With these apps, the Mac side of my Macbook may now become my GTD solution.

For the past week, I’ve been using an alpha version of Things and I have to say that I REALLY like it. Its simple, smart and beautiful! The guys at culture code have also been real good at getting back to me via email regarding my feedback.

* I can add tasks as soon as they’re on my mind with a keystroke, from wherever on my computer I happen to be working, rather than waiting to load a browser page.
* My browser environment tends to be in flux, with tabs opening and closing all the time. I need my task management (and email) to be always persistent.
* Desktop task managers tend to have reminder systems that work outside of browsers/email. I want them to pop in my face when a deadline looms, not just send me a message.
* I can work in a desktop application regardless of the state of my Internet connection (Google Gears isn’t there yet).
* Desktop applications tend to be faster and have more flexible design than browser apps.
* Desktop applications better integrate with the operating system…in the case of the Mac OS X applications, they may work with Spotlight, Mail or iCal. Browser applications tend to only work with other browser applications.

I’ve tried many of the web apps, and I think many are outstanding in their own right. But I tend to abandon them eventually, sticking with something that’s more accessible while I’m working.

Things does promise an XML file format that may address some of the issues you mention.

Could you please add more color about that? I looked both at Things and Omnifocus, and both times I was amazed at the fact that people are still writing applications that are not cross-platform, that I can only access from one computer, with my data saved only locally…it just seems silly when you could build the same thing as a RIA / web app.

If it’s not an RIA, why bother? Dealing with copying files, needing your own pc/mac to do work and dealing with the risk of losing your data is over (or at least there’s no reason in my mind why it shouldn’t be).

For me, it comes down to a balance between how much time I’m spending doing stuff as opposed to how much time I’m spending managing the stuff I’m doing. Personally, I’ve found that true GTD takes more babysitting than I’m able to give it.

I’ve also tried a number of GTD tools out there. I even stuck with Backpack for over 2 months!

For some reason though I can never stick to a paperless solution! I prefer to use a moleskine and index cards for my gtd solution.

I’ve also been using OmniFocus for a couple of months now and like a lot of what Omni has done to create a good GTD app with a nice degree of flexibility. I also like iGTD and have been evaluating Midnight Inbox most recently. iGTD, like OmniFocus, uses a project/context/action structure and has some well-thought out features for anytime access, quick data entry, and integration with other apps and services including QuickSilver.

A lot of people really struggle with GTD process and for those who really want to work through David Allen’s 5-stage process for knocking off actions and projects, I think the approach Midnight Inbox takes might be quite useful. It’s less free-form and flexible than these other tools but definitely helps promote good GTD habits.

I may be biased, but the tool I keep going back to is Backpack. It’s not billed as a true GTD app like the others but I love the flexibility it brings.