I definitely don't think the app is generally appealing. I don't expect that it could replace a normal "todo" system for all people. It's nichey for sure. But there's definitely a subset of people that this system resonates with. The hard part is finding more of those people. I guess it's true of any niche. There may be thousands of coins laying in the sand, but how can I possibly scale finding them all? People (personalities) that may benefit from the tool don't know to look for it, and it's not like something you would share with all your friends (e.g. viral). Thus, I don't see how to grow it.
Feature wise, we're using Get Satsifaction, and have had a decent amount of feedback. Most common features are things like making apps (mobile/desktop), APIs or integration (e.g. with RTM) -- these things make sense. Then there is another class of feedback which is like "add priorities" "let me see my tasks" "add recurring tasks" etc. These don't make any sense to me because there are already apps that perfectly fulfill those needs if people have them.
Measurement wise, I'm only really tracking "active" users (and tasks entered/completed etc). There's just so little to do, that I don't know if there is any action to take based on it. Anyway, the bigger problem is traffic. Only ~30% or so of my traffic are new visitors. It's really just beginning to boil down to a group of dedicated users and no traffic driving for new visitors.
"These don't make any sense to me because there are already apps that perfectly fulfill those needs if people have them."
Obviously not. Those other apps don't offer the simplicity and UI experience that yours does. What you're offering is resonating with some people, but they want what you have right now plus more. People are telling you this, and you're just telling them to go away and use another tool? Your prerogative, but you're asking how to take this to the 'next level', and your users are already telling you how - you don't need to ask HN.
I think the right answer is somewhere in the middle. I've worked at several companies that catered to every voice in the crowd, and the product gets pulled in a hundred directions. I have some semblance of a vision, and some of these ideas are antithetical to that vision. I think part of the reason that the UI is simple, is because of the minimalism and rejection of bells and whistles.
But you're right that I should not discount these things out of hand. I have a blank slate and it may be possible to incorporate the things that i think are relevant in a new and unobtrusive way. e.g. in a way that may only be visible to power users. For example, one feature request I do agree with is the idea of contexts, e.g. @work, @home, @school, etc. I think it makes perfect sense. I was thinking I could allow people to use @ tags in their task description (e.g. "Mow the grass @home"), then in the "give me something to do" section add a "at [dropdown]" that only appears if they've entered location-sensitive tasks. That way, the feature only adds complexity IF you want to use it.
You could add an option to export "task completed" events to a linked twitter account, so that it would say "ToDoneApp.com: Finished new website mockups". I can see that, even though todos are inherently private, some people will use that option, and it could become your source of new users.
You're right. I'm just stupid or lazy for not doing this. Personally, I would never use the feature, but I do know that some people out there live to spam their friends. :) I really ought to be taking advantage of it. Even though I don't think it could take a viral coefficient above 1.0, but it couldn't hurt.
Only possible issue is that the verb tense users enter a task with (in English at least) does not jibe with what would grammatically make sense to tweet e.g. task: "mow the lawn" -- tweet: "finished mow the lawn" I would need either turn it into past tense "mowed the lawn" or a present participle "finished mowing the lawn". You definitely want these export-to-social events to be light touch 0 or 1 click things, and not need the user to correct the tense of their verbs. Interesting problem.
Feature wise, we're using Get Satsifaction, and have had a decent amount of feedback. Most common features are things like making apps (mobile/desktop), APIs or integration (e.g. with RTM) -- these things make sense. Then there is another class of feedback which is like "add priorities" "let me see my tasks" "add recurring tasks" etc. These don't make any sense to me because there are already apps that perfectly fulfill those needs if people have them.
Measurement wise, I'm only really tracking "active" users (and tasks entered/completed etc). There's just so little to do, that I don't know if there is any action to take based on it. Anyway, the bigger problem is traffic. Only ~30% or so of my traffic are new visitors. It's really just beginning to boil down to a group of dedicated users and no traffic driving for new visitors.