Topic: How do you use the BP Calendar

I have not figured out any way to add from iCal and have it display on Backpack.

The closest thing I can figure is that you can Share your iCal calendar by publishing it to a Web server or using .Mac and then subscribe to it in Backpack. At the same time, share your Backpack calendar with the “Share this Calendar” option and subscribe to it in iCal. Then you have both calendars feeding one another, and you can view all events in both places. It’s creating two calendars (different colors) but you can see all events in both places and add events from both places. You just won’t be able to edit the events you created on one platform when you’re on the other platform.

Topic: How do you use the BP Calendar

I use BP Calendar extensively to manage my schedule for interviewing and appointaments (I am a recruiter). BP calendar is great, because I am able to color code out all of groups I’m involved with. And the reminder feature that pings my cell phone is indispensible. I realize that Google calendar does all this stuff, but I do enjoy the click and drag features in Backpack. Plus, I still just subscribe to my Backpack calendar in Google, so if I’m playing over in Google Docs and Gmail I have easy access to my calendar.

Topic: Font for emails

I would rather have the fixed width font used on the expanded list page as well as when you click into a message.

That would be a good improvement for me.

Topic: Font for emails

I would rather have the fixed width font used on the expanded list page as well as when you click into a message. But that’s because I use plain text for email and it preserves formatting that way.

Topic: Font for emails

Anyone else think the same as me?

Topic: How do you use the BP Calendar

I’m looking for a calendar solution and I’m curious to know how you guys are using the BP Calendar. Currently I’m using iCal on my Mac and it works great. I want to use the BP calendar but what kind of setup do I need to be able to add events both from my iCal app and from the BP app (if I’m not on my Mac)?

If create a BP calendar it will be read-only for iCal or if I create a calendar at Google Calendar it will be read-only in iCal and BP. If I share a calendar from iCal will it be writeable from BP?

How do you use the calendar setup?

Topic: Font for emails

The text for emails looks great with the font used in expanded view or dashboard but when you click into the email the font changes quite dramatically. It is so totally different from all other fonts used by 37S across their apps and I find it quite hard to read.

I’m sure there is a reason why it is done this way but it doesn’t keep in with my impression of 37S usual style (e.g. thought gone into the colour of the text ‘Posted by Richard A’ etc).

Can it be changed?

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

It’s definitely time to close this thread. Things have devolved.

All 9 pages and 215+ posts have been read and all reasonable suggestions will be taken into consideration as we continue to evolve Basecamp.

We continue to gather feedback from a variety of sources. The majority of changes we make to Basecamp are based on customer feedback. We already made a couple rounds of tweaks based on feedback. You can expect more as we continue to gather feedback and experiment with layout ideas.

This has been the pattern of development since we launched Basecamp back in Feb of 2004. We put something out there we’re happy with, people use it, some of them give us their feedback, we consider it, and sometimes we make adjustments based on that feedback. Sometimes the adjustments are large, sometimes they’re tiny, and sometimes we don’t make adjustments at all. Sometimes they happen on day two, sometimes on day 20, sometimes a few months out. Just about everything you see in Basecamp has been shaped in one way or another by customer feedback.

Some people are immediate with their feedback while others try the changes on for size over a few weeks or more and then get back to us. Some people tell us in the forums, a lot more people tell us via email. In general we favor feedback based on extended use than instant feedback based on a few minutes or hours or just a few days of use.

And, like most people, we favor reasoned, calm feedback over feedback laced with character attacks, vitriol, and cussing. Disagreement is great, just disagree decently. People don’t respond well when someone gets in their face, threatens them, cusses at them or attacks their character. That will not help your case with us just like it won’t help your case with anyone else you interact with.

So, again, thanks for everyone’s reasonable feedback.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

I honestly have no problem with the view. I think your complaints are getting really tiresome. If you don’t like it that’s one thing, but a lot of what’s being said is repetitive and bordering on personal attacks. I also think a lot of the reaction here is being overblown and generalized. I have dozens of projects and am not in “disorder and confusion” because of the change.

