Rant - OS 10.10 Reminders application stinks!

[Michael73]

Does anyone else feel like this is bolted on with little functionality or integration? Why isn't reminders part of Calendar or accessible in any way within it? Why isn't there a tight integration with Mail? Why can't you color code them? Make sublists or dependencies? If a reminder is to call someone, why isn't there any integration with Contacts? Why can the sidebar with the monthly calendar in Calendar be dragged up to review two or more months but we're stuck with a single month in Reminders?

I want to use reminders but it's lack of functionality stinks!

 

[simonsi]

You should cut and paste that into Apple feedback on their website if you haven't already.

 

[w0lf]

Most applications bundled with OSX are mediocre at best. 3rd party tweaks/apps all the way.

 

[Michael73]

Most applications bundled with OSX are mediocre at best.

I wouldn't go that far.

3rd party tweaks/apps all the way.

Sometimes yes an sometimes no. For example, I use OmniFocus which is an awesome product with extensive functionality but to call it a reminder application is like calling a Ferrari just another car. And, while the Ferrari has insane track skills, for the majority of people it's impractical. Try getting groceries for a family of four in it or taking it to Lowes and buying lots of stuff for a weekend project. In such a case a simple Ford or Chevy will do. The problem is Apple hasn't even given us that, more like a 10 year old Buick with a tape deck and no electric locks!

And to the point about using OmniFocus, it's so loaded with features that using it as a reminder app is overkill. In fact, it too lacks tight integration with Contacts and relies IMHO a kludge integration of getting email into a to-do.

 

[PowerBook-G5]

The Reminders app seems to work ok for me, with only a few things that I would change, including better integration with the Calendar app.

If it bothers you that much, may I suggest Xcode?

 

[iterva]

Yeah. I see (nor have) no use for the reminders.. Feels like Apple had a office party and someone (drunk) thought it would be awesome to have it in osx and they just put it there, just for the sake of having more "integrated" apps to boast about.

I use the calendar for all my reminders.

 

[Michael73]

I use the calendar for all my reminders.

I used to do that, but I tend to keep the Calendar in month view and the tiny squares would get packed with meetings, reminders, birthdays, holidays, etc.

Also, it seems like a poor implementation to have to create a calendar entry if I want to call someone at a particular time to have set a start and end time at the same time. Just like they have a special type of entry for holidays or birthdays, they should have a type for reminders.

 

[dyn]

And to the point about using OmniFocus, it's so loaded with features that using it as a reminder app is overkill. In fact, it too lacks tight integration with Contacts and relies IMHO a kludge integration of getting email into a to-do.

Then you do not understand OmniFocus very well. OmniFocus isn't just an app, it's a tool that supports your todo system. That means a different approach to certain things such as not relying on specific things like OS X/iOS.

The integration with e-mail is something they simply couldn't do before Yosemite and iOS 8 since both OS X and iOS didn't support it (no share sheets and such). They can now and they are already working on it, we should see it in future updates. Contacts is the same story but Apple has already fixed it so I'm not sure why OmniFocus doesn't use it. It makes calling someone back much easier (with just 1 click you can get to the phone number). Luckily the Calendar integration is there since OmniFocus 2. It is a very welcome addition to Forecast because it gives you some more overview of your day/week.

As for Reminders...it's a different application and seems to be aimed at people who require the most simplest version of a todo application. It's just a list but one with alarms and geolocation (most people seem to want to have an app that reminds them to do something at a certain time and/or certain place; OmniFocus can't do this, it relies on you doing reviews of your todo items, it will only remind you of overdue items). It would have been nice if there were more tighter integration with Calendar and Contacts, at least when it comes to dataconnectors (Mail does integrate that way with Calendar).

 

[Michael73]

Then you do not understand OmniFocus very well. OmniFocus isn't just an app, it's a tool that supports your todo system. That means a different approach to certain things such as not relying on specific things like OS X/iOS.

