What do YOU use for your todo/tobuy lists and why do you like that app?

I haven't yet come up with a perfect solution, which is why I ask for what
you use for your Android todo/tobuy lists, where my goals are always
o Free, ad free, login free, cloud free, KISS apps (if possible)
o That do one job but they do that one job well

The problem with todo/tobuy lists that do one job well, is that you either
need a complex app that handles everything, or, you need multiple simple
apps that handle just one thing each (where the apps are essentially
duplicates).

For example, a tobuy list for Costco can be completely different than a
tobuy list for car parts or a tobuy list for gifts, so you need three tobuy
apps, where, luckily, even unrooted (at least with nova),
you can rename each original app name on Android to be something like:
o originalApp1Name - buyAtCostco
o originalApp2Name - buyAtBoxStore
o originalApp3Name - buyAtAutoPartsStore

The problem is different with "task" lists, which generally have a date and
time and reminder alarm (and maybe even geofencing alerts), where the
complexity rises greatly from tobuy lists with these task list apps.

Since I'm still perfecting my system for todo/tobuy, I'd like to ask what
other users use for YOUR todo/tobuy lists, given the fact that most apps
can't be repurposed - so you often need multiple apps that do the same
thing, one for each store or type of task (e.g., work or home tasks).

What do YOU use for your todo/tobuy lists and why do you like that app?

Currently, I rename each of the following tobuy apps (as described above):
o OpenTasks <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.dmfs.tasks
o ShoLi <https://f-droid.org/wiki/page/name.soulayrol.rhaa.sholi
o Shopping List <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.woefe.shoppinglist
o ShoppingList <https://f-droid.org/wiki/page/org.janb.shoppinglist
o Shopt <https://f-droid.org/wiki/page/eu.domob.shopt
o Simply Do <https://f-droid.org/en/packages/kdk.android.simplydo/
o Tasks (LG system app) com.lge.task
o TickTick <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ticktick.task
o Trolly <https://f-droid.org/wiki/page/caldwell.ben.trolly

Given I need about five more KISS shopping lists (all of which do the same
thing, where I rename them for each type of thing to buy), I ask what app
do YOU use for your todo/tobuy lists & why you like that app?

--
Usenet questions should benefit everyone from the helpful public dialog.

On 13/11/2019 16:38, Arlen _G_ Holder wrote:
What do YOU use for your todo/tobuy lists and why do you like that app?

Call me old fashioned, but I use a pen and paper. Less to go wrong..!


--
Ria in Aberdeen

[Send address is invalid, use sipsoup at gmail dot com to reply direct]

On Wed, 13 Nov 2019 20:57:24 +0000, MissRiaElaine wrote:

What do YOU use for your todo/tobuy lists and why do you like that app?

Call me old fashioned, but I use a pen and paper. Less to go wrong..!

It's good to know that pen and paper work for you.
Me? I can write it down all I want; I lose the paper.

I do very much like the idea of 'geofencing' apps which contact you based
on where you are (but which don't need to use the Internet).

For example, as you drive by a Home Depot, Ace, Harbor Freight or Lowes, it
alerts you that you had listed "BR30 LED Light Bulbs" in the tobuy list for
hardware.

If anyone has a good geofenced task/tobuy app, please let the group know.

On 11/13/2019 12:57 PM, MissRiaElaine wrote:
On 13/11/2019 16:38, Arlen _G_ Holder wrote:
What do YOU use for your todo/tobuy lists and why do you like that app?

Call me old fashioned, but I use a pen and paper. Less to go wrong..!

I use the back of junk mail envelopes and the notepads that various
charities send in the hope of guilting me into sending a contribution.
Those people also send me stick-on address labels.

Make a $2 contribution to one of those charities and you're set for life!

--
Cheers, Bev
"Faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death."
-- Hunter S. Thompson

On Wed, 13 Nov 2019 17:28:55 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

I use the back of junk mail envelopes and the notepads that various
charities send in the hope of guilting me into sending a contribution.
Those people also send me stick-on address labels.

