Why did we release Chaos Control for Windows and what came of it. Chaos Control is a very simple and convenient scheduler application - Take everything from life! — LJ Rake and problems at the start

Chaos Control is an application for those who are used to planning their workday and setting goals for themselves. This organizer will be especially useful for those who are engaged in entrepreneurial activities or are launching a startup. Simply put, all those who have to do a lot of things every day. The program developers immodestly call their product “revolutionary” and really effective, unlike most solutions presented on Google Play. As mentioned earlier, the program allows you to work both with small daily tasks and set yourself global goals, which can take more than one week or even a month to complete. In addition, individual goal tasks can be combined into projects. You can allocate a certain period of time to complete goals and projects. The program will notify you of approaching deadlines using pop-up notifications.

In addition, the program contains tools for creating lists, storing personal data and passwords, and also has support for all kinds of smart watches from various manufacturers. The program interface, although typical for applications of this kind, is still quite modern, ergonomic and intuitive.

Key Features and Functions

• allows you to plan your daily routine and set goals;
• makes it possible to store personal data protected by a password in the program;
• has an extremely convenient and ergonomic interface;
• can notify users about the end of the time allocated for individual projects;
• can work with all kinds of third-party gadgets;
• It has a very nice and simple interface.

The site laboratory continues to review task schedulers for mobile devices based on the Android operating system.

Before reading this review, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the previous material, the heroes of which were three of the most popular planners: To Round, Wunderlist and Todoist. These programs have proven themselves well, each of them has its own feature, interesting design and functions.

Our new review is devoted to three other applications that are no less interesting and worthy of discussion. First up is Chaos Control: GTD To Do List. Sounds impressive, doesn't it? Right after that, we'll take a look at the calendar with advanced Day by Day settings. And our article “Daily: calendar and planner” will conclude.

The test equipment used was a Xiaomi Redmi Note smartphone (Miui V7 on OS Android 4.4.2, Dalvik runtime, MediaTek MT6592 processor, 8 x 1700 MHz, Mali-450 MP4 video coprocessor, 700 MHz, 2 GB RAM) and a Jinga Basco M500 smartphone 3G (OC Android 5.1, ART runtime, MediaTek MT6580 processor, 4 x 1300 MHz, Mali-400 MP2 video coprocessor, 1 GB RAM).

Chaos Control: GTD To Do List

Acquaintance

The average person who lives along the route “Home Station” - Work Station is unlikely to need various task planners and time management programs. Applications of this kind are more relevant among entrepreneurs, public figures and other people who are actively “storming” life. They certainly know a lot about this.

Well, let's look at their vision of the layout thanks to the application released by entrepreneur and developer Dmitry Tarasov - “Chaos Control: GTD To Do List”.

Key features of the Chaos Control application:

• Data synchronization with an unlimited number of devices on all major and mobile platforms;
• Projects and contexts based on the GTD methodology and complemented by the ability to group into folders;
• Chaos Place is a special section of the application where you can place any unsorted tasks and notes to process them later;
• Repetitive tasks;
• Notes for tasks, projects, folders and contexts;
• Flexible task reminders;
• Cloud data storage;
• Protect application data using a PIN code;
• Export tasks to the device calendar.

Features of the Chaos Control Premium app:

• Synchronization of all your data between mobile and desktop devices running any modern operating system;
• Cloud storage of data, in which you do not need to worry about restoring it if you change your device;
• Recurring tasks to manage activities that happen regularly;
• Nested folders and contexts for more convenient organization of the structure of your affairs;
• Protect task lists using a PIN code.

Beginning of work

Immediately after installation, the Chaos Control application is ready for the assault! We find ourselves on the main and only screen, presented in the form of a calendar and a list of active tasks. You can scroll through it chronologically and view it in general.

Since the program is made in the modern Material Design style, understanding it will not be difficult. To add a task, you need to click on the corresponding icon with a cross and describe the goal in detail. It is noteworthy that the assigned tasks can be divided into projects, each of which is assigned stages of implementation and the frequency of reminders.

