Live data from Hacker News

Show HN: VS Code extension that fades out the colors until you take a break

github.com

11–20 of 35 posts

Re: Show HN: VS Code extension that fades out the colors until you take a break

#11
post #3

I kind of need the opposite, something that pokes me with a stick if I take a break before I'm supposed to.

I wonder if an extension can be made to scramble your keyboard for x minutes. Rendering your keyboard input unusable while you take a break.

or just turn you keyboard off?

Re: Show HN: VS Code extension that fades out the colors until you take a break

#15
Not bad but still intrusive.

So idea is to let you continue for some time and not be intrusive and not change anything (OK, anything important at all). Suggestions like chaning fonts or graying the screen are just not that.

Besides color, what else could be done ? Here is some brainstorming from me:

1. THe more you work, the slower are keys rendered, just as when computer slows down. This allows for some continuation but eventually you will stop to let computer (and yourself) rest.

2. The more your work, the more random, very short, beep sound is inserted on key presses. The same benefits as above unless you turn off the volume in which case the good old BIOS beep could do. This may deconcentrate a bit tho.

3. The more you type the more mouse starts moving on its own. Eventually it just flies around like crazy (until you use it, then when you don't it starts again). Yes you can still continue working like nothing happens.

4. The windows border colors start changing, the more you work, the more frequent it gets. It can be less distracting then mouse flying around.

All of above wont change a thing in your workflow which is important here as you want to allow some continuation and you don't actually want to change anything for user (screen size, font size, brightness changes, etc. are all intrusive and can change word ordering, syntax coloring etc. something you may depend a lot upon ( I do ).

Re: Show HN: VS Code extension that fades out the colors until you take a break

#17
post #3

I kind of need the opposite, something that pokes me with a stick if I take a break before I'm supposed to.

I often leave the window while waiting for something to build, and that’s when I get distracted. Would be cool if leaving the window started a timer, and if I’m not back within five minutes it pops a notice on the screen.

Re: Show HN: VS Code extension that fades out the colors until you take a break

#18
post #3

I kind of need the opposite, something that pokes me with a stick if I take a break before I'm supposed to.

I often leave the window while waiting for something to build, and that’s when I get distracted. Would be cool if leaving the window started a timer, and if I’m not back within five minutes it pops a notice on the screen.

Or hey having build completion fire a notification would be useful tooo

Re: Show HN: VS Code extension that fades out the colors until you take a break

#19

Why would you want to interrupt your code flow?

To "stay healthy" obviously, as by not doing that you may need to interrupt forevever.

You don't often get sprints where you are typing consistently, those are usually your most valuable "zoned-in" sessions.

I don't see why you would interrupt that, it takes awhile to get zoned back in.

Go walk around after you have a good session. This seems really annoying.

Re: Show HN: VS Code extension that fades out the colors until you take a break

#20

Not bad but still intrusive. So idea is to let you continue for some time and not be intrusive and not change anything (OK, anything important at all). Suggestions like chaning fonts or graying the screen are just not that. Besides color, what else could be done ? Here is some brainstorming from me: 1. THe more you work, the slower are keys rendered, just as when computer slows down. This allows for some continuation…

Of course it's intrusive, as are your suggestions, as the whole concept is literally to intrude so you take a break. If you just want a suggestion to take a break try timed notifications.
Post reply on HN