I think people have some valid criticism and are welcome to say their piece, but I a lot of what could be valid criticism is getting lost in the way things are being stated and exaggerated.

And finally, danjfoley, one person writing about leaving basecamp on their blog means very very little. I’m sure Mr. Karr wasn’t the first one to cancel his basecamp account and he certainly wasn’t the last. His post didn’t even mention the new user interface. What point exactly did you feel that would make? That some people sign up, don’t use it, and then leave? I could post plenty of blog entries on here about how amazing 37signals’ products are, if you’d like, and again, no point would be proven.

I can see how far that digging got too. It was seeded by you, and dugg by one user: you.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

This thread has been dug on digg.com find it and vote for it. And while you do check this out.

http://www.douglaskarr.com/2007/04/07/i-canceled-my-basecamp-account-today/

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

I did take a minute to look at the blog, though no word of it was given here, and it just says “We updated the look. balbhalbh,” with NO mention of why the overview page looks like hell, or really what was behind it all. It was a general post about the new look of basecamp. I’m glad someone else came back to this thread and posted, because last time I posted, I was told by admin that Jason was ill, though actively posting in other areas of the forum. Strange that he’s so ill as to miss appointments (and I do believe that he was not feeling well) and tasks had to be assigned to other admins, yet they also could not post here about the overview page, like it’s some big mystery as to why it was changed and why we can’t have it back (cough stall tactic).

Well, it’s still a mystery, and what I make of the whole situation is that anyone who chooses to use basecamp will live in limbo, from one sudden change to another, with no more than a “try it, you’ll get used to it” explanation for permanent unwanted screen changes that cause disorder and confusion, as though it were some insignificant photo album software instead of a serious tool we use to manage our projects, hence be efficient at work, hence make money and therefore continue to survive on the planet. I don’t like people messing with my work, or my money. I personally don’t care to have things changed for the worse with no explanation and not even a slight consideration of putting it back. I think some people might barely notice the changes, because they’re not really using basecamp frequently, but, as I’ve said before, I can’t imagine what this overview modification was like for people with dozens of projects. To do that to someone without even so much as a warning is so inconsiderate I don’t have the words for it, but let’s just say it can’t possibly be good for business in the long run.

Since things aren’t going to change, use basecamp at your own risk, and try to find a Plan B in the meantime. I bet the first sign of a decent, affordable project-management software/service wins half of current basecamp users over. Then they’ll really know for sure what percentage of us are unhappy.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

How about relaunching the project Overview with two views “Classic” and “New” like the new Messages section? Have it so you can toggle between the views at will! And make it remember which view you last looked at and keep you in that view until you switch to the other view!

As you can see, the project Overview has not grown on me over the past two weeks. I used to be excited to show off Basecamp to new clients and now I’m almost embarrassed.

Like Tom Dolan said earlier in this thread, the biggest selling point to my clients in using Basecamp was how organized everything would be. Most of the time I’m only running one project per client and they don’t get to see a dashboard. These clients are stuck with a history list.

It may sound trivial to some, but first impressions do count.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

Jason – any sign of your blog post on this?

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

“If you don’t like Overview, then don’t use it, clicking on that tab is optional,” might be the reply if an admin wants to be consistent with the responses to the List View.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

just to let you know. We haven’t forgot about how half assed the new overview page looks. Per my prediction you are just going to ignore us and say “we like it. End of story”.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

Sidenote: the new “Add ten at a time” milestones button is hawt. I could see that being used to great effect next to “Add new item” on to-do lists.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

Thanks Mark—more on the degraded functionality of Private/Public: Seems I can now assign Private To-Do’s to people who shouldn’t be able to see Private Items. Something that seems to have gotten broken in the Refresh, and as several people have posted, just generally bums me out re: the beating the Private/Public functionality (which is critical to us) has taken in the last week. Will post in Troubleshooting and email Support.

