Just for the record, this was written by a human...
There are a lot of people who keep looking for so-called "productivity" software: task managers, note-taking apps, habit trackers, PKM, project managers, and so on. There is a lot of this software, and the number is only growing. But why do users continue to search for another application for things they already have one for? And why do a lot of developers continue to create almost the same things?
Can't users just choose a program that more or less satisfies them and use it? It seems not. There are reasons that prompt people to look for alternatives. As a developer in the aforementioned field, I have tried hundreds of my competitors. And I can say that their main common feature is that they are indeed very similar. So much so that it is often more a matter of the UI theme than any functional features. It would seem that this is how it should be, because they work in the exact same niche and solve the exact same problems. But then my previous questions become even more acute. Why look for something else then?
I see several reasons for this. The first and most obvious is that users are simply dissatisfied with some functionality. They don't like the implementation of something, it's missing, or something doesn't work. This reason is clear, and I won't focus on it.
But there is another one, which, in my opinion, happens more often and is more likely. People who use these apps discover that they don't solve the problems they claim to solve. Or more often, people BELIEVE that a certain app can solve one of their problems, which actually has nothing to do with software at all. For example, that they will start doing what they planned if they have a cool task manager. And of course, this doesn't happen. Often, for this exact reason, developers create new apps in an attempt to solve what cannot be solved by an app. I was that developer.
I have been building this kind of productivity software, mentioned at the very beginning, for the past 5 years. I tried a lot of different approaches to solve my personal struggles. Some of them were helpful. Some were a waste of time. I never published any of them before because I felt that the approaches were falling short of my expectations, and weren't delivering the desired results. But during all this time, I actually gained a deeper understanding of how to live not just a more productive life, but a better one in a general sense.
In my personal opinion, if you are the type of person who switches apps in an attempt to find a silver bullet, depending on your point of view, there are either plenty of them or none at all. What does that mean? In this case, as I said, the problem isn't actually with the software. For example, no task manager can explain why you don't do your tasks, why you procrastinate, or why you do something else instead of following your schedule. Even if you try another, better one, it won't help. But if you do your tasks and follow your schedule, any of these apps will suit you. Some better, some worse, but they will do their job anyway.
I know this from my own experience. I was the person who tried to create a task manager app that automatically ranks tasks and rearranges them in the most effective execution order based on a lot of different parameters. I thought the problem was that it's too hard to choose what is most important right now and that it's mentally exhausting — so if I delegated it to the app, I wouldn't have to think about what to do. I could just take a previously created task and do it. But that's not true. Apps can't fix these kinds of mental struggles. It's obvious to me now, but at the start of the journey, I thought that a great planning app with the right tools and workflow could make me productive and motivate me to do the things I intended to do. So, if you struggle with something like this, you need to find a way to fix it in your head first.
How to do that is another good question. I'm thinking about addressing it somewhere, but for now, I don't want to make false promises about when and how it will happen.
Why then am I making another "productivity" app at all?
Indeed, why... I have asked myself this question sometimes. Maybe I should have just given up, used what's at hand, shifted my focus away from it, and directed resources into some other channel. Or maybe not.
I don't know.
At first glance, it might seem like I am contradicting myself by developing it. But just because software can't change our minds, doesn't mean it can't be useful. We just should not treat it that way.
This is the field I understand and work in. And I have a number of complaints about what is currently on the market. Many of these apps offer the illusion of getting things done, but in reality, they just leave you more exhausted. I also have some functional requirements that existing apps don't quite satisfy.
More importantly, and what I know for sure, is that I just like it. Knowing that I can make my own life and the lives of other people around the world a little better and more convenient by creating tools that satisfy someone's needs adds a sense of fulfillment to my life.
This time, I won't try to solve problems that an app can't handle. I will just try to slightly change the approach to how people are used to doing things they already do anyway. And I will try to make the user experience flawless.
So, what is Shunpo actually?
First and foremost, Shunpo is a note-taking app. But it's a little different from what you're used to. Imagine if your web browser and a messaging app like Telegram had a child. That kind of combination is a good description of Shunpo. It allows you to cover a very broad range of text types, from small notes to articles and big projects, without significantly increasing management complexity.
I won't describe any specific features right now. This will be more useful when the application is ready, because some things may change during development. All you need to know now is that if you're not happy with your current note-taking app, you'll definitely want to try Shunpo!
Who is this app for?
- For people who find that traditional, note-taking applications (e.g., Obsidian) with file based approach are inconvenient and require too many steps to capture a thought. Every time, you need to find a place to create a file, come up with a title for it, often categorize it, and only then start typing. It's too many unnecessary steps just to write down your thoughts. That is why people often do it in 'saved messages' in a messenger app rather than in a notes app.
- For people who find that a complex PKM approach similar to Notion creates more problems, rather than bringing benefits. Because the necessity of complex data management distracts from the actual development of thought.
- For people who want to have not only their private notes, but also shared spaces with their friends, family, or team.
- Actually, for those who still find value in something they want to write down, even in the AI era.
Some key values:
- Room for mistakes. We are human, and we always make mistakes. We often overcomplicate things or do them the wrong way. Those who don't make mistakes do nothing at all. The app should be flexible enough for us to make these mistakes without hesitation, knowing that we can easily change our mind in the future.
- Simplicity over complexity. It's easy to build a complex application by adding functionality without thinking about how it fits into the existing system. I will do my best to keep it simple, because that's the only way to make it easy to use.
- Privacy as a first-class citizen. That means zero telemetry, E2E encryption, and optional encryption at rest. I don't want anybody snooping on me all the time, and I don't want to do it to others either. I believe that real user feedback is more valuable than any error tracking system, especially for small-scale apps.
- Offline-first approach. I believe in a bright future for Shunpo. But who knows what can happen, right? An app shouldn't cease to function just because it is no longer being supported. It also offers a much better user experience than a typical client-server application.
About monetization.
All application features that run locally on the device will always be available for free. However, features that require server infrastructure will be paid. For example, cross-device synchronization or shared access between users. Because servers, storage, and network data transfer all cost money.
Platforms
The application will be available on all major platforms: Windows, Linux, and macOS on desktop, and Android and iOS on mobile.
