I use org-mode for writing, time tracking, issue tracking, storing links, snippets, literate programs (ie: my emacs config is an org-babel file) etc... it's really quite flexible. I even wrote a self-published book using org-mode[0].
Interesting; I've been using Emacs for about 25 years but I've hardly heard of org-mode. The article is from 2012 (the title should maybe say that); have there been any changes since then or is the code pretty static?
It's anything but static — in fact we just had someone complaining bitterly on the mailing list that the syntax and API was changing too quickly! It's a fast-moving, responsive project, and tends towards that "user beware" end of the spectrum. Nicolas Goaziou is obviously trying to make things as easy as he can for people, but he's not holding back on changes to structure and syntax.
That's not surprising. I suspect HN and similar fora are self-selecting for the type of person who would perhaps consider their own use of tech as the pinnacle of its application. Myself included, most likely.
I just read yesterday that RMS, as of 2013, couldn't muster the effort to 'learn' org-mode. RMS!
This whole comment thread has pushed me into pressing publish on a post I've been sitting on re: organising my work and life via plaintext files. This hype for over-engineered solutions with steep learning curves, incompatible formats and potentially breaking updates should be addressed.
It's fairly static, at least the article is still relevant. I was under the impression that org-mode is really well known (it is the only reason I started using Emacs as a primarily Vi guy) and in any event it should be well known as it is quite awesome.
[0] https://gum.co/VjJMf
It's kind of the killer-feature of Emacs (besides being a decent text editor/operating system).