In the recent work, we prove new optimality results for adaptive mesh refinement algorithms for non-symmetric, indefinite, and time-dependent problems by proposing a generalization of quasi-orthogonality which follows directly from the inf-sup stability of the underlying problem. This completely removes a central technical difficulty in modern proofs of optimal convergence of adaptive mesh refinement algorithms and leads to simple optimality proofs for the Taylor-Hood discretization of the Stokes problem, a finite-element/boundary-element discretization of an unbounded transmission problem, and an adaptive time-stepping scheme for parabolic equations. We also derive an adaptive time-stepping scheme for the Navier-Stokes equations which shows promising numerical results and might lead to optimality proofs in future work. The main technical tools are new stability bounds for the LU-factorization of matrices together with a recently established connection between quasi-orthogonality and matrix factorization.