The integration with e-mail is something they simply couldn't do before Yosemite and iOS 8 since both OS X and iOS didn't support it (no share sheets and such). They can now and they are already working on it, we should see it in future updates. Contacts is the same story but Apple has already fixed it so I'm not sure why OmniFocus doesn't use it. It makes calling someone back much easier (with just 1 click you can get to the phone number). Luckily the Calendar integration is there since OmniFocus 2. It is a very welcome addition to Forecast because it gives you some more overview of your day/week.

As for Reminders...it's a different application and seems to be aimed at people who require the most simplest version of a todo application. It's just a list but one with alarms and geolocation (most people seem to want to have an app that reminds them to do something at a certain time and/or certain place; OmniFocus can't do this, it relies on you doing reviews of your todo items, it will only remind you of overdue items). It would have been nice if there were more tighter integration with Calendar and Contacts, at least when it comes to dataconnectors (Mail does integrate that way with Calendar).

I understand OF quite well. In fact, I own and use all Omni Groups apps including Graffle, Sketcher (I was sad when they dropped this ), Outliner and Plan. The issue is a To Do list doesn't live in some isolated universe. I use Mail, Calendar and Contacts constantly. Sure OF has a Forecast view but I'm not going to replace Calendar completely. Even OmniGroup's own OF FAQ says that the calendar isn't meant to be a Calendar replacement, but a compliment. On a related note, although I can see CalDav calendars in OF calendar view, do you know of a way to actually add items to those CalDav calendars from within OF, or is it only a view into them?

What brought all this up wasn't even work items anyway. I was at a funeral on Wednesday and someone approached me and asked me to call them. I kept forgetting on Thursday and Friday and just wanted to create a quick reminder to call them Monday morning. I also remembered I needed to call my doctor's office about seeing him before the end of the year. I keep getting busy and have forgotten over the last couple of weeks and wanted another quick reminder to call him on Monday as well.

 

[dyn]

The issue is a To Do list doesn't live in some isolated universe.

The point is that OF isn't a todo list. OF is merely software that supports your todo system. The entire point of having a todo system is that it is independent of the OS and applications you use. Or in other words: you can have todo's that are tied to people that are not in your contactlist. I wouldn't put some random guy you need to call to retrieve some specific information in your contactlist just because you have to call him once. Also, if you need to call someone that often you probably know the number or you look it up in your contactlist on whatever device you are going to use.

If you are going to tie in with a specific OS you are running the risk of creating an isolated universe. You are dependant on the functionality in that OS. Not just with that application but with your entire todo system. I think that's why OF doesn't use datacollectors. However, OmniGroup is a company that actually listens to their users. If you want to have features like this you can discuss it on their forum or request the feature via their email address.

On a related note, although I can see CalDav calendars in OF calendar view, do you know of a way to actually add items to those CalDav calendars from within OF, or is it only a view into them?

It's for view only. They've added this (you can disable it if you want) to Forecast to give you a better overview because that's what Forecast is for: to give you an overview. It is not meant as a calendaring client. The Forecast needs a bit more work in my opinion (if you are really going to use it as an overview, then one should be able to use it to plan todo's over an entire week; you can't do that atm).

What brought all this up wasn't even work items anyway. I was at a funeral on Wednesday and someone approached me and asked me to call them. I kept forgetting on Thursday and Friday and just wanted to create a quick reminder to call them Monday morning. I also remembered I needed to call my doctor's office about seeing him before the end of the year. I keep getting busy and have forgotten over the last couple of weeks and wanted another quick reminder to call him on Monday as well.

That's what the quick entry and the inbox are for and why one should regularly review the inbox. Siri can be used for quick entry though and it will use Reminders for it (in case of OF it will use a special list which you use with Siri as well).

Funny thing is, todo systems actually require quite some discipline. You need to put stuff in it but you also need to regularly review it and actually do things that you've put in your system. Not very easy I must say (but I'm getting there!).