6 ms·

Signal developer here. It's just because notification reliability is always a top support complaint, and a lot of people turn off notifications and don't realiz

Signal developer here. It's just because notification reliability is always a top support complaint, and a lot of people turn off notifications and don't realize they've done so. Admittedly, once a month is likely too aggressive.

pigggg 5mo ago
Is there some "no means no" additional setting that could be added where someone has to go into settings that would prevent that? I fear that with the notifications pop up asking me this I might hit the wrong button and woops turn it on.
- NAR8789 5mo ago
  Try from inside the signal app itself instead of system settings? On android Signal has an option at hamburger menu > Settings > Notifications > Notifications (toggle switch) Oh... hmm, two toggles actually. One at Settings > Notifications > Calls > Notifications toggle, and the other at Settings > Notifications > Messages > Notifications toggle
dataflow 5mo ago
How about instead of prompting to enable notifications, you leave a small banner or other unintrusive/non-annoying UI noting that they're off, which users can tap in order to learn more about how to reenable them? For an app that prides itself on privacy, it's kind of crazy that you're making it so easy to accidentally blow it.
- illiac786 5mo ago
  That would drive me nuts. I do not want a banner permanently on I cannot remove. And before someone suggests it: If the banner can be removed, you’re back to having lots of complaints for users that did not realise they turned off notifications.
  - dataflow 5mo ago
    Doesn't have to be prominent and doesn't even have to be a banner. The ultimate point is to make it hard to reenable by accident, and to not make it annoying. Lots of ways to do that.
    - illiac786 5mo ago
      True. Lots of ways to do it wrong too. I have seen this done wrong significantly more often than right. Anyway, I agree it’s worth a try.
peacebeard 5mo ago
Making the product worse for everybody because a minority can’t manage their own settings is a terrible strategy.
- cbg0 5mo ago
  Do most people keep the notifications disabled for their messaging apps?
  - tristor 5mo ago
    I disable notifications on every app that is not on the critical path to me earning a living. Notifications are largely unnecessary. Either you are actively engaged with something, in which case you didn't need the notification, or you are doing something else and don't need the distraction, in which case you didn't need the notification. Only my employer gets a right to demand my time during work hours, which is why notifications are enabled during work hours for work apps. We as a society have gotten way too comfortable expecting every single person to be available at all times to provide us some kind of immediate response. Let people live. If I'm hiking through the woods with my camera doing bird photography, even if you're my best friend you can wait until I get back to my car and manually check my messages, I don't need a notification. If it's an emergency, dial my number and call me, which will make my phone ring. Novel concept, I know.
    - sneak 5mo ago
      Signal notifications are the #1 thing in the critical path for me earning a living. Isn’t this normal in our industry?
      - fwip 5mo ago
        Nope.
      - tristor 5mo ago
        Okay, well you should probably have them enabled then. For me, Signal is for personal messaging. My work messages are mostly Slack, Webex, and Teams.
elevation 5mo ago
> notification reliability is always a top support complaint I know octogenarians who use signal daily. "You called me and it didn't ring" or "messaged and it didn't beep" are definitely the top support complaints I receive. Thanks for being sensitive to this use case.
jacquesm 5mo ago
Any time after a user switches it off on purpose is too aggressive.

pigggg 5mo ago

Is there some "no means no" additional setting that could be added where someone has to go into settings that would prevent that? I fear that with the notifications pop up asking me this I might hit the wrong button and woops turn it on.

NAR8789 5mo ago
Try from inside the signal app itself instead of system settings? On android Signal has an option at hamburger menu > Settings > Notifications > Notifications (toggle switch) Oh... hmm, two toggles actually. One at Settings > Notifications > Calls > Notifications toggle, and the other at Settings > Notifications > Messages > Notifications toggle

dataflow 5mo ago

How about instead of prompting to enable notifications, you leave a small banner or other unintrusive/non-annoying UI noting that they're off, which users can tap in order to learn more about how to reenable them? For an app that prides itself on privacy, it's kind of crazy that you're making it so easy to accidentally blow it.

illiac786 5mo ago
That would drive me nuts. I do not want a banner permanently on I cannot remove. And before someone suggests it: If the banner can be removed, you’re back to having lots of complaints for users that did not realise they turned off notifications.
- dataflow 5mo ago
  Doesn't have to be prominent and doesn't even have to be a banner. The ultimate point is to make it hard to reenable by accident, and to not make it annoying. Lots of ways to do that.
  - illiac786 5mo ago
    True. Lots of ways to do it wrong too. I have seen this done wrong significantly more often than right. Anyway, I agree it’s worth a try.

peacebeard 5mo ago

Making the product worse for everybody because a minority can’t manage their own settings is a terrible strategy.

cbg0 5mo ago
Do most people keep the notifications disabled for their messaging apps?
- tristor 5mo ago
  I disable notifications on every app that is not on the critical path to me earning a living. Notifications are largely unnecessary. Either you are actively engaged with something, in which case you didn't need the notification, or you are doing something else and don't need the distraction, in which case you didn't need the notification. Only my employer gets a right to demand my time during work hours, which is why notifications are enabled during work hours for work apps. We as a society have gotten way too comfortable expecting every single person to be available at all times to provide us some kind of immediate response. Let people live. If I'm hiking through the woods with my camera doing bird photography, even if you're my best friend you can wait until I get back to my car and manually check my messages, I don't need a notification. If it's an emergency, dial my number and call me, which will make my phone ring. Novel concept, I know.
  - sneak 5mo ago
    Signal notifications are the #1 thing in the critical path for me earning a living. Isn’t this normal in our industry?
    - fwip 5mo ago
      Nope.
    - tristor 5mo ago
      Okay, well you should probably have them enabled then. For me, Signal is for personal messaging. My work messages are mostly Slack, Webex, and Teams.

elevation 5mo ago

> notification reliability is always a top support complaint I know octogenarians who use signal daily. "You called me and it didn't ring" or "messaged and it didn't beep" are definitely the top support complaints I receive. Thanks for being sensitive to this use case.

jacquesm 5mo ago

Any time after a user switches it off on purpose is too aggressive.