ForumsQuestionsRadio buttons or links to set priority more quickly/easily?


Radio buttons or links to set priority more quickly/easily?
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dtribble

Posted: Mar 12, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
I'm looking for a faster way to set the priority of individual tasks. Right now, it takes three clicks to set the priority of a task: one to activate the field, one to open the dropdown and one to choose the priority.

I'm wondering if there is a Greasemonkey script (or if someone could write one) which would allow me to set the priority for a task by clicking on a link (i.e. "Top, Medium, Low, etc") or by choosing from a set of radio buttons.

This way, I could very quickly set priority on a bunch of tasks.

Thanks for any info you can offer...

-Damon
cj

Posted: Mar 13, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
That's a great idea for the Toodledo Development staff! (I'd love something similar for Dates, too!

ie. right there in the row: 3 radio buttons (or similar) next to the word (High-Medium...). I could merely click right from the interface without dropdowns (the english name should change automatically) ... and see both by the position of the buttons and/or the english names. This flavor of priority display should be one of the column options (when I am dragging and dropping my design layout). I would LOVE this...

Also ... something similar for dates. There's a lot a good designer/coder can do with this (better ideas than mine) but in this case I'd love to see a column option where I could display a radio button (click the dot, right?) ... where I could QUICKLY change the due date to today, tomorrow, or next week.

Great idea Damon ... I am just extending it to other fields and adding a vote that someone do this with a script or that Toodledo add it.

and ToodleDo.... yeah yeah yeah, I know ... (in droning corporate voice): "Thanks for the suggestion. We can't comment on a timeframe for implementation..."
Salgud

Posted: Mar 13, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Posted by cj:

and ToodleDo.... yeah yeah yeah, I know ... (in droning corporate voice): "Thanks for the suggestion. We can't comment on a timeframe for implementation..."


Just curious. What is your recommendation that they do instead of their usual statement?
cj

Posted: Mar 19, 2012
Score: 1 Reference
Posted by Salgud:
Posted by cj:

and ToodleDo.... yeah yeah yeah, I know ... (in droning corporate voice): "Thanks for the suggestion. We can't comment on a timeframe for implementation..."


Just curious. What is your recommendation that they do instead of their usual statement?


How about - "great idea. we're getting a lot of requests for that feature, and realize it is important to our users so we're moving it up the priority list for our next release"

happy?


This message was edited Mar 19, 2012.
Salgud

Posted: Mar 19, 2012
Score: -1 Reference
How about - "great idea. we're getting a lot of requests for that feature, and realize it is important to our users so we're moving it up the priority list for our next release"


Great idea! They can promise everyone that their suggestion has been moved up the list. Or did you just mean your suggestions?
cj

Posted: Mar 21, 2012
Score: 1 Reference
Sarcasm is real productive on these forums. Thanks. It's a real mystery as to why others don't use it more often to make friends!
Salgud

Posted: Mar 21, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
I'm still confused as to your expectations here. Do you want TD to make false promises to raise all suggestions on their list, or do you just want them to promise you, falsely or otherwise, to move your suggestions up the list?
Purveyor

Posted: Mar 21, 2012
Score: 1 Reference
Salgud, you are not confused. You are just interested in pointing out that cj is wrong.

I think that cj's post has some merit. Jake could provide more info about user suggestions: Is it a first-time suggestion or has it come up several times? Is it highly unlikely that the suggestion will ever be implemented or is it something that is being given serious consideration? The standard response provides some feedback but it can be misleading. Users will sometimes think that their proposed features will be implemented soon (because they are on "the list") but, in any practical sense, it's never going to happen.

I've noticed, though, that Jake has been providing more information recently when responding to suggestions. That's a move in the right direction. And, of course, it's great that he takes the time to respond to so many suggestions.


This message was edited Mar 21, 2012.
Salgud

Posted: Mar 21, 2012
Score: -1 Reference
Posted by Purveyor:
Salgud, you are not confused. You are just interested in pointing out that cj is wrong.


You're pretty quick there, Purveyor!


I think that cj's post has some merit. Jake could provide more info about user suggestions: Is it a first-time suggestion or has it come up several times? Is it highly unlikely that the suggestion will ever be implemented or is it something that is being given serious consideration? The standard response provides some feedback but it can be misleading. Users will sometimes think that their proposed features will be implemented soon (because they are on "the list") but, in any practical sense, it's never going to happen.


Anyone who pays attention to the replies from TD has figured out that when they say "it's on the list", it's on the list. When they say, "thanks, we'll give it some thought", probably not on the list. This is not all that hard to figure out.

cj did not suggest that they give "more details", he suggested that they promise to move that particular suggestion up the list, as though this would make any sense.

