Okay, in light of the death of our old blog, I’ve had to create a new post for our GTDInbox appeal.

For all welcome newcomers, a quick recap…
The Fundraiser came about because I wanted to find a way to keep GTDInbox going; and raising some cash was the best way of doing it. So far the cash raised has spawned MeeTimer, the fancy new webdesign you see here, and of course, set the ball rolling for not just GTDInbox 1.4, but a brand new v2.

The target was set at $5000, and we were careful to stipulate that you should donate not on some promise of future improvements, but because you love what it’s already doing.

So how is it doing?

The donations received were fantastic; but we never actually reached $5000 (I don’t have the precise figure, but I think we got close, around $4000-$4500); and in the last few weeks – since the redesign actually – they’ve all but dried up.

It would be truly great to get back on track and have the community reach its target!

But hang on, you’ve already said you’re doing GTDInbox v2, didn’t you?

I did, and I am! But these extensions are still only a sideline – and so they suffer priority wise. Hitting the target is a great way to justify a bit more focus. I.e. get it out sooner!

Surely GTDInbox can make better money than donations?

I’m sure it could too; but that’s not really the aim right now. And, donations are a great way to make things happen as a community – something where everyone can be part of making it real. Maybe in the future an actual revenue model will be found to maintain GTDInbox as a ‘proper’ product; but for now lets enjoy the spirit of something a little rough, ready and loved for what it is.

Now what?

Hop over to the Donate page, and once you’re there, click the Paypal icon to quickly donate.

Of course only do this if you really do like GTDInbox. That’s really the heart of it! GTDInbox just wants a chance to make you more productive, to save you time, to make you smile

It seems Mozilla has changed their policies, and now require user reviews of the new version of MeeTimer (0.21) before they’ll make it public. So, it’s going to take a bit of community effort to help get MeeTimer to a larger audience, if you’ll be so kind…

(more…)

For those who read the blog, if you’d like a sneakpeak at MeeTimer 0.2 0.21 (while we wait for Mozilla to approve it), you can download it from the MeeTimer Manual Install page, http://getmeetimer.com/manualinstall.htm

If you have any troubles at all, please leave a comment here or email me (andy@productivefirefox.com) .

* Update
Bernard Vander Beken really tried to bust MeeTimer wide open – and he succeeded He did a great job of finding some issues which we’ve now fixed, hence the jump to 0.21. I’m just pleased he was able to do so before it hit Mozilla, so thanks Bernard!

MeeTimer 0.2 is a few days from launch, having been tested for the last week.

For the completely uninitiated, the first MeeTimer precisely logged your Web usage, breaking it into ‘activities’ for more meaningful stats; to give you the knowledge to become proactive in reducing it.

Well, the new version still does this (and with very few of your precious computing resources), but with improved stats.
It now focuses on the working week. Or rather, what % of it you’ve wasted on non-work activities. Why is this useful? Because it directly correlates to the amount of time you need not have been at work… something very close to all our hearts! (And to freelancers/independants, how much more you could squeeze from your working week).

But, the biggest feedback from the first release was simply ‘i cannot help myself, even though I know its wrong’. We needed more timely deterrents; things that actually make you stop and think.
I found a common online habit was the ‘compulsive click’ – just clicking an attractive link without stopping to think of the consequences. Well, MeeTimer will now put up two barriers; one to stop you clicking the link, and one to stop you loading the page; to shock you with a quick stat and give you the opportunity to consciously think “I do not want to load this site.”

Obviously, all this is configurable – so some activities you get warned on, some you do not. MeeTimer will not annoy you.

And, for all those wondering why it doesn’t just forcibly prevent you loading a site. Well, there are plenty of these products on the market – I didn’t want to make another. What I did want was a tool that suited me. Every day, there will be a website I need to visit that isn’t “approved”; so I would have to stop the blocking tool long enough to use the site, then put it up again – not an efficient use of time. MeeTimer does not attempt to block you, rather it goes with your (work) flow and simply guides you on a path to better Web use.

Resources

• Screenshots
• How to Reduce Online Procrastination with MeeTimer