Update—a second issue on the Private/Public formatting damage. Now if you give an outside company rights to private messages, and they post a private message, not only does it not get a red sidebar, it gets a green one. See:

Call me conservative, but for anyone but a brand-new customer, this is confusing as hell.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

I would like to thank Tom Dolan for his many posts here – I am with him on almost every point with regards to the new release. I am completely baffled on how this Overview page made the cut. It is such a departure from the previous design and obviously less usable (at least to me and everyone else within my company).

Hopefully you guys are working on a solution…hopefully.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

PS. Could not edit my forum post in Internet Explorer 7.x so the idea that you only do things that support all browsers isn’t entirely accurate either so please move forward on a WYSIWYG editor for textareas in basecamp. ;)

I had the same problem. Hold down <ctrl> when clicking the edit button, but your point is valid. ;)

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

For the most part, the changes have been very positive so I want to say thank you. However, I have to agree with a large number of users that the project overview page is no longer all that useful. It is very difficult to quickly scan the page and assimilate the content. The dashboard is much, MUCH better.

There’s mistake after mistake on the overview page from the red text in the blue title box to the large blocky “type” rectangles that demand your attention. The change from a column layout that requires the human eye to work hard to determine what is actually going on. It’s almost like two very different designers developed the dashboard versus the overview and, honestly, the new overview is very hard to use and not nearly as professional looking / user friendly. Sorry, but someone with some quality UI skills needs to redesign the overview screen to make it useful or that screen, which for many is the so critical, will cause people to dislike an otherwise fantastic product.

By the way, this is my first post with the new forums. Been using Basecamp for a long time but have been so happy, there’s been no need to post. ;) Take this problem seriously….either fix it for everyone (because it IS broken) or allow clients to select from a different overview screen template that more closely matches the original and/or the current dashboard view.

PS. Could not edit my forum post in Internet Explorer 7.x so the idea that you only do things that support all browsers isn’t entirely accurate either so please move forward on a WYSIWYG editor for textareas in basecamp. ;)

-jc (www.revenution.com)

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

Looking at this realistically, there have been some changes, yes, and if you’ve ever been involved in redesign projects in any way, you know how tough it is to try to improve and move forward on something without getting a lot of blowback from users. Imagine what a pain in the neck it is when your users are developers themselves. Double-whammy.

There are plenty of things that have been mentioned in this forum that I agree with and would love to see put back or adjusted in some way. I have no doubt that the developers want to improve their product and have opened up this forum as one of their main tools to garner quality feedback. It would be a shame if the tone of this forum turned from helpful, quality feedback to whiney, crybaby, speculative national enquirer type stuff. Sometimes people get sick and have stuff going on in their lives outside of work and gasp don’t have time to update every 5 minutes.

Let’s keep it professional and we can all benefit from this still-great product.

All glory to the hypno-toad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z86zW8z8hsc

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

Dan, buddy… chill. Dude, you’re seriously going from being productive to being an a**. Come on man. What’s the deal? Take a breath already.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

Ok, jason is sick. Feel better jason. I was sick myself last week. However lets not let this shift the attention away from the real problem here.

They just released 2 new design and functionality changes (image thumbnails and clearer admin settings).. Why no update on this?

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

To clarify, while we try respond to as many forum posts as possible, it’s been stated (and is listed on the front page of the forum) that we do not offer official support in these threads. Any lack of communication or response by any member of the team is due to our attention being needed elsewhere, such as official help emails, programming, design, and managing all the 37s products.

While we may not respond to every single post, we do make sure we review the forums often to stay up to date on the discussions. A lack of response is not a lack of attention.

Unfortunately, Jason has been sick the last few days, and we’ve shifted responsibilities for the rest of the team of meet the many demands of his job. In fact, he had to cancel a business trip and speaking engagements in NY that was scheduled tomorrow because of his illness.

Topic: NEW FEATURE: Interface design refresh

Wow, Danjfoley does not speak for me, nor do I intend to do a quote back to legitimize his post.

While I don’t agree with everything Jason says I’ve no reason to doubt his word or question his integrity.

Take care, hope you get well soon Jason.