THREE.

a todo list that won't let you add a
fourth thing.

command-line todo app. one rule. you get three active items. not four, not "one more after this". three. want a new one? finish or drop what's already on the list.

v0.1 · python 3.9+ · mit · macos / linux

you don't have 14 priorities.

stop pretending you do.

the rules
01
THREE.
one list. three slots. that's it.
02
DONE OR DROPPED.
no "maybe later" bucket. an item leaves the list by being finished or by being killed. nothing else.
03
NO "MAYBE".
if it's not real enough to take a slot from the other two, it's not real. write it in a notebook.

three slots. one rule.

  ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════╗
    01   fix the auth race condition           
    02   reply to morgan                       
    03   bake a loaf                           
  ╠══════════════════════════════════════════════╣
                                                
        + add                                   
        × blocked — list is full                
                                                
  ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════╝

            three slots. that's the feature.
$ dolater
  1 · fix the auth race condition
  2 · reply to morgan about the contract
  3 · finish the cram readme

$ dolater add "bake a loaf"
  ! you already have 3 items. finish or drop one first.

$ dolater done 2
  done: reply to morgan about the contract
  1 · fix the auth race condition
  2 · finish the cram readme
       (slot 3 now open)

$ dolater add "bake a loaf"
  1 · fix the auth race condition
  2 · finish the cram readme
  3 · bake a loaf

three things. mirrors the list.

01

can't add a fourth.

enforcement isn't a suggestion. dolater add refuses when the list is full. this is the tool.

02

finish or drop.

items leave by done or drop. no archive of half-intentions, no "snooze for two weeks".

03

plain text, no account.

one file at ~/.dolater/list.txt. open it, grep it, commit it. no server, no login, no sync conflicts.

if you have 10 things to do,

7 of them aren't real.

you're not busy. you're avoiding choosing.

not public yet. source drops on github soon, i'm finishing the repo. email bennett@frkhd.com if you want in early.

it won't let you add the 4th.

good.