I've noticed, though, that Jake has been providing more information recently when responding to suggestions. That's a move in the right direction. And, of course, it's great that he takes the time to respond to so many suggestions.


Agreed, especially the last. If you, or cj, or anyone else, has a worthwhile suggestion as to how to handle the thousands of requests TD gets here, I imagine Jake would be happy to hear it. But suggesting that they placate each suggestor with a "great idea, we'll move it up the list" is, to put it kindly, not helpful. And to suggest that Jake write a paragraph or two on the history of each suggestion is ridiculous. He already takes more time to reply than most developers in this situation, but some of you want him to give up developing just to make some end users happy. I don't support that, I'd rather have him developing. YMMV.
Purveyor

Posted: Mar 21, 2012
Score: 1 Reference
Posted by Salgud:
cj did not suggest that they give "more details", he suggested that they promise to move that particular suggestion up the list, as though this would make any sense.
That's right, it doesn't make sense, if your interpretation of what cj said is correct.

In my opinion, cj was providing one example of what Jake could say in some situations. Obviously, not all suggestions are "great" and not all suggestions have "a lot of requests", and it seems reasonable to assume that cj knows this, so what he said makes sense.
And to suggest that Jake write a paragraph or two on the history of each suggestion is ridiculous.
I see that you are an expert at using the Straw man fallacy.


This message was edited Mar 21, 2012.
Salgud

Posted: Mar 21, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
I'll give you this, Purveyor, your rationalizations for cj's suggestion are better than his own.
PeterW 

Posted: Mar 21, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Posted by Salgud:
Anyone who pays attention to the replies from TD has figured out that when they say "it's on the list", it's on the list. When they say, "thanks, we'll give it some thought", probably not on the list. This is not all that hard to figure out.

But the comment "it's on the list" can be quite misleading. If you've been following the forums long enough you will work out that this is a stock reply, that the list is vast, and that having your request added to the list does not mean it will happen or that Toodledo has committed to it. It's just a list of requests & ideas for future consideration.

Unfortunately newer users probably take the comment literally and expect that their request has been accepted and will be implemented sometime soon. You can see this often by the responses, e.g. "great, looking forward to seeing this!".

So while you say that "this is not all that hard to figure out", the reality is that the meaning of "it's on the list" is not clear and is probably different for Toodledo than it is for most users.

I think it would be far better for Toodledo to say "thanks, we've added your request to our list for future consideration".
Salgud

Posted: Mar 22, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Finally, we get to a positive, useful comment. Up until now, it's just been complaining and attacking, not much help to anyone. While I don't particularly like your suggestion, at least it's not just another gripe about the SOP here, but a helpful offering. If I were Jake, I'd certainly consider it.

I agree that the standard reply is often misinterpreted, and could be modified to avoid misunderstandings. However, I also believe that any standard answer is going to be resented by some. And that no one can be expected to answer as many requests a day as we see in these forums on an individual basis, so there will always be some resentment about the "canned" reply. It just goes with the territory.
Jake

Toodledo Founder
Posted: Mar 23, 2012
Score: 1 Reference
I am sorry that I have to use canned responses, but it is the only way that I can get any actual work done. I already spend several hours each and every day (including weekends, holidays and vacations) responding to all the suggestions and questions that I get in these forums, through support tickets and via email.

I would love to be able to explain in detail all my decisions and ideas, but If I spent 2 minutes typing out a custom response to everything instead of 2 seconds using a canned response, I would not have any time left in my day to build anything and people would be complaining, even more than they are now, about how I am not working hard enough nor improving the website fast enough.

It is rare for a developer to spend this much time interacting with customers, and I think that this is one of Toodledo's strengths, but I can't spend 100% of my time doing it.

You can rest assured that I am always truthful with my canned responses. If I say that it is on the to-do list, then it is on the to-do list. I seldom comment on the priority of items on my to-do list, nor give ETAs for feature release dates. I have explained why before, so I won't reiterate that here except to highlight one reason, which is that I don't want to setup expectations that might not be met if our priorities change.

There went 15 minutes :)
PeterW 

Posted: Mar 23, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Posted by Toodledo:
It is rare for a developer to spend this much time interacting with customers, and I think that this is one of Toodledo's strengths, but I can't spend 100% of my time doing it.

That's true in my experience. Maybe you need to get another assistant, like Anders used to do, to help with all the forum traffic.

