[Orgmode] GOAL keyword with DEADLINE semantics?

[Austin Frank]

Hi all!

Currently we can use the DEADLINE keyword to indicate a target date for
an item to be finished.  By my way of thinking, deadlines make sense for
externally imposed constraints.  I also try to set goals for myself for
when an item will be completed.  These are softer than deadlines, but
I think they could share the same semantics for creation, display, and
export.

Would it be possible to make `org-deadline-string' a list of strings
that get handled in the same way as DEADLINE is currently handled?  That
way I could do things like

* TODO write first chapter
  GOAL:  <2009-03-09 Mon>

* TODO submit manuscript
  GOAL:  <2009-05-15 Fri>
  DEADLINE:  <2009-06-01 Mon>

Where the first represents my own planning process and the second
contains my target completion date (trying to work ahead!) and the hard
constraint imposed by whoever I'm submitting to.  In all cases, I'd like
agenda notification as the date approaches, I'd like to know if I've
passed it by, and I'd like the option of including it in ical export.

Or maybe I should just learn to treat my GOALs like DEADLINEs and stop
letting myself off the hook so easily ;)

Do other people think about things this way?  Would you have a use for
a customizable list of keywords that all had the same semantics that
DEADLINE currently has?

Thanks for considering it,
/au

-- 
Austin Frank
http://aufrank.net
GPG Public Key (D7398C2F): http://aufrank.net/personal.asc

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