Hey dro0g :) I much prefer to use Linux on my own computer, though I have to use Windows and OSX elsewhere.

One trick I've found under Linux is to go with a fairly minimalist window manager, like Fluxbox. It might sound silly, but when I use Windows or OSX, the icons distract me! I find I get more done with a very basic desktop setup, and I'm much less likely to skive off playing games or surfing sites. Fluxbox just has a simple bar at the bottom (no icons, just time/date), and no desktop icons (just a right click menu).

I did try using Evolution for a while, but I've moved over to web-based mail and calendar now. VIMOutliner looks interesting, especially since VIM is my favourite text editor, though I wonder how portable the file format is. Have you looked at Emacs and its many plugins?

Affiche is good for desktop post-its, though it clutters it up a bit. Also considering Gmail Todo, which stores entered tasks on Gmail with a to-do label. Looks quite nifty; you could do it yourself on Gmail quite easily, but it's nice to have a more direct way.

I use Linux heavily for my GTD-fixated life. For work I used a Windows notebook PC (which follows me home and many other places), and on my desktop at home I use Debian GNU/Linux with KDE.

However, the core of my system is my Sharp Zaurus 5500, a Linux-based PDA. I use the plain vanilla Todo List app for my context lists, and the plain vanilla calandar. I sync the whole thing to MS Outlook on my laptop for convenience and backup, but most of the time I work the lists right from the Zaurus. (So Maybe I should be posting this in the PDAs forum?)

The only hitch in my system is that I can't fully access the email folders on my home PC while I'm on the road. At home I use Kmail, and when I'm away I SSH into my home machine and use Mutt. However, Mutt doesn't seem to work well with the mailbox format used by Kmail. Still looking for a fix for that. (It all worked fine back when I used Gnome and the Sylpheed email client.)

--T.

"My name is pete and I use GNU/Linux exclusively at home and work."

:-)

(OK- we have a dual boot machine at home which I use XP for music stuff.)

I have adopted the "one damn big text file" approach with org-mode (http://staff.science.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools/org/index.html) under emacs, and a hipster PDA for my "portable" requirements (my Zaurus is seeing less and less action).

I have posted some stuff about my experience with org-mode on my blog -
http://ccgi.philfam.co.uk/wordpress/2005/10/05/4
http://ccgi.philfam.co.uk/wordpress/2005/10/04/3

Anyway- for those of you who use GNU/Linux or some sort if UNIX day in, day out, and even if like me, you are a dyed in the wool vi afficianado, grab org-mode and emacs (I use the VIPER package to allow me to use the familiar vi key bindings when text editing in emacs). Org-mode enhances emacs outline mode, and is just an incredibly powerful list manager, which can integrate to emacs diary/calendar etc.

Ditch evolution and use mh-e (or one of the other emacs mail packages) as your mail reader, and diary-mode for your diary. You will then be able to use emacs for all of your GTD/scheduling stuff. I have been using this combo for 2 months now, and it is incredibly powerful. One of the reasons it worked for me is that I have emacs up on my laptop at work and home all the time (I have used emacs as my mail reader for close to 10 years), hence slotting everything else in wasn't much of a hassle. Biggest problem is when I need to make a diary appointment when my laptop isn't with me, but I carry the next 2 months around with mein my hipster anyway using the Monthly hipster template from the DIY-planner site.

Also used Scribus to create some new Hipster PDA designs (a la DIY Planner @ http://www.diyplanner.com/templates ).

Pete

Tetsujin - how is the Sharp Zaurus? I'd like to hear your thoughts on it, since I'm considering getting one. I don't particularly want to use a Windows based PDA, though I do like the interface of WM2003. Is the Zaurus GUI easy to navigate? Pros and cons? Is there a console mode?

Maybe this does belong in the PDA forum, but as a Linux based PDA I think it's relevant :)

Thanks for the tips, Pete - especially regarding vi and emacs. I'd heard there was a way to set up vi bindings, but didn't know how easy the switch would be. I will give it a try. Being able to export directly from org-mode to HTML is a big attraction.

Planner mode (http://sacha.free.net.ph/notebook/wiki/PlannerMode.php) looks interesting, though much of the functionality may be duplicated in org-mode.

I've used both org and planner modes, and I think that while they have similar goals -- helping you to organise your life -- and similar functions -- calendars, todo lists, links to your address book or to external files -- the main difference is in the way information is organised. Planner mode is built on top of emacs wiki mode and seems to work best if you use lots of small files for projects and calendar days, for example. Org mode is more flexible in structure so you could keep everything in one big text file if you wanted to.

(Personally, I'm intrigued but confused about the one-big-text-file approach. Would you include things like article/story drafts in there? And it wouldn't work for programming, would it?)

If you happen to have a server of your own that you have 'playing around' access to ;) you can use signal9's idea just as well and then connect from anywhere and in any sort of way you like.