The function of exporting tasks to a calendar will not be superfluous. Unlike similar applications, redirection to any application with a calendar is available here, and not just to Google Calendar.

As already mentioned, in Chaos Control you can sort tasks by project. For general or not yet sorted tasks, you can use a special section called the “Place of Chaos”. Folders and tasks can be protected with a four-digit password, but this feature is not available in the free version of the application.

It is worth noting the support for synchronizing data, that is, assigned and completed tasks, with other devices based on Android OS, as well as iOS, Windows, Mac OS, and even through the web version (only in the Pro version). Unfortunately, this feature is only present in the advanced version of the application.

Dmitry Tarasov (Chaos Control) shared information on the release of a version of the program for Windows in his blog.

As promised earlier, on November 23 we released our first full-fledged product for the desktop version of Windows - . Now that the first steps have been taken and the inevitable launch problems have been eliminated, it’s time to tell you in more detail how we came to release the Windows version of the application, what came of it and what will happen next.

Windows 7 support in 2016? Seriously?

A funny story happened to me a week ago. In Moscow there is such an Internet Initiatives Development Fund, which invests in various projects at the initial stage. From time to time they hold open meetings with mentors (these are experts who come to the fund to give advice to startupers), where you can talk about your project and get feedback. This idea was implemented in the form of express consultations with 5-6 experts in turn.

I decided to go to this event to unwind (we are still far from the stage from which it is interesting to go to IIDF) and listen to what respected people think about the concept of Chaos Control. So everything was fine until the very last session, where I met with an expert from Microsoft. Having learned that we had just released an application that supports Windows 7 (I prudently kept silent about the fact that we also support XP), he looked at me in bewilderment as if I were crazy. The subsequent dialogue looked something like this:

He: Yes, we already have 50 million users on Windows 10, and we don’t even sell Windows 7 anymore.
I: But this does not change the fact that most of our users do not want to switch to Windows 10 and continue to use Windows 7.
He: What nonsense? You don't follow the market at all!
I: As do corporate users who do not trust Windows 10 and continue to use Windows 7 or even Windows XP.

At this point I simply died for him as a person. It was clear in my eyes: “What kind of idiot do you have to be to release an application for Windows 7 in 2016?”

Let me explain: yes, Windows 10 is growing quickly, and that’s great. Especially considering that the new Chaos Control supports all versions of Windows, including Windows 10. But in terms of numbers, at the moment in Russia the number of users with Windows 10 is 2 times less than the number of users with Windows XP (!). And 10 times less than the number of users on Windows 7:

By the way, you know that we already had an application in the Windows Store, running on Windows 8 and Windows 10. So, we earned as much just from pre-orders of the new PC version as we earn in the Windows Store in 4 months. So much for “not following the market.”

The harsh numbers, which objectively reflect the true state of things, were also confirmed by our users. The request for a full-fledged desktop client for Windows was perhaps the most popular request since the first months of the existence of Chaos Control. Even multiple contexts and priorities were not asked to us as often as to release a client under seven. So, having reasoned that for Chaos Control to be effective as a planning tool, we needed a “real” desktop client, we finally released it.

Rake and problems at the start

Of course, it wasn't without problems. Firstly, we greatly underestimated the time and complexity of developing a desktop client. The fact is that although we had extensive experience in creating mobile applications, this was our first project for a radically different platform. And we are also lucky that we have a very cool developer. The process of creating an application for desktop Windows differs from creating an application for Android in everything from the development process to the process of publishing the application. Therefore, we discovered a lot of new things, made childhood mistakes and shamelessly delayed the development time. I can safely call this the most valuable experience gained over the past year.

