43 Folders

Back to Work

Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

Join us via RSS, iTunes, or at 5by5.tv.

”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

GUI - Grand Unified Interface

I'm on a quest for the Grand Unified Interface. I have a detailed hierarchy in the Finder, with a folder for each project, and each project folder parked in the appropriate Active, On Hold, etc. parent folder. A project folder can contain anything from text files, to OmniOutlines, to image files, to FileMaker databases. But the one thing it cannot contain is email. Currently, there is a duplicate project hierarchy in my mailbox list in Mail. During my weekly review, I spend a great deal of time syncing the project data in Mail with the project data in the Finder. I've tried saving copies of email messages into the appropriate project folders in the Finder, but must still keep the originals in Mail in order to facilitate ongoing conversation. I've tried keeping everything in Mail, but that's cumbersome. Email programs are not designed to be GTD managers. I've tried DevonThink, but it doesn't handle email very well, and requires me to launch FileMaker and OmniOutliner in order to work those files. If I'm going to launch independent apps, I might as well use the Finder. I'm looking for a Finder with a tightly integrated email capability. Has anyone run across this holy grail?

dp

therealadam's picture

So the mere act of...

So the mere act of switching from the Finder to Mail to send a reply is too much? Bummer.

Coming from a software background, it seems to me that so long as you just have one canonical copy of the message (in your mail client) the duplication isn't such a big deal. I guess you're trying to use the Finder as the center of your workflow and not just a place to store your reference files?

 
EXPLORE 43Folders THE GOOD STUFF

Popular
Today

Popular
Classics

An Oblique Strategy:
Honor thy error as a hidden intention


STAY IN THE LOOP:

Subscribe with Google Reader

Subscribe on Netvibes

Add to Technorati Favorites

Subscribe on Pageflakes

Add RSS feed

The Podcast Feed

Cranking

Merlin used to crank. He’s not cranking any more.

This is an essay about family, priorities, and Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s probably the best thing he’s written. »

Scared Shitless

Merlin’s scared. You’re scared. Everybody is scared.

This is the video of Merlin’s keynote at Webstock 2011. The one where he cried. You should watch it. »