Posted by Toodledo:
There went 15 minutes :)

Might be worthwhile pinning this response and adding a link to it in your canned responses.
Purveyor

Posted: Mar 23, 2012
Score: 1 Reference
Posted by PeterW:
Maybe you need to get another assistant
Not "maybe". ;)

Posted by Toodledo:
You can rest assured that I am always truthful with my canned responses.
...
I don't want to setup expectations that might not be met if our priorities change.
First, your assurance of being truthful is not the same as actually being truthful.
It is not true when you say "we can't comment on a timeframe for implementation".
You can comment on a timeframe, but you choose not to. And, there is no "we". You are the only one who responds on behalf of Toodledo. By saying "we", you imply that there are several moderators who respond to suggestions and you introduce the subtle deception that Toodledo is a bigger company than it actually is. (You have what, two employees?) And, yeah, many companies deceive and exaggerate but you are the one who introduced the idea of being "truthful". (Which is strange because nobody accused you of lying.)

Your canned response implies that the suggestion will eventually get implemented. It sets up expectations when you say that something is on "our to-do list". It is precisely this issue that PeterW addresses in his first post in this thread.

The issue isn't that you use "canned responses" so you don't have to apologize for doing so, and nobody is asking you to "explain in detail all your decisions" or asking you to spend "100% of your time" responding to questions and suggestions. (I see that you share Salgud's propensity to use the "Straw man" fallacy.) Just use a few canned responses that give a more accurate indication of the popularity of a suggestion and the likelihood of implementing it, or try what PeterW suggested: "Thanks, we've added your request to our list for future consideration".

Anyway, I know that it is difficult to find the right people to help with all the work that needs to get done but, until you find someone, you will continue to work on weekends, holidays and vacations. Ultimately, it is your choice.


This message was edited Mar 23, 2012.
Salgud

Posted: Mar 23, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Isn't it funny, how the guy with the successful software business, who gives the best, most consistent support out there, doesn't have a clue as to how to run his business?

"Just listen to us, Jake, we know how you should run your business far better than you could ever hope to. Hire someone who doesn't know diddly about TD to answer our questions and give us the status of all your ongoing projects. Lose touch with what's going on in these forums because you obviously don't understand and don't really care about us anyway, which is proven by the fact that you spend time everyday coming into these forums and answering our questions yourself."

It's always the guy who doesn't have a clue how to do something who's telling the guy doing it successfully how wrong he's doing it.


This message was edited Mar 23, 2012.
Purveyor

Posted: Mar 23, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Posted by Salgud:
Hire someone who doesn't know diddly about TD to answer our questions
Are you saying that all new employees know nothing about the job and it is impossible to train them? Or are you saying that a "successful software business" should have no support staff -- only an owner/developer/administrator who wants to stay in touch with what's going on and responds to inquiries on weekends, holidays and vacations?

Also, if a Toodledo employee is incapable of answering forum questions, then why do you have 803 posts so far? On what basis are you qualified to respond? Perhaps you should be the new assistant.

BTW, your use of False dilemma is fascinating.
Salgud

Posted: Mar 23, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
None of the above changes the fact that you, and others, are telling a man with a very successful business that he is an idiot, and you know how to run his business far better than he.

We do agree on one thing, at least. That I'm fascinating! :)
Purveyor

Posted: Mar 23, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
It seems that you have not clicked on my links so I'll provide the relevant info:

A Straw man is a component of an argument and is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position. To "attack a straw man" is to create the illusion of having refuted a proposition by replacing it with a superficially similar yet unequivalent proposition (the "straw man"), and refuting it, without ever having actually refuted the original position.

A false dilemma is a type of logical fallacy that involves a situation in which only two alternatives are considered, when in fact there are additional options (sometimes shades of grey between the extremes).

Salgud, do you not see that you are distorting my position? You are taking things to the extreme so that you can then mock them. There's a big difference between saying that Jake should modify his canned response and saying that Jake is an idiot. Jake is very intelligent, and he has accomplished a lot in many areas. But, he is still running a small operation. It seems that you have a knee-jerk reaction to any suggestion that Jake should change his approach in the forums. Do you think that he is doing a perfect job?

Do you honestly think that Jake should not find someone to help him in responding to user inquiries? I'm sure that he has thought about it many times and could possibly be looking for someone right now. It is not easy to find the right person. But, Jake is the one who brought up the issue of working on weekends, holidays and vacations. From a pure customer service viewpoint, it doesn't matter to a user that the developer's work is interfering with his personal life. From a more humane perspective, though, it does matter. That's one reason why I am encouraging Jake to find an assistant.

You are obviously intelligent and knowledgeable. It seems, though, that sometimes you are not interested in moving along the discussion to arrive at a consensus. Sometimes you are more interested in irrationally taunting other users. (Hey, I've done that!) Better to look for areas of agreement.

Anyway, have a good weekend. :)


This message was edited Mar 23, 2012.
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