Calendar software that includes to-do lists?

September 8, 2007 11:55 AM

I don't want a to-do list next to my calendar. I want to-do lists in my calendar. Help me find the scheduling software (OS X or web-based) of my dreams.

I want a calendar that lets me do the following things:

1. Set up repeating events (e.g. a course that meets a few times a week)


2. Associate a separate to-do list with each instance of a repeating event (e.g. a separate list of assignments due each day in class)


3. Highlight the events whose to-do lists are unfinished (e.g. the classes for which I still have homework to do)

This seems pretty straightforward, but Google Calendar and iCal can't do it. Do you know of a program that can?

Bonus points if it still plays nice with iCal feeds.

posted by nebulawindphone to computers & internet (14 comments total)

I just ignore the to-do list functionality, and set up everything as an event.
posted by Flunkie at 12:19 PM on September 8, 2007

Seconding Flunkie, and with alarms (one day ahead, five days ahead, whatever - it's a great little option) for things that need to be done on a given date.
posted by spaceman_spiff at 12:31 PM on September 8, 2007

Yeah, I set these up as all-day events.
posted by djgh at 12:38 PM on September 8, 2007

Google Calendar + Remember the Milk does most of what you want I believe.
posted by bradbane at 1:07 PM on September 8, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

The problem with events is that you can't just have a list that follows you, potentially without deadline. "Lose 50lbs," that kind of thing.
posted by rhizome at 1:23 PM on September 8, 2007

Sounds like you might want something like Chandler Project (http://chandlerproject.org/). It's still in beta, but I like the idea that the "note" is the basis for every item in a organization system of notes, todos, events and emails. You can then transform any one of those items into any other item (an email can become a todo, a todo and become an event, etc). Very neat idea.
posted by bumper314 at 1:28 PM on September 8, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

Here are some videos on Chandler: http://chandlerproject.org/Projects/PreviewDemos
posted by bumper314 at 1:49 PM on September 8, 2007

Depending on what your needs are, you might like iGTD. The views aren't structured around a calendar in the way iCal is, but they are all integrated with a calendar. Also, it has iCal syncing.
posted by advil at 1:50 PM on September 8, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I just ignore the to-do list functionality, and set up everything as an event.

That's what I'm doing now. It works, but I find it counterintuitive and it clutters the hell out of my weekly and monthly views. (Yes, yes, I'm being picky.....)

Google Calendar + Remember the Milk does most of what you want I believe.

As far as I can see, it doesn't. To-do lists where everything's been checked off show up the same as to-do lists where things are still incomplete; I want to see at a glance how caught up I am.

The problem with events is that you can't just have a list that follows you, potentially without deadline. "Lose 50lbs," that kind of thing.

That may be your problem with them, but it's not mine. I can keep track of my life goals fine — it's homework I'm worried about. :)

Sounds like you might want something like Chandler Project....

Interesting. At a glance, I have no idea if it's what I want or not — I'll look into it.
posted by nebulawindphone at 1:55 PM on September 8, 2007

Things (not yet released) looks interesting to me. Web based Stikkit has an interesting interface and some integration with mac. So does todoist.
posted by jiiota at 2:51 PM on September 8, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

You might want to check out scrybe at iscrybe.com.
posted by feloniousmonk at 4:24 PM on September 8, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Palm Desktop allows you to make an events calendar in weekly form where each day is a column or appointments (up to seven days in a row). Under that column is a small box for each day that contains your "to-do" list.

You can attach any information in one section of Palm Desktop to another — for example, an address can be linked to an event and/or a to-do list or whatever.

Now, what I usually do for to-do lists attached to a certain event is make a separate "note" that includes all the information I need for that event. Notes can be attached to anything as well, and once an item is attached to another item, all you have to do is click the icon to open it.

Palm Desktop is a free download, for both Mac and PC, and it can be synced with iCal. I find it to be very, very flexible, which is why I'm still toting around my six-year-old Palm Pilot.
posted by Brittanie at 2:41 AM on September 9, 2007

I like 30Boxes. It's really quite intuitive and includes a to-do list. While the to-do list is not integrated with each item in the calendar, you can assign tags, which I think could help with your endeavor.
posted by richardh at 9:21 AM on September 9, 2007

I liked 30 Boxes a lot when it first got started, but I switched to Google Calendar because I liked the better repeating events and the integration with my e-mail. However, that was a good 18--24 months ago---I imagine it's gotten a lot better since then...
posted by FlyingMonkey at 4:59 PM on January 27, 2008