Recently updated to 2.0 status, Hog Bay Software’s TaskPaper 2 has caught our attention. The basic premise of TaskPaper is simplicity. Amidst all the feature rich GTD apps stands a simple looking project manager, which from the look of it seems more like a notepad than a functional GTD. Now let’s not judge the book by its cover and take a quick look at what exactly this app offers. Note that I have used the application for only a day, so consider this as a preview instead of a complete review. 

The Four Main Functions
There are only four functions in TaskPaper: projects, notes, tasks, and tags. Each of these is formatted automatically and presented to you in a clear easy-to-read window. Unlike other GTD readers, this actually feels like notepad that someone might have used in the past. Each window is a separate document, that you can carry around wherever you go. 

Projects are basically subheadings to divide your tasks. You can drill down into a project to isolate the rest, but you can’t collapse a project to hide its contents. 

Notes are bulleted points. You can’t strike out a note. It’s just there. Think of it as additional information for your project title. You can of course add as many notes as you want.  

Tasks are where TaskPaper shines. While looking at each task it looks just like a bullet list with hyphens instead of dots, there’s more to the UI. You can move the tasks up or down by just dragging the little bar. And if you click the bar, the task shows a strikethrough, symbolising that the task is done. 

Adding either one of these three fields can be done entirely via keyboard shortcuts and hence structuring your task list can be very quick and efficient. 

Tagging and Searching.
Anywhere in Taskpaper, you can add tags. Any tags. Just need to add @ in front of any word and it gets marked as a tag. An @done tag is added to every task that is completed and there is also a shortcut key to tag something with @today. TaskPaper remembers past tags and offers suggestions when you want to add them again. You can then search your document entirely, or just by tags. 

Themes
Turns out TaskPaper can be themed to your liking. Shipping with five preinstalled themes, you can change the look from a 1960s Terminal, to the modern UI of Things! I haven’t looked into it, but I assume these themes are basically just HTML and CSS, which anyone should be able to write. Of course, the default one works the best, and is very space saving.  

What’s it missing?
I noticed that it doesn’t have a bunch of functions like scheduling of tasks, auto-archiving of done tasks (a menubar command exists for archiving), nor does this sync with anything iPhone. Beyond that I have nothing else to complain about.  

Who is it for?
I appreciate the developer recommending the more powerful apps like OmniFocus and Things for those looking for a powerful GTD application. TaskPaper seems to be suited for those who have very little time to organise their tasks and have a strict set of tasks. The application cannot be used for complex project management as TaskPaper lacks the organisational functions of a full blown GTD app.

Middle aged people who have limited time and skills to learn new applications will find Task Paper just right. The feeling of using a regular notepad in comparison to something digital like in Things or OmniOutliner is definitely a plus point for technophobiacs.

For the younger generation, picking up the functions of an advanced GTD application is so quick, that TaskPaper might feel a little too simple. However, I won’t base my judgement on its usefulness just yet, as the concept looks very interesting and enticing. 

Coming in at $30 for a single user license, you might think TaskPaper is a tad bit expensive, but compared to the big GTD apps, it is well within range. Screenshots don’t do justice to what the App actually feels like, check out the trial version at Hog Bay Software, watch the screencast, and see whether it fits your workflow.