Hi The Real Bev,

We've discussed a lot of things in common over the decades...

I appreciate your input, which is basically that you feel tasks lists and
shopping lists APKs are not useful, which I can understand.

For me, I (often) lose the paper whereas I (almost) never lose the phone.

Since all Usenet posts should ADD on-topic VALUE to the public
conversation, here are four TASK LIST apps I downloaded from F-Droid onto
Windows, and then slid over to Android and installed, to test:

I downloaded to Windows a dozen free "list" APKs, and then slid
them over to Android, & installed them (works on any Android device):
<https://i.postimg.cc/vmXqV4Vm/todolist01.jpg

Then, one by one, I changed the names (some of which were duplicate names)
to something I wanted them to be named that made sense, to me, for my need:
<https://i.postimg.cc/V5yD8M3K/todolist02.jpg

This is trivial to do simply by long pressing & selecting the "Edit" popup:
<https://i.postimg.cc/28hfBx88/todolist03.jpg

To help others, here's about a dozen todo/task/shopping lists that are
free, ad free, do not use the Internet, and protect your privacy (AFAIK):

1. Tasks (14MB)
o Fork of Astrid Tasks & To-Do List
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.tasks/

2. Tasks (2.7MB)
o Keep track of your list of goals
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.dmfs.tasks/

3. Privacy Friendly To-Do List (2.2MB) [with PIN protection]
o Keep a list of tasks
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.secuso.privacyfriendlytodolist/

4. Simple ToDo (1.3MB)
o To-Do / Task list with beautiful minimalistic design and reminders
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/apps.jizzu.simpletodo/

Here are some shopping lists I downloaded from F-Droid to Windows
and then installed on the Android test device to test for the team:
A. OI Shopping List (1.9MB)
o Keep track of your shopping items
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.openintents.shopping/

B. Trolly (36KB)
o Shopping list
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/caldwell.ben.trolly/

C. Shopping List (1.7MB)
o Manage (grocery) lists
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.woefe.shoppinglist/

D. Privacy Friendly Shopping List (3.3MB)
o Create and manage shopping lists
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/privacyfriendlyshoppinglist.secuso.org.privacyfrie ndlyshoppinglist/

E. ShoLi (112KB)
o Shopping lists manager
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/name.soulayrol.rhaa.sholi/

Some of these I already had, but all installed on my Nougat 7.
(I already listed the Google Play related APKs in another post.)

--
Each Usenet post should add on-topic value to the shared adult discussion.

Arlen _G_ Holder writes:

What do YOU use for your todo/tobuy lists and why do you like that app?

I like org mode in Emacs, I use its simple lists extensively for notes
and todos. There is some support for org files in Android (Orgzly) and I
use that on my phone. No painless sync solution between phone and PC for
org files though (AFAIK). Also it doesn't look like Orgzly has reminders.

So, as a task app I use "Tasks, Fork of Astrid Tasks & To-Do List",
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.tasks/

It's a simple task manager with the plus that Pure Calendar Widget can
show tasks from it. Single dev though so it doesn't seem to be going
anywhere. Mostly what I'd like is hierarchical tasks but the
implementation here isn't great.

For lists I need to share with others, Google Keep.

On Wed, 13 Nov 2019 16:38:44 +0000, Arlen _G_ Holder wrote:

What do YOU use for your todo/tobuy lists and why do you like that app?

I haven't yet come up with a perfect solution, which is why I ask for
what you use for your Android todo/tobuy lists, where my goals are
always o Free, ad free, login free, cloud free, KISS apps (if possible)
o That do one job but they do that one job well

The problem with todo/tobuy lists that do one job well, is that you
either need a complex app that handles everything, or, you need multiple
simple apps that handle just one thing each (where the apps are
essentially duplicates).

For example, a tobuy list for Costco can be completely different than a
tobuy list for car parts or a tobuy list for gifts, so you need three
tobuy apps, where, luckily, even unrooted (at least with nova),
you can rename each original app name on Android to be something like:
o originalApp1Name - buyAtCostco o originalApp2Name - buyAtBoxStore o
originalApp3Name - buyAtAutoPartsStore

The problem is different with "task" lists, which generally have a date
and time and reminder alarm (and maybe even geofencing alerts), where
the complexity rises greatly from tobuy lists with these task list apps.

