To-Do list that allows users to search - really required?

Question

Unlike every other To-Do list I have ever seen, Astrid Tasks allows its users to search for the tasks as evident from these screenshots:

My Question is: Is this feature really applicable in a To-Do List? What kind of people will use it? In what condition/situation will this feature be used.

Let's say that this feature is useful when one has a lot of To-do-entries in a lot of separate lists in the app.

• What kind of person will have a lot of entries in a lot of list?
• I think someone who is really very unproductive and screwed up. Am I right? I have been personally using To-Do list for over 6 months now, and have never had over 20-25 items in my list, which I can easily look at by just scrolling - within a few seconds.

Answer 1

A search could be useful for those who mark tasks when done but don't delete them, especially if handy information was recorded in the task. The 'done' list would be large.

For example, searching for when car insurance had been paid in the past and confirming your suspicion that the amount paid last time really was a lot lower than what they're asking this time.

Answer 2

Toodledo also has search. I use it for:

1. I created a to do item for sometime in the future and was so motivated to do it now before it got to the front of my list. (This happens for "one day" type items.)
2. I want to see if I added the item to my to do list. (again for "one day" type items
3. I completed an item and want to see when I did it last/how long it took/etc.

I currently have 32 tasks in my list that aren't done. (really more, but some are repeating and don't count). vs the 10 in my "hotlist" of things to do on a timely basis.

Answer 3

Because of the number of different organisations I work for, I have to-do lists totalling over 100 items, all of which have tasks which may be single, repeating, open, closed, dependent or awaiting input.

To me, search is absolutely essential, and I tend to search by priority, tags, organisation, individuals, team and various others. Without being able to do this, I'm sure I would lose track of some of the tasks!