The second major problem was platform fragmentation. Now talking about how it is difficult to develop applications for Android because there are many devices there makes me smile. Imagine: Windows is installed on hundreds of millions of PCs and on millions of different hardware configurations and degrees of system neglect. Even the same build of Windows installed on the same hardware, after a year and after five years of operation, are radically different systems. Therefore, immediately after launch, we encountered problems with old hardware and, in particular, with Windows XP. There were also problems with the new high-resolution screens. They're all sorted out for now, but here's what my desktop has looked like most of the last few months:

The beta tests of the application, which we conducted together with our most active users, were of great help in this regard. Having tried it on Windows, we will extend this practice to mobile platforms - this is an extremely positive experience in all respects.

In addition, in the case of software for versions of Windows prior to Windows 8, the entire logistics of software distribution falls on the shoulders of the developer. The Windows Store does not accept such software, so we needed to implement our own license verification mechanisms and also use our own billing. By the way, be prepared to spend an additional $1000 on application certification and integration of a registration code verification system if you make your own Windows application. By the way, this also has its advantages. In particular, our billing allows you to receive each payment for each application license sold in real time to your PayPal account (in the case of foreign buyers), and not when it is unclear and in what amount, as is the case with the Windows Store.

Ultimately, we did a lot of work, which created the foundation for further scaling and development of our desktop clients (a Mac client is also on the way), as well as for improving the financial performance of the project as a whole. For our users, this means increased customer development across all key platforms (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Web).

What happened in the end

The result is a client that, in its first version, repeats the functionality of mobile clients, but, due to the desktop form factor, is more convenient in planning and processing large volumes of data. I’ll just leave here a few screenshots that illustrate themselves:

We have already collected the first feedback from users and are extremely pleased with what we have achieved. Especially now, when the first problems have already been fixed and the strategy for further development is clear. I would like to sincerely thank all our users who pre-ordered and provided feedback on the first versions of the product - this helped us a lot. Let me remind you that you can download the trial version and/or buy the application.

Strategy for further development

By the end of the year, we plan to prepare and release a similar client for Mac OS into beta testing (the start of sales is scheduled for January 21). After this, clients will be updated more or less in parallel. Our immediate plans include integration with a calendar and, probably, deep integration with MS Office (in particular, Outlook). In addition, we began work on the redesign and development of the next big update to the iOS version, as well as incremental improvements to the Android version.

As for all Chaos Control applications in general, our main priority now is adding the ability to attach files to projects and tasks, as well as adding delegation and collaboration capabilities. This does not cancel other plans, but our main priority for the next year is the release of a product that allows us to use our tool not only for personal planning, but also for organizing work in teams.

If you find a typo, highlight it and press Ctrl + Enter! To contact us you can use .

We are considering the “Chaos Control” goal and objectives manager. This organizer helps bring to life the main advice of the productivity genius and author of the Getting Things Done theory: if information can be downloaded from the brain to external media, this should definitely be done.

The operating principle of “Chaos Control” comes down to four components: setting goals, developing a plan for their implementation, creating conditions for success and managing chaos.

Let's say we have several goals in life. It’s difficult to achieve them right away, so we break the entire path ahead into a series of step-by-step tasks. For each task, we indicate the context under which it can be completed. During the day, we are guided by the proposed plan, and all surprises are sent to a storage area specially designated for them.

Yes, pay attention to the design of the Android version - Material Design in all its glory.

Now let's take a closer look at how everything works here.

Projects and folders

Projects are our big goals. Folders - the areas to which they relate: work, personal affairs and everything else. In each folder we can create both individual projects and combine them into subsections. For each project, a start and end time for work on it is specified.

Tasks

This is what the “Chaos Control” system calls the steps that we must take to bring our plans to life. These activities can be solitary or inhabit projects. Each task is assigned a context - a certain condition under which it is carried out. It is possible to set several reminders that will not let you forget what needs to be done.

Contexts

They can be both places and people. For example, if we are talking about a meeting, it is clear that it can only be held at work, and the presence of colleagues is desirable. “Chaos Control” offers several standard options (“In the office”, “Online”, “At home”, “In the morning” and “When there are 15 minutes free”), users can add their own. Here the only drawback of the application was revealed - the task is associated with only one context, and everything else has to be written in the notes.

