4 ms·

> However, developers hate email If there’s one thing I hate more than email, it’s not being able to mark an item as unread, and put it in a folder to address

> However, developers hate email If there’s one thing I hate more than email, it’s not being able to mark an item as unread, and put it in a folder to address it later. Slack is synonym of stress. The Slack stress compounds with being pinged all the time, on various topics. It transforms a developer role into a manager role.

andai 2y ago
Tangential, but you might want to look into GTD, I've found it very helpful for handling stuff I know I'd forget otherwise. Here's a good intro https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15747703 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15747703
- tonyedgecombe 2y ago
  I’ve never thought GTD is a good system for programmers. The last thing I want to do is interrupt some important piece of work because an incoming request will only take a couple of minutes.
  - scubbo 2y ago
    That's entirely contrary to my understanding and implementation of GTD - which is to have daily "scans" of my inboxes to see what tasks have come in since the last scan, bucket them into the appropriate categories/lists/record-keeping systems, and then _close those inboxes_ until the next scan. If anything, GTD keeps me _more_ interruption-free, by strictly ringfencing the times that I am open to processing new task-requests.
  - andai 2y ago
    I assume you're referring to the 2 minute rule here. One of the main points of GTD is that you can just make a note of the interruption, so you don't have to deal with it right then, because you know it's waiting for you in a trusted system. (Which incidentally might just be a sticky note on your desk!) Also, the 2 minute rule itself is flexible, just like the rest of the system. Sometimes it's a 30 second rule, and sometimes it's a 5 minute rule.
ttoinou 2y ago
You can Save for later any message…
rippeltippel 2y ago
Both Slack and (most) email clients allow you to mark items as unread and set reminders. Being pinged all the time sounds more like an organisational issue, where comms channels are left to grow wild and unstructured. It's definitely not down to Slack.
walthamstow 2y ago
Remind me -> in 20 mins / 1 hours / 4 hours / tomorrow / next week. Or you can click the 'save for later' bookmark icon with no time alert. The pings are within your control. If your org has an unruly Slack workspace, get on top of your notification settings or just leave it closed most of the time and check in periodically.
oblio 2y ago
Besides the "Save for later" & co, just mute all the channels that aren't essential and leave the obsolete ones. If someone wants to raise issues from marginal sources, let them go through the friction of messaging in the main channel or DMing. You don't need to react to everything.

andai 2y ago

Tangential, but you might want to look into GTD, I've found it very helpful for handling stuff I know I'd forget otherwise. Here's a good intro https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15747703 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15747703

tonyedgecombe 2y ago
I’ve never thought GTD is a good system for programmers. The last thing I want to do is interrupt some important piece of work because an incoming request will only take a couple of minutes.
- scubbo 2y ago
  That's entirely contrary to my understanding and implementation of GTD - which is to have daily "scans" of my inboxes to see what tasks have come in since the last scan, bucket them into the appropriate categories/lists/record-keeping systems, and then _close those inboxes_ until the next scan. If anything, GTD keeps me _more_ interruption-free, by strictly ringfencing the times that I am open to processing new task-requests.
- andai 2y ago
  I assume you're referring to the 2 minute rule here. One of the main points of GTD is that you can just make a note of the interruption, so you don't have to deal with it right then, because you know it's waiting for you in a trusted system. (Which incidentally might just be a sticky note on your desk!) Also, the 2 minute rule itself is flexible, just like the rest of the system. Sometimes it's a 30 second rule, and sometimes it's a 5 minute rule.

ttoinou 2y ago

You can Save for later any message…

rippeltippel 2y ago

Both Slack and (most) email clients allow you to mark items as unread and set reminders. Being pinged all the time sounds more like an organisational issue, where comms channels are left to grow wild and unstructured. It's definitely not down to Slack.

walthamstow 2y ago

Remind me -> in 20 mins / 1 hours / 4 hours / tomorrow / next week. Or you can click the 'save for later' bookmark icon with no time alert. The pings are within your control. If your org has an unruly Slack workspace, get on top of your notification settings or just leave it closed most of the time and check in periodically.

oblio 2y ago

Besides the "Save for later" & co, just mute all the channels that aren't essential and leave the obsolete ones. If someone wants to raise issues from marginal sources, let them go through the friction of messaging in the main channel or DMing. You don't need to react to everything.