Since I'm still perfecting my system for todo/tobuy, I'd like to ask
what other users use for YOUR todo/tobuy lists, given the fact that most
apps can't be repurposed - so you often need multiple apps that do the
same thing, one for each store or type of task (e.g., work or home
tasks).

What do YOU use for your todo/tobuy lists and why do you like that app?


I use Grocery Tracker Shopping List by easicorp for shopping list. It
has a bunch of inventory and menu features, but I just use the multi-store
to-buy list features for groceries and other things. I can see the
entire merged list at once or just by store, the latter being useful
for checking stuff off as I pick it off the store shelf. I bought
the pro version to support the author, so I don't know exactly
if any of the features I use are premium vs. free.

For tasks and longer-term or wish-list type items I use a staggering
hodegpodge of things, including the occasional post-it stuck to the
back of my phone. Nothing like it's tactile presence to be a reminder.
As for apps, I mainly use google calendar for appointments etc., google
calendar tasks for multiple todo lists. But I use Jorte calendar to
interface to both of those instead of google's own apps. I've used
google's "Keep notes", but it's pretty primitive.

On Thu, 14 Nov 2019 15:50:19 -0000 (UTC), Joe Beanfish wrote:

I use Grocery Tracker Shopping List by easicorp for shopping list.

Thanks for both suggesting a tool, and for outlining what you like:
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=easicorp.gtracker

I picked it up from Windows and slid it over to my Android phone.
<easicorp.gtracker_82_apps.evozi.com.apk 2,073KB

This is the first app yet tested that asked to "take pictures".
It opens with a reasonable ad to ask you to buy the pro version.
It opened to a "System Message Available" but I didn't read it.

It has "Options" and "Settings" and "More" (and more than that!).

The "Settings" ask you to look at the "pro" settings (again, ok).
It seems to have a decent pricing setup, e.g., unit pricing.
It seems to have decent categories that can be set up.
It has quantity, and inventory settings.
It even has a default sales tax rate!
It can handle various monetary systems.
It can sort by name & then brand, or vice versa.
It can access a public database, but, thankfully, that's off by default.
It does seem to connect to user databases by default (I turned that off).
And it does seem to send new products to GTracker (again, I turned it off).
It seems to have its own built-in bar-code scanner (might be convenient).

In Options, you can set up to a dozen "stores" to track prices.
In Options, it comes with a list of a score or more of "categories".
It can handle coupons (thank God I never use them).

That's after a minute or two of flipping about.
I think it's a decent app, if a bit powerful (hence more complex).

Given my current strategy is one KISS tobuy app per type of store, I think
I'll set this app up as my price-comparison app across stores, e.g., Costco
versus Safeway versus Shop Rite versus Whole Foods versus Lunardis versus
Cosentinos versus Knob Hill versus Trader Joes, etc.

I think it's a keeper, although it will take some getting used to.

For tasks and longer-term or wish-list type items I use a staggering
hodegpodge of things, including the occasional post-it stuck to the
back of my phone. Nothing like it's tactile presence to be a reminder.
As for apps, I mainly use google calendar for appointments etc., google
calendar tasks for multiple todo lists. But I use Jorte calendar to
interface to both of those instead of google's own apps. I've used
google's "Keep notes", but it's pretty primitive.

Thank you again for suggesting tools and saying why you like them.
o Bear in mind I'm well aware of the risk of doing so on Usenet.

I checked out the blurbs for Jorte which seem reasonable & nice:
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.co.johospace.jorte

I try to keep my "todo" lists off the net, so I'm using a grandfathered
freeware com.simplemobiletools.calendar which we discussed in the past:
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/_Hto6iG1ALA/i66e-hl_CQAJ

I'm not sure if the suite of a score of Simple Mobile Tools are still free:
<https://www.simplemobiletools.com/

In hindsight, I probably should NOT have mixed todo lists with tobuy lists,
simply because of the added complexity of the timing, alerts, alarms,
synchronization, etc. makes it pretty complex since most people use the
cloud for their calendar apps (but I don't put anything on the cloud that I
don't have to that is my personal data).

