Per Edward Morbius request, this thread is a discussion on what users would like to see for event calendars.
Per Edward Morbius request, this thread is a discussion on what users would like to see for event calendars. Discussions of how they work, issues, and desired features are welcome! Comments from the original thread:
Edward Morbius
Moderator
+Shelenn Ayres: If you could expand on the types of calendar integration you have in mind?
Say: Event scheduling. Alarms. Adding to/checking others' calendars. Launching actions (chats, videos, etc.) Anything else you're thinking of.
Shelenn Ayres
+Edward Morbius example: Friendica has an event calendar available in the default UI. Any event any of my contacts create will show up on my calendar. It is also optionally exportable so that others can download my calendar. Reminders are available and time zones adjustable. There are only two things lacking so far: image button for event posters and recurring event capability. The former is handled via theme so that is not an issue. We have to see if the latter is in the next release or still needs to be requested. Not much on integration with chat as that tends to be lost on anyone not there at the time much like discord and MeWe chats. Notifications someone entered something in chat will fill up an inbox quickly and directly impact productivity. I don't think it is necessary for events. Posts yes, chats no.One additional feature we are looking for is a simple leave a voice comment both for events and in general. JS exists for that so it shouldn't be difficult.
On extending capabilities to community or group members, in theory if an advanced account type community forum user creates an event it becomes a community event and everyone in that community will see it on their calendar (to be tested soon). But the key here is the use of event calendars for coordination, promotion, and efficiency. Centralized for-profit consumer services intentionally design their service in ways that cause you to spend LOTS of time on the service because that makes it more profitable for them. While I am not anti-profit I believe this is the wrong approach when it comes to broader adoption of user generated content platforms - if you make it easier to use AND more efficient, people will be happier and recommend it for non-consumer purposes as well simply because they have more time available for other things.
Edward Morbius
Moderator
+Shelenn Ayres You're reminding me that calendars introduce numerous problems. Timezones, access to others (either schedule visibility, or the ability to request schedule slots), and interactions with external systems/services.
Time is phenomenally complex. Even if you're not a Timelord.
Now where'd I put my sonic screwdriver....
Shelenn Ayres
+Edward Morbius Friendica devs took the right approach on time zones. Each event has a checkbox for the creator to enable adjust timezones. The adjustment is based on each user's timezone set in their preferences. It just works ;)
Edward Morbius
Moderator
+Filip H.F. Slagter I don't want this to become a calendar thread, but:
* There are events which are always local to where I am. Wake up time, workout time, say.
* There are events which are fixed to a specific TZ. Meetings, say.
* There are events which are static to some universal time -- say, system logs or astronomical observations.
* There are events which follow a specific individual's local time. Say, 1:1 with $BOSS.
* Timezone changes, etc.
* Time set to follow some broken device's utterly fucked sense of what time is because it cannot be updated and other shit depends on it.
And that's just a handful of standard cases off the top of my head. Time is complicated. And calendars occasionally involve time.
+Shelenn Ayres ^^^ This.
There's that "myths programmers believe about time" that should probably be linked here. Though really, let's start a different thread to continue this particular topic, if desired. Probably on P:TBiN.
Shelenn Ayres
+Edward Morbius Automatic append of time zone acronym selected by the event creator should be a given with UTC as default. This way it does not matter about the issues you show above. The event details should inform.
Thoughts from anyone else?
Edward Morbius
Moderator
+Shelenn Ayres: If you could expand on the types of calendar integration you have in mind?
Say: Event scheduling. Alarms. Adding to/checking others' calendars. Launching actions (chats, videos, etc.) Anything else you're thinking of.
Shelenn Ayres
+Edward Morbius example: Friendica has an event calendar available in the default UI. Any event any of my contacts create will show up on my calendar. It is also optionally exportable so that others can download my calendar. Reminders are available and time zones adjustable. There are only two things lacking so far: image button for event posters and recurring event capability. The former is handled via theme so that is not an issue. We have to see if the latter is in the next release or still needs to be requested. Not much on integration with chat as that tends to be lost on anyone not there at the time much like discord and MeWe chats. Notifications someone entered something in chat will fill up an inbox quickly and directly impact productivity. I don't think it is necessary for events. Posts yes, chats no.One additional feature we are looking for is a simple leave a voice comment both for events and in general. JS exists for that so it shouldn't be difficult.
On extending capabilities to community or group members, in theory if an advanced account type community forum user creates an event it becomes a community event and everyone in that community will see it on their calendar (to be tested soon). But the key here is the use of event calendars for coordination, promotion, and efficiency. Centralized for-profit consumer services intentionally design their service in ways that cause you to spend LOTS of time on the service because that makes it more profitable for them. While I am not anti-profit I believe this is the wrong approach when it comes to broader adoption of user generated content platforms - if you make it easier to use AND more efficient, people will be happier and recommend it for non-consumer purposes as well simply because they have more time available for other things.
Edward Morbius
Moderator
+Shelenn Ayres You're reminding me that calendars introduce numerous problems. Timezones, access to others (either schedule visibility, or the ability to request schedule slots), and interactions with external systems/services.
Time is phenomenally complex. Even if you're not a Timelord.
Now where'd I put my sonic screwdriver....
Shelenn Ayres
+Edward Morbius Friendica devs took the right approach on time zones. Each event has a checkbox for the creator to enable adjust timezones. The adjustment is based on each user's timezone set in their preferences. It just works ;)
Edward Morbius
Moderator
+Filip H.F. Slagter I don't want this to become a calendar thread, but:
* There are events which are always local to where I am. Wake up time, workout time, say.
* There are events which are fixed to a specific TZ. Meetings, say.
* There are events which are static to some universal time -- say, system logs or astronomical observations.
* There are events which follow a specific individual's local time. Say, 1:1 with $BOSS.
* Timezone changes, etc.
* Time set to follow some broken device's utterly fucked sense of what time is because it cannot be updated and other shit depends on it.
And that's just a handful of standard cases off the top of my head. Time is complicated. And calendars occasionally involve time.
+Shelenn Ayres ^^^ This.
There's that "myths programmers believe about time" that should probably be linked here. Though really, let's start a different thread to continue this particular topic, if desired. Probably on P:TBiN.
Shelenn Ayres
+Edward Morbius Automatic append of time zone acronym selected by the event creator should be a given with UTC as default. This way it does not matter about the issues you show above. The event details should inform.
Thoughts from anyone else?
What are all the possible things that can go wrong with time?
ReplyDelete... and of those, which are actually worth caring about?
ReplyDeletegist.github.com - Falsehoods programmers believe about time, in a single list
ReplyDeleteThis list is based on these articles. More detailed information about each statement can be found in one of two articles.
http://infiniteundo.com/post/25326999628/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-time
http://infiniteundo.com/post/25509354022/more-falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-time