Earlier quoted context omitted.
Perhaps the real solution is to default to "busy" and only show "available" on a trigger, like web-browsing or staring into space.
Staring into space is what I do when thinking. Lots of my job is thinking. Maybe that's why folk ignored my busy indicator.
Busy Status Bar
411–420 of 546 posts
Re: Busy Status Bar
#412Re: Busy Status Bar
#413This is at least the 3rd version of this product idea that I’ve seen in the past decade. Certainly the nicest design! The first time I saw this was some friends of friends who were trying to make it into a startup. They quickly discovered that their users liked the idea of a busy light for the office, but didn’t like to update it on or off throughout the day. So after the first few days people just defaulted to leavi…
I use a Life Calendar in Obsidian[1] which shows the weeks elapsed and remaining to my set life expectancy(concept made famous by Tim Urban), it helps me focus with ADHD.
Something like Busy Status bar on the table can help display the life calendar 24x7.
[1] https://fosstodon.org/@abishek_muthian/113281548403039832
Re: Busy Status Bar
#414If you're looking for something with an addressable LED matrix in a clock style form factor, the Ulanzi TC001 [0] for ~$50 is worth having a look at. Doesn't quite have the same aesthetic but inside it's just an ESP32 (flashed via the USB-C port) and there's various mature open source firmware replacements. I use awtrix[1] on mine and it's very easy to tie in HomeAssistant for doorbell notifications and that sort of…
Re: Busy Status Bar
#415Re: Busy Status Bar
#416Earlier quoted context omitted.
That seems like an easy fix: Tell visitors to look at the light.
That’s the problem: If the light is always on, or almost always on, then it quickly loses meaning. Unless the user actually adds green available time at regular intervals throughout the day, people learn that they have to ignore the red busy light and ask.
Re: Busy Status Bar
#417This is at least the 3rd version of this product idea that I’ve seen in the past decade. Certainly the nicest design! The first time I saw this was some friends of friends who were trying to make it into a startup. They quickly discovered that their users liked the idea of a busy light for the office, but didn’t like to update it on or off throughout the day. So after the first few days people just defaulted to leavi…
The only things I’ve found were impractical objects, or apps that cost $10-50 per month because they’re designed for consultants who bill their time. Apps are not accurate while one is in meetings, since the computer is off.
The thing is, even for consultants, they get no value from a red “Busy” gadget, but having an object on the table which you can punch to set on which client you’re working, would certainly be useful. More fun than an app, because sometimes you need physical objects.
I’d just like to clock in and clock out.
Re: Busy Status Bar
#418I suffer from ADHD and the pomodoro timer part interests me. However, I am not sure if a pomodoro timer would help me. And $200 is an expensive gamble.
I've nothing but utmost love for Flipper Devices Inc., seeing their approach to PR and as a 1000% happy owner of a Flipper Zero that sits unused 99.99% of the time in my backpack (and boy, am I _extremely_ happy and relieved for the 0.01% when I need it). I would pull the trigger on this in a heartbeat if I had the play-cash.
For those specifically with productivity challenges, it seems to be a good opportunity to remind that there are simple techniques people can try out (even if I find hard to discipline myself to adhere to) like a programmer's anecdote of one of John Carmack's methods[0].
I have personally adapted that technique to buying a $20 (hour-long) sand timer and turning it to its side when I need to pause. Unfortunately, my challenge now is overcoming my reluctance to use it more often, dreading the commitment I am signing myself up for as soon as I start the timer and fear of failure. Alas, it appears that I allow that fear to control me (into shirking responsibility).
[0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30801421 (unfortunately, original source no longer has this entry published, and archive.org is still offline, so all I have is this HN post to cite :)
[edit]: https://archive.ph/kcKYY
Re: Busy Status Bar
#419If you're looking for something with an addressable LED matrix in a clock style form factor, the Ulanzi TC001 [0] for ~$50 is worth having a look at. Doesn't quite have the same aesthetic but inside it's just an ESP32 (flashed via the USB-C port) and there's various mature open source firmware replacements. I use awtrix[1] on mine and it's very easy to tie in HomeAssistant for doorbell notifications and that sort of…
Neat! This is very close to what I want. I am looking for a very affordable device like this to affix to my home office doors. I would like it to be programmable allowing me to set the status to Don't Enter when I am having a Zoom call, etc.
Re: Busy Status Bar
#420If you're looking for something with an addressable LED matrix in a clock style form factor, the Ulanzi TC001 [0] for ~$50 is worth having a look at. Doesn't quite have the same aesthetic but inside it's just an ESP32 (flashed via the USB-C port) and there's various mature open source firmware replacements. I use awtrix[1] on mine and it's very easy to tie in HomeAssistant for doorbell notifications and that sort of…
This looks exactly what I have been looking for to put outside of my home office to keep my family from interrupting me during work meetings. Thanks for sharing it!
I wonder why it’s not better addressed. It needs to 1. be out of the office, on the door, 2. therefore bluetooth, 3. always on, and 4. it’s simple on/off light!