and automating some recurring/boring operation or just want to do typical action which not need to fire up the whole calendar

[Mark Lapierre]

Since you've mentioned it before I suspect you've already considered and rejected The Journal. What is it about that app that's unsatisfactory?

[and]

For purely a calendar app, I've tried using many different solutions, but now I'm with Google Calendar and can't be happier. The only limitation is that it doesn't integrate Tasks well. I love it for what it can do and that it's available online and anywhere.

Maybe I'll write a post on how I use it.

[Akashic_Librarian]

I just downloaded Sunbird. Its pretty cool. I have been looking for a good program like this for ages!

[Antarananda]

For GTD, I use Remember the Milk. It's integrated with Google Calendar, which is my Calendar app of choice.

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by Antarananda

For GTD, I use Remember the Milk. It's integrated with Google Calendar, which is my Calendar app of choice.

Hey thats pretty snazzy. I am trying to figure out a way to merge GTD into my google apps as seamlessly and quickly as possible. Im kind of a google fanboy.

[Antarananda]

Originally Posted by Lucas

Hey thats pretty snazzy. I am trying to figure out a way to merge GTD into my google apps as seamlessly and quickly as possible. Im kind of a google fanboy.

They have this gadget which integrates your GTD tasks into your Google homepage as well

[zeroone]

Amazing, I have been looking for digital calendars for the past week (school).
Anyways, I too enjoyed using just pencil and paper, but it takes too long and it's quite tedious process.
All I found that I liked was "Google Calendar" and "iCal." One is web-based and the other is for Macintosh. I also found others but they're not simple, too cluttered, or don't have the features that I want (the world would be a better place if we all learned to program).
All I want is a stand-alone, simple-to-use, off-line, Windows or Linux based calendar.

Thanks you bro.s or sis. for your submitting those links.
Chandler, looks great.

[Steve Pavlina]

I tried Sunbird, but given that it's still in pre-release, the 0.3 version was fairly slim on features. I'm trying Google Calendar now. Neither seems better than Outlook so far though.

[zeroone]

I tried Chandler .6 & .7alpha on Windows XP SP2, both are buggy. Although it looks like it has great potential.
Although I like Google calendar, unfortunately one can not access it off-line, therefore the next-best thing is Outlook from Microsoft (or Evolution on Linux).

PS> Of course we could always try this great alternative: Windows 3.1 Calendar