I am actually using Activeinbox (former Gmail GTD) and it is going great :) I am happy. (http://www.activeinboxhq.com/) On the other hand I came across this article (http://darrencrawford.com/my-simple-gtd-evernote-combo/) or some of the ones from Rudd when I am looking for new GTD tricks for my process :). And I don’t agree with Rudd when he says to look around is proof of non-satisfaction, I am always looking around no matter if I am satisfy or not, who knows if we find something better ;)

Anyways, till now I haven’t found anything better than Gmail for my GTD system, calendar, searchable, labeled, filterable, emailable ;) and all the new ideas I catch out of gmail I end up ditching them in a week or so, at then end… I haven’t found a source out of gmail that it is not redundant, including EN, although I just have one reason to use it beside gmail:

My reason for use Evernote is only one:
JUST FOR IMAGES (OR VOICE NOTES – VERY FEW), just to take advantage of the OCR feature out of plain pictures if I happen to need it someday.

Ok, there is something that gmail is missing, and it is the geo-tagging thing, that results very cool when u remember where did u have that idea to incorporate into ur flowchart but… they started moving in that direction (check google latitude last week blog).

For file management I am still struggling, I like Googledocs when they are done by me because I can collaborate, to send them and stuff, but when they are created by another person and they are a definitely copy (n needed to modification) dropbox is just better… I am wondering if it is a way to sync them in a good way :)

Google Bookmarks… mmm… when I really need the image of the webpage, IMAGE=Evernote, when I don’t, Google bookmarks is enough :D

I want to hear your comments guys.

Will Cuartin
cuartin@gmail.com

Good reply.

“Simple: the fact you’re looking for or reading about another setup means you’re not that satisfied :)”

True, but in my own post http://reddog888.blogspot.com/2010/04/search-for-uber-info-management-system.html, I conceded that I was on the path to something “close” to ideal. So right now I’m happy with my:

- Use Gmail GTD for notes and tasks
- Google bookmarks, Gmail and Reader for web clippings
- Google Docs for doc management

What I’d like to improve on is:
- Remove WriteRoom with a mobile ideas/notes management app that supports Google Docs sync. This will supplement and not replace my Gmail GTD method.
- Add a centralised view/search over all data silos. Phase 1 would include Google bookmarks, Gmail and Reader.

My gripe is that I love technology but I don’t like when technology enforces behaviour upon us. We should be free to throw stuff in and work how we want but not be restricted by the application. EverNote’s tagging and search is great, but it would only work for me if Google bought them. :) Daily Tracker is too specific for me, same as Awesome Notes. I think they do well for specific uses as a tracker or to do app, but I don’t need the former and already have Gmail GTD for tasks and GCalendar. So until a centralised “one search to rule them all” app comes along, I’ll try out NotesMaster or iGoogDocs in combination with my own system. Why Google doesn’t provide a centralised view over all it’s data silos, I don’t know why. After all, they are the Search gurus.

Check out Daily Tracker (iphone/itouch). Excellent. Outstanding.

“I am looking for some justification to use Evernote over my existing system”

Simple: the fact you’re looking for or reading about another setup means you’re not that satisfied :)

My main reason to use EN is the search-as-you-type. Very powerful. Also: not structure imposed. A true free form database.

“People on both threads have talked of emailing to Gmail and then forward to Evernote, and using that Gmail copy as an archive. Doesn’t this make EN superfluous?”

My EN <> Gmail setup has been mainly to have an alternative access point to my data.

“Google bookmarks, Gmail and Reader for web clippings”

The reason I first started to use EN to clip from the web is that everything is stored local. Clipping to Gmail still references images on the web.

Just realised this search for a simple way to sync with Google  Docs has thrown up other needs. So currently.
- Use Gmail GTD for notes and tasks
- WriteRoom for mobile ideas and text capture
- Google Docs for doc management
- Google bookmarks, Gmail and Reader for web clippings

So I think the requirement is to supplement Gmail GTD and Google Docs, but replace Google bookmarks and Gmail for web clips etc in a more centralised method. Go on convince me!

http://ruudhein.com/gmail-to-evernote-information-management-workflow
 http://darrencrawford.com/my-simple-gtd-evernote-combo/

My solution has been to install an email client that supports rich formatting and launches fast enough for me to not mind. In my case that’s Windows Live Mail (the desktop program, not the web service); the compose window launches in no-time.

Set your reply-to and that’s it