[Design] Sub-Tasks vs. Checklists

[Manuel Renz]

Hi,
I want to write a bit about the sub task thingy which is still marked as  
"Debatable Feature" on  
http://wiki.osafoundation.org/bin/view/Chandler/TasksFeatureList
I did a quick search on this topic and here are some links that may be  
interesting, too.
http://archive.neotonic.com/archive/osaf-design/msg/893
http://archive.neotonic.com/archive/osaf-design/msg/457  - this link  
mostly talks about higher features

So first of all you can call this feature "Checklist" and this is IMHO a  
better description of what we are talking about.
Imagine you have to prepare a little party in a few weeks. What sense does  
it make to have 10 different tasks which all deal with this party, mixed  
up wiht all other tasks? Isn't it better to have  a checklist? Furthermore  
I do not want to set up a project with all its complicated settings.

Example:

  [ ] invitations for party
  [ ] Party - buy drinks
  [ ] buy ink for printer
  [ ] select music for party
  [ ] get tickets for cornerstone fest
  [ ] ask John for help preparing the food (party)

vs.
-[ ] buy ink for printer
-[ ] Prepare party
     -[ ] invitations (needs ink)
     -[ ] buy drinks
     -[ ] select music
     -[ ] ask John for help preparing the food
-[ ] get tickets for cornerstone fest

and vs.
-[ ] buy ink for printer
+[ ] Prepare party
-[ ] get tickets for cornerstone fest


I know that this may be a intersection with project management, but life  
consists of hundreds of little projects.
But those everyday life projects do not need a gant graph and a detailed  
costs coverage.

An dependencie in the example above would be, that before the inviatations  
can be checked as "Done!" the "Buy ink" task has to be finished. But the  
"Buy ink" task has nothing in common with the party invitation, itself.

The next point is, if we do not have sub-tasks, or better call it  
checklists, you have to mention the buzzword in every task title to get a  
quick overview. Or you have to set up categories, which in this case is  
not a practicable way to get it done, till you get an obsolet categorie  
when the party is over.

I think a "checklist" is a more everyday life approach. When implementing  
this feature of course it is a sub task.
But it is possible to provide a different UI view for the same feature.  
You can do it the classical way with a tree view  and the "Sub taks"  
terminology or you do it with a "Checklist"  that contain tasks and of  
course other "Checklists".
Despite that it's  really the same feature as it's available in todays  
software, the new named feature offers an easy way to manage your  
day-to-day projects.

Okay I hope you understand what I mean. And sorry for my bad English.

greetz & blessings
Manuel Renz
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