Let's face it: We all have different needs when it comes to to-do lists. Some of us can get by with simply editing a text file; others need priorities and action-items and project labels.

But chances are good you're somewhere in the middle. And that means chances are good that Google's oft-overlooked Tasks web app can satisfy your needs. It supports basic hierarchical structure, allowing you to create sub-tasks for larger projects. It supports due dates for tasks, and provides a field to enter notes for each task. And it supports drag-and-drop reordering, which may not be as elegant as a priority system, but can serve the same purpose with limited fuss.

Trouble is, most of us need to be able to access a to-do list without having to load up a web page. Luckily, with some free tools (and a Google account, natch), you can do just that -- and embed Tasks as an always-accessible drop-down window on your menu bar.

And with a couple other tools, you can have similar functionality on that clunky Windows machine you use at work...or take Tasks with you wherever you go.

On the Mac

First, you'll need to log into your Google account on Safari. Using Safari is important to this step, so if you normally use Firefox or another third-party browser, dust off the O.G. for this one.

Next, grab a copy of Fluid from www.fluidapp.com. Fluid is essentially a web browser designed to display a single page -- sort of like the Dashboard's Web Clips, but much more customizable. Install Fluid as you would any other application, and fire it up.

Upon launching Fluid, you'll be greeted with a simple setup screen.

Enter "https://mail.google.com/tasks/ig" into the URL field, and name your newborn app whatever you'd like. (Note: If you use Gmail through your own domain, you can still use this method; just enter "https://mail.google.com/tasks/a/[yourdomain.com]/ig" instead.) Select a location for the new app to live, and choose your own icon if you so desire.

Click Create, then launch your new app.

Since you already logged into your account on Safari, you should be greeted with a brand-spanking-new to-do list. Editing it is simple: Click and type to enter a new task; hit Enter to add another task; drag the handles at the left side to reorder tasks; hit Tab or Shift-Tab to indent or un-indent tasks; and click the arrow on the right side to access due dates and notes. And of course, click on the boxes to mark a task as completed. (Look under the Action menu to clear completed tasks, or view previously cleared tasks.) See? Simple, effective, and neat.

But we're not done. Right now Tasks behaves just like a normal app, and perhaps that's ideal for you. If so, Fluid offers lots of options for how exactly you want the app to look.

But if you want true elegance, go under the [App Name] menu (that is, the menu that's named whatever you named your task) and choose Convert to MenuExtra SSB. Click OK and you'll find your app suddenly living up on the right side of your menu bar. Click the icon and it'll drop down, allowing you to view and edit your tasks no matter what you're doing. 

On Windows

The process here is very similar, except that it uses Mozilla's Prism instead of Fluid. Head to prism.mozillalabs.com/started and click Download Prism. Once the download is completed, unzip it to a sensible place. Then run prism.exe to get things started.

Enter the appropriate URL from above into the URL field, and name your app. Before you do anything else, make sure you check Enable Navigation Keys, or you may not be able to use Tasks' shortcuts. You'll probably also want to check the box to add a shortcut to your Quick Launch Bar; Prism isn't quite as powerful as Fluid, and can't be embedded at the OS level without some advanced tinkering that's beyond the scope of this article.

Now click OK, log into your Google account, and you'll find the very same To-Do list you set up on your Mac.

On iOS

You can access your Tasks in Mobile Safari simply by going to gmail.com/tasks and logging in. (Or mail.google.com/tasks/a/[yourdomain.com] if you have your own domain.) And of course you can add this page to your home screen and jump right to it, using Safari to add, edit, and check off tasks.

But for a more elegant solution, check out the excellent GeeTasks (www.geetasks.com).

The basic version runs $2.99, and offers the ability to indent and reorder tasks, which Google's mobile web app doesn't have. Being a standalone app, it also lets you view and edit your tasks even when you're away from a data connection -- though of course you'll need to sync before and afterward. There's a free Lite version that will sync 60 tasks, as well as a $5.99 Pro version for custom domains, and all three versions are universal apps that work equally well on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

And now you need never be away from your to-do list again!