TaskRatchet Development Updates

Unfortunately there isn’t a phone app yet, it’s just in the browser. Definitely on the list of things to do though!

Then why it is describe as “launch app” if there is no app? If I would know that it works as web page then maybe I would actually try it!

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Hmm, that’s a great point! Would it be less confusing if the button was “Launch Web App?”

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Yes, it would be much better. I was sincerely sure that it is iphone/android app, not a website.

(personally I dislike name of web app - just call it website - but that is likely just my personal preference)

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What about just “log in” and “sign up”? No “launching”, no “apps”.

(Btw, I think “login” is the noun and “log in” is the verb.)

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I’ve started posting UVI’s to the TaskRatchet Twitter account. @zedmango, I think that may be the feature announcements you were wanting?

API

  • Deployed a quick fix that lets me manually turn off morning emails on a per-user basis
  • Added a note to the bottom of morning emails letting users know they can ask me to do that
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Note: I am a dinosaur that deliberately has no browser on smartphone.

Landing page is giant photo of person using computer in uncomfortable and dangerous position, and no clear info how this actually works ( https://taskratchet.com/ )

https://app.taskratchet.com/ has massive amount of unused space and still no clear explanation

“24 hours after that, the charge will be captured.” is completely unclear technical term - is it about reversibility of charge and how refund is done on a technical side? (from https://docs.taskratchet.com/faq.html )

https://docs.taskratchet.com/faq.html is not answering how TaskRatchet “knows” about whatever goal is completed. Is it just manual data entry? If yes, then it is basically interface to quickly create oneshot Beeminder goals (it may be still useful for people! Interface may be a difference between DOS and Windows 3.1).

BTW, your ToS forbids opening more than one tab with TaskRatchet or entering any data on the site, even registering is violation of ToS as it not only viewing page (“Permission is granted to temporarily download one copy of the materials (information or software) on TaskRatchet’s website for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only.”).

" Can I try TaskRatchet out without adding my payment details?

Currently you can" - it seems to not be possible

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@beeminder_user Thank you so much for this feedback! It’s all great. I’m sorry I haven’t had time to respond, but I do intend to.

API

  • Fix some bugs with how the app was handling users who hadn’t successfully added a Stripe payment method. Namely, if we don’t have a payment method on file, don’t try to charge them!
  • Added a default timezone for users who had managed to register without setting a timezone. Shouldn’t be possible, but there’s been a bug where it could happen on occasion.

Web

  • Added a help link to the footer
  • Fixed a bug where registration was redirecting to Stripe even if registration had failed
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@beeminder_user Thank you again for this feedback! It’s super helpful. Let me run through it real quick, and please feel free to push back on anything I say:

  • Landing page critique: Absolutely agree. Landing page redesign is definitely on my list of things to do, and I’ve registered your vote on that. (Tasks with more votes on them get pushed up my private list.)
  • Unused space, etc: I’m not so worried about unused space. :stuck_out_tongue: The app being unclear how to use, however, definitely want to make sure that gets improved!
  • "Capturing:" Totally agree! I’ve pushed an update to that FAQ item, though it still needs some improvement.
  • What does it do?: Yes, another great suggestion. I’ve added an explanation to the FAQ. TaskRatchet is for one-off tasks, whereas Beeminder is best for ongoing goals, so the two services are met to optimize for different use cases. Also, TaskRatchet doesn’t currently have any auto-data integrations, though I have some ideas as to integrations to add in the future. Are there any services you’d like TaskRatchet to pull data from automatically?
  • ToS: Sigh, yes, the obligatory legalese. :stuck_out_tongue: I’ve modified the license to try to make it a bit more lax.
  • Using without payment method: It’s not a method of use that I want to actively support, so I’m not going to add instructions to the FAQ. :stuck_out_tongue: I’m looking forward to the day when I can modify the FAQ to truthfully say that this isn’t possible at all.

I think I got everything.