A kind of purgatory for all incoming information. Here you can dump sudden ideas, plans and issues that do not require urgent solutions. Here all this will pass the test of time, after which it will take on the form of a task or project, and if not, well, it will go into oblivion.

“Chaos Control” has two widgets with which you can go both to today’s tasks and to the storage of currently unclaimed information. It is very convenient, by the way, that access to it can be placed on the desktop: this way the user will definitely not forget that the “Place of Chaos” still needs to be put in order sometimes.

The impressions from the application were the most pleasant. Everything is extremely simple and clear, there are reminders and the ability to customize. You don't need anything else from the task manager. If you still are not completely satisfied with the basic version, welcome to “Chaos Control Premium”: data synchronization between mobile and desktop devices, cloud storage of all data, repeating tasks for regular tasks, subfolders and contexts, as well as information protection using PIN code. It seems difficult to come up with anything else, and it’s hardly necessary.

Already using Chaos Control? Share your impressions and tell us how you configured it for greater efficiency.

Chaos Control is a powerful organizer that allows you to record long- and medium-term goals, as well as create to-do lists for the day. ****** IMPORTANT: Please note that this version of the Chaos Control app is optimized for use on tablets (such as Surface RT). A separate version of Chaos Control for PCs and laptops is available on our website, which is more convenient for use on “classic” Windows. You can get more detailed information and download an alternative (and newer) application here: http://chaos-control.mobi ****** Not a single biography of an outstanding businessman, politician or artist has ever written that he achieved success through the use of a diary, calendar, time management techniques or a list of tasks for the day. If there is one hallmark of successful people who manage their time effectively, it is the ability to clearly define their goals. Chaos Control is designed to help you define and record your goals and desired results in various areas of activity, as well as the steps necessary to achieve them. Being based on the GTD method, this app is a great planning tool for busy people. Whether you're running a business, launching a new service, making a mobile app, or just planning a vacation, Chaos Control will help you set goals, organize your priorities, and manage your to-do lists. HOW IT WORKS 1) CREATE PROJECTS A project is a goal and a list of tasks attached to it, the implementation of which leads to achieving the desired result. Create an unlimited number of projects, thereby recording your goals in various types of activities 2) CREATE A STRUCTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS Organize projects into categories using folders. For example, you can separate work and personal matters using the “Work” and “Personal” folders, and within them, divide projects into specific activities. 3) USE FLEXIBLE PLANNING Combine tasks from different projects using contextual lists. If you are familiar with the GTD methodology, then you will like this feature. If you are not familiar, it works like tags 4) PLAN YOUR DAY Assign due dates to tasks and plan a schedule for any day 5) RECORD IDEAS AND INCOMING TASKS Especially for chaotically arriving tasks, notes and ideas, we have created the “Place of Chaos” section. Save everything you need to quickly write down into it, and deal with it later 6) SYNCHRONIZE DATA Synchronize your data between all your devices - from a PC and smartphone to a smart watch. Chaos control will help you in solving the following tasks: ■ managing personal goals ■ managing tasks ■ planning personal and work activities ■ creating an effective daily routine ■ creating and processing simple lists such as shopping lists, checklists and lists of things needed for a trip ■ quickly recording thoughts and ideas for the purpose of their subsequent processing KEY FEATURES ■ Synchronization data with an unlimited number of devices on all major and mobile platforms ■ Projects and Contexts based on the GTD methodology and complemented by the ability to group by folders ■ Place of Chaos - a special section of the application where you can put any unsorted tasks and notes to process them later ■ Recurring tasks for managing activities that occur regularly ■ Notes for tasks, projects, folders and contexts ■ Quickly search among tasks, goals and contexts ■ Cloud data storage Chaos Control was created to improve the efficiency of managing your lists of goals, projects and tasks. Whether you're starting a new business or just creating a shopping list, you'll be surprised how easy it is to plan any of your activities with this solution. Both planning serious projects and creating one-time to-do lists are now possible in one simple application.