Getting Back with an Ex: The Return to RTM

Just under two months ago, I wrote about how I was switching my task manager of choice from Remember the Milk to Wunderlist. As of today -- as soon as I finish writing this post -- I'm switching back. Here's why.

Date entry

To add a task in RTM using the web interface, one enters the name of the task and any associated information (due date, priority, tags, etc.) into a one-line text box. Task details are prepended by a designated character. This is called Smart Add, and it's brilliant. For example, "Wash car ^3 weeks" will set a task due three weeks from today, and "Elgar's time capsule opened in Worcestershire ^2-23-2034" will remind me to watch BBC News in 23 years. No sweat.

To add a due date to a task in Wunderlist using the web interface, you have to flip through a pop-up calendar. Want to set a reminder for the year 2034? You best start clicking; you have 276 months to get through. The only way around this is to use the Wunderlist mobile app (on iOS, you can use the scrolling date picker) or to send your task via email.

The RTM mobile app allows you to use the scrolling date picker or choose from a list of never, tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday, etc. or enter the date in text like you would on the web version. I can't speak for email adding, because I haven't tested it thoroughly.

Interface blues

Once, I had Wunderlist open in a Chrome tab. I was going about my business and decided to switch to it and add a task. I jumped to the tab, clicked in the add-a-task box and started typing "read this article" or something. Unfortunately, I was too fast for the interface, which decided to refresh itself, which caused the focus to be stolen away from the text box. The shortcut key for deleting a list of tasks is D. I lost the focus, hit D, hit space (accidentally confirming the action), and permanently lost an entire list of twenty tasks in less than a second. Yes, I did it, and it's my fault, but I am not okay with having to wait a moment to make sure an app is ready when I switch to it.

RTM is zippy, and every action is echoed at the top of the page: "List 'Personal' deleted. Undo?" "Task completed. Undo?"

No big picture, no big sorted list

For better or worse, I need to be able to see all my tasks in one big list sorted by date. Wunderlist does not offer this. Wunderlist does not sort tasks by date -- even when viewing a single list -- unless you drag them into order yourself.

Whose fault is it, anyway?

In my previous post, I wrote that "[S]ometimes I worry that I spend more time managing my tasks than actually getting anything done." However, that's my fault, and mine alone. I shouldn't blame RTM for being a feature-rich app.

The two things I'll miss...

Wunderlist is more attractive than RTM. I love the wood-panel background and chalkboard background that you can set your task list on. Even the reminder or news emails from the team are gorgeous. RTM is simple and clean and good-looking enough, but more than once, I felt like an idiot at the Baylor Library for opening up a page with a big picture of a cow at the top.

Also, free syncing across all devices. Wunderlist, and all of their mobile apps (Android and iOS), and all syncing, is all free. Free RTM users get one manual sync every 24 hours. Pro users, for $25 a year, get free, unlimited, and automatic syncing. Note that this is only for the sleek RTM app, though -- rememberthemilk.com in mobile Safari is always free as free, and it works ~fairly well.

But, the thing is, you know... I just might love RTM enough to go pro. And I'm okay with that.