Keep the feedback coming! :smiley:

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Update

API

  • Modified API to never allow an invalid timezone to be set on a user
  • Added logic to retry Beeminder API requests a couple of times if they fail
  • Added support for &goal-name tags for specifying Beeminder goals to post to on task creation
  • Added support for *goal-name tags for specifying Beeminder goals to post to on task completion
  • Fixed a bug with aforementioned asterisk tags that would post to the goal when task was marked incomplete. Oops!

Web

  • Updated some dependencies to fix security issues
  • Started displaying the user’s timezone in the new task form
  • Linked the timezone to the docs page on timezones
  • Rebuilt tasks page using a state machine to fix some weird bugs
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Update

Web

I updated the web app to better honor the user’s locale preferences when displaying due dates.

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Update

API

  • Added support for /me/task/[id] route
  • Make API send charge notification emails as soon as it notices a task is late, instead of waiting 24 hours at minimum
  • Add a 7-day Statute of Limitations on charges, to prevent users who didn’t have a working payment method from getting charged for old tasks as soon as they add one
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Update

No code updates this time, though I’ve been working on Integromat automations and added a page to the docs. Little things like that are posted on Twitter.

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Aside: If you’d be willing to help me test out a feature I’m working on, please let me know! :smiley:

API

  • API skips sending morning emails to users who have no upcoming tasks.
  • API should now correctly sort tasks in morning emails.

Web

  • Beeminder integration settings now validates goal name using Beeminder’s rules.
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Update

Nothing this round. Working on some changes I’m pretty excited about, but probably shouldn’t say what in case I find out tomorrow that I was being entirely wrong-headed and have to scrap them. :laughing:

Update

API

  • Fixed API token auth in preparation for eventually making the API fully-public (thank you @alys!!)
  • Added API support for calling uncle on tasks!
  • Fixed a bug with calling uncle :bug:

Web

  • Switched to react-query for data fetching, allowing me to do background data fetching, data caching and invalidation, and optimistic operations. So much better! :relaxed:
  • Added loading indicator bar to the top of the page when the app is requesting data. And it doesn’t block you from using the app!
  • Made toggling task checkboxes optimistic!
  • Fixed bug where typing into the new-task field was super slow if you had a load of completed tasks already.
  • Added warning popup if you manage to hit the x while there are still pending changes that haven’t been sent to the server
  • Improve task sort!
  • Make adding new tasks optimistic
  • Disable checkboxes on new tasks until the server has acknowledged their creation
  • Update registration page styling
  • Add unit tests to registration page
  • Fix typo on registration page
  • Add uncle button UI to tasks (feedback solicited, I think the uncle button has room for improvement!)
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[I’m not sure where the right place for TaskRatchet feature requests is, if it’s not here please point me to it!]

I’d find these useful:

  • archived task listing in reverse order of date
  • date in archive task listing to include(/be sortable on) date completed as well as the due date.
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Hi, @k1rsty! Really appreciate the feedback! :smiley:

Posting here is fine, but you’ll probably get a faster response in the future if you email me at nathan@taskratchet.com since I beemind clearing that inbox.

Your suggestions:

  • Archive sorting: Yes, definitely want to improve this! I think this will be addressed by the timeline view I’m hoping to slowly implement. wdyt?
  • Displaying date completed: Good point! I don’t currently store date completed (bad early decision!) but it’s been something that’s bugged me for quite a while, so definitely want to start storing it, and then thinking about how best to display it!

I’ve recorded your votes in my backlog :smiley:

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Just signed up for taskratchet and it might well hit the sweet spot for that missing bit of beeminder function.

One super-minor quibble: since it enters the date into my Beeminder goals, it would be nice to have the date format selectable, so us Europeans don’t have to do “Erm, 05/01/22, so that goal was for the 5th of January? Ah, no, 1st of May as expected!”.

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Thank you @clivemeister! Could you try adding that here?:

https://taskratchet.consider.it/