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Actually, Slack really sucks

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Re: Actually, Slack really sucks

#41

I've found that slack takes up way more time for me too. I'm usually in 50 IRC channels at once. My workflow when I open irc is to check my hilight window for pings, and then glance at the channel list for backscroll chatter in channels I follow closely (if bored, also look at chatter in other channels). I then respond to things, and switch back to the hilight window. I occasionally glance at this window to check for…

Have you tried the slack desktop app? It is much better than having to keep a bunch of different tabs open. I find it easier to handle multiple teams that way.

I will, thanks

Re: Actually, Slack really sucks

#42
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> ... you're most likely doing it wrong. You should have long-running specialized channels by topic that include the relevant people. But then you end up with a thousand channels. Also, if so many people are "doing it wrong", isn't that a sign that the UX is lacking?

Better to have many narrow channels that update infrequently than a few firehose channels that are impossible to keep up with. Of those channels, there are usually only a couple that an engineer really needs to follow on any given day, so it's easier to go heads-down. In the firehose channels things get missed unless people are very good about using @ mentions for the correct people, which most aren't. Also, if so ma…

Just out of curiosity: do you have a manager role in your company? Are you the one who creates the most channels on slack, and do you invite the most users on slack?

Because I suspect that people in different roles may feel differently about slack.

Re: Actually, Slack really sucks

#43
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Better to have many narrow channels that update infrequently than a few firehose channels that are impossible to keep up with. Of those channels, there are usually only a couple that an engineer really needs to follow on any given day, so it's easier to go heads-down. In the firehose channels things get missed unless people are very good about using @ mentions for the correct people, which most aren't. Also, if so ma…

Just out of curiosity: do you have a manager role in your company? Are you the one who creates the most channels on slack, and do you invite the most users on slack? Because I suspect that people in different roles may feel differently about slack.

Yes. I don't create any channels. Team members create and invite users as necessary. The multiple narrow channels request in particular came from engineers.
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