A todo list application is great when it matches the following basic requirements.

1. Simple Stupid. A todo list application is there to make my life better. Any extra complications in the todo list application tends to put me away from it. The user interface should be simple, intuitive (that is, it is self explainable) and requires a smooth learning curve.

2. No complicated features. It is not about quantity but quality. It is not how large is the feature list of a todo list but which features does it have. Also, the todo list application should be sound and complete, that is, the features should not be isolated on their own but they should all fit together smoothly.

3. Stores my tasks in accessible media. I will refuse to use a todo list application that stores my tasks in proprietory format. This is very common in todo list software and I think it is done for a reason. Basically there will be no way how you can retrieve your tasks from a propritory store. This will make it the biggest nightmare for you to move on to another todo list software. I tend to favour a todo list application that stores my tasks in an open store such as an XML file. This will allow me to take the open store and import it in another todo list software if need be.

The above are the three points that I check for when considering a todo list software. I will ignore any todo list application that goes against any one of the above points. For isntance, most of the online todo list goes against point 3. That is why I don’t recommend the use of online todo list applications.