Re: [ListfulThinking] Merging lists

[masukomi <mas...@ma...>]

On Jan 6, 2004, at 6:56 PM, Andrew Petro wrote:

>
>> re: http://listfulthinking.com/kwiki/index.cgi?ListManagementUserStory
>
> [A user can merge one list into another.
>
> Merging List A with 3 items into List B with 4 items results in List B
> having all 7 items and List A having zero items. The user might then
> continue to use List A, or she might delete List A.]
>
>> I dunno about that. I'm thinking it would be better if you merged 
>> list a
>> into list b that list B got new components and list A remained 
>> unchanged.
>
> "Copy into..." ?  Perhaps add [Copy into...] as a menu item that 
> prompts
> with a pull down for the desired target list, with the behavior of 
> giving
> the target list new items and leaving the source list unchanged, and 
> then
> add [Merge into...] as an option from a List details dialog box.  Such 
> a box
> would also allow users to set per-list preferences -- perhaps some 
> lists are
> more sensitive to due dates as sources for item importance, or more
> generally the prioritization formula would have parameters settable on 
> a
> per-list basis.  Per-list preferences about what to do about completed
> items, etc, as well, perhaps.


Doing it with that wording  (copy into and merge into ) works better 
for me.

I'm not so sure about per list preferences. re due dates I'd think  
that people would prefer them to either have an effect or not on a 
global basis.

I don't think we should bother with that right now though.

>
>> I can't see an advantage to wiping out the contents of A like that. I
>> agree that they're probably not going to want that but...
>
>> just thoughts... I am not firmly convinced that leaving a alone is 
>> good
>> or emptying it is bad...
>
> Use case:
>
> User has 20 things to do today.  Suddenly, something comes up, and he 
> wants
> to clear his day.  He runs Lists->Merge into... and selects [Rainy Day
> List].  His [To Do Today] list is now empty and the 20 tasks previously
> slated for the day have been moved to [Rainy Day List].
>
> However, if only the Copy functionality is available, he will do 
> something
> like copy the tasks, delete his To Do Today list, and then remake it.
>
> However, a better version of all of this would be to implement 
> transfer of
> individual tasks from one list to another via a contextual right-click 
> menu,
> and then allow users to select multiple items and still do the 
> transfer.
> Merge of lists then becomes just a special case of transferring tasks. 
>  And
> a user might quite often want to move only some of the tasks in a list
> anyway.
>

ok I'm sold, on all points.

-Kate