So I think my needs for a "todo" list with geofencing may be too complex
for this thread, where the shopping lists seem to be "easier" to source.

Thank you very much for hazarding what you use and like and why, as that's
the most valuable input we can get here on the Android newsgroup - but very
few people risk it - so I wish to say I much appreciate your helpful
suggestions.

--
Usenet is a potluck where helpful people share ideas around the world.

On 11/13/2019 08:19 PM, Arlen Holder wrote:
On Wed, 13 Nov 2019 17:28:55 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

I use the back of junk mail envelopes and the notepads that various
charities send in the hope of guilting me into sending a contribution.
Those people also send me stick-on address labels.

Hi The Real Bev,

We've discussed a lot of things in common over the decades...

I appreciate your input, which is basically that you feel tasks lists and
shopping lists APKs are not useful, which I can understand.

For me, I (often) lose the paper whereas I (almost) never lose the phone.

So do I. Still, keeping shopping lists on the phone requires either
thumb-typing or real typing on the computer and then sending the text
list to my phone. Much easier to write TJ: EGGS on an envelope!

Since all Usenet posts should ADD on-topic VALUE to the public

Your efforts are much appreciated, honest!

conversation, here are four TASK LIST apps I downloaded from F-Droid onto
Windows, and then slid over to Android and installed, to test:

I downloaded to Windows a dozen free "list" APKs, and then slid
them over to Android, & installed them (works on any Android device):
<https://i.postimg.cc/vmXqV4Vm/todolist01.jpg

Then, one by one, I changed the names (some of which were duplicate names)
to something I wanted them to be named that made sense, to me, for my need:
<https://i.postimg.cc/V5yD8M3K/todolist02.jpg

This is trivial to do simply by long pressing & selecting the "Edit" popup:
<https://i.postimg.cc/28hfBx88/todolist03.jpg

To help others, here's about a dozen todo/task/shopping lists that are
free, ad free, do not use the Internet, and protect your privacy (AFAIK):

1. Tasks (14MB)
o Fork of Astrid Tasks & To-Do List
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.tasks/

2. Tasks (2.7MB)
o Keep track of your list of goals
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.dmfs.tasks/

3. Privacy Friendly To-Do List (2.2MB) [with PIN protection]
o Keep a list of tasks
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.secuso.privacyfriendlytodolist/

4. Simple ToDo (1.3MB)
o To-Do / Task list with beautiful minimalistic design and reminders
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/apps.jizzu.simpletodo/

Here are some shopping lists I downloaded from F-Droid to Windows
and then installed on the Android test device to test for the team:
A. OI Shopping List (1.9MB)
o Keep track of your shopping items
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.openintents.shopping/

B. Trolly (36KB)
o Shopping list
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/caldwell.ben.trolly/

C. Shopping List (1.7MB)
o Manage (grocery) lists
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.woefe.shoppinglist/

D. Privacy Friendly Shopping List (3.3MB)
o Create and manage shopping lists
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/privacyfriendlyshoppinglist.secuso.org.privacyfrie ndlyshoppinglist/

E. ShoLi (112KB)
o Shopping lists manager
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/name.soulayrol.rhaa.sholi/

Some of these I already had, but all installed on my Nougat 7.
(I already listed the Google Play related APKs in another post.)



--
Cheers, Bev
"I love to go down to the schoolyard and watch all the
little children jump up and down and run around yelling and
screaming...They don't know I'm only using blanks." --Emo

On 11/14/2019 9:59 AM, The Real Bev wrote:

So do I.* Still, keeping shopping lists on the phone requires either
thumb-typing or real typing on the computer and then sending the text
list to my phone.* Much easier to write TJ:* EGGS on an envelope!

I like using Google Docs for shopping lists. I can share the document
and my wife can enter the items she needs without constantly calling and
texting.