This weekend we have launched a new version of FacileThings in which, among other things, the Capture section has been redesigned.
Capture is the fact of writing down or recording, out of your head, in a single place, anything that has your attention (an idea, something you’ve remembered, a new task that shows up, a new need, contact information, an appointment, etc.)
You must try to capture every thing at the same moment it pops up, and you must do it quickly, without thinking too much, so that you can continue with what you were doing without getting distracted.
This is the crucial first step to achieve a state of calmed control. It is a way to free your mind, and the goal is that the amorphous stuff that you still have not clearly defined do not produce a stressful noise to your mind while you are doing other things.
The new design of this option occupies all the space, so that at the moment of capturing something you can focus for a few moments on what you have in your head, without other distractions.
We have added the possibility of attaching files at the Capture stage, and a new tool that allows you to add the most used person contexts without typing them.
To minimize any cognitive friction, the entire interface (text input, notes, checklists, file attachement, tag tools, etc.) works in exactly the same way as in the Task Editor.
General upgrade
The new version we have just published has also important changes that you can’t see: All the software packages that make up the application have been upgraded, as well as the web server itself.
This change should have an impact on better web performance and faster response times. It will also help us move forward in the development of the platform in a more efficient manner.
On the other hand, updating absolutely everything implies redoing many parts of the program that stop working correctly when upgrading software. We have spent six weeks working on this big update and testing the entire system. Still, we can always miss something. If you notice that something is not working as it should, please open a support ticket explaining the problem and we will solve it as soon as possible.
Other improvements
- We have solved a credential issue with Google, and the integration with Google Drive, which had stopped working for a few weeks, is working again.
- We have further optimized the integration with Evernote.
- The integration with Google Calendar sometimes generates duplicate events and we think that is due to the fact that sometimes Google Calendar notifications arrive before the synchronization process ends. We have created a “queue” so that these notifications keep their turn and no unwanted events are generated.
- The daily routines have been modified so that the first occurrence appears today instead of tomorrow, if a start date has not been indicated.
- The new option that allows to generate all the repetitive actions of a routine during a week or a month was causing important problems in some cases, affecting sometimes the quality of the service (in those cases duplicate events were generated endlessly, which reduced the server performance). We have disabled this option until we are able to find the root of the problem and solve it. Meanwhile, the routines that have been generated in that way will continue to work properly.
- We have fixed other minor errors.
5 comments
Great update. I especially like the fact that the Window stays until is it canceled, at which point the user is returned to the view they were on before clicking Capture.
I have found a bug. I sent it via a Support ticket in FT. I'll continue to do so if I should encounter more.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!
Great update. I especially like the fact that the Window stays until is it canceled, at which point the user is returned to the view they were on before clicking Capture.
I have found a bug. I sent it via a Support ticket in FT. I'll continue to do so if I should encounter more.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!
Thanks for the encouragement. Cyrus.
We're taking care of that bug.
Thanks for the encouragement. Cyrus.
We're taking care of that bug.
Thanks for another great update Francisco! I always look forward to them.
Thanks for another great update Francisco! I always look forward to them.
There's one little thing that I find annoying. In the Android version, when you start FT, you don't end up in capture mode. When I start the app, it's mostly because I need to jot something down quickly. Could that be put into a setting, so that it always starts in capture?
There's one little thing that I find annoying. In the Android version, when you start FT, you don't end up in capture mode. When I start the app, it's mostly because I need to jot something down quickly. Could that be put into a setting, so that it always starts in capture?
Hi Thomas,
Some other users have requested that option too. Precisely in the next version we will redesign and improve the Capture section, and will also add the possibility to choose the default starting section (Capture or Engage).
Thanks for the suggestion!
Hi Thomas,
Some other users have requested that option too. Precisely in the next version we will redesign and improve the Capture section, and will also add the possibility to choose the default starting section (Capture or Engage).
Thanks for the suggestion!