"Install Trouble Free Pool" popup

[Leebo]

Just a data point. I think I saw a pop up once recently on WIN11/Firefox about push notifications and said NO.

I have never seen it on my IOS/Safari devices.

I suspect this is where so much of the disconnect and confusion in this thread stems from, and why the screenshot is so helpful.

There are two totally separate messages out there that are shown at different times depending on the users device. The message you’re seeing is solely for push as there aren’t requirements on Windows devices that need to be checked off to use the feature. Gene however is seeing a message that’s prompting him to download a PWA, something that’s required to be used on iOS devices but that’s pushed heavily on Android devices as well. Install the PWA as shown in this thread and you’ll see the message to enable push notifications on iOS.

The behavior you’re seeing is accurate, we ask….you say no, we ask if you’re sure…..you say no. We move on. The behavior Gene is seeing isn’t expected, and I’ll see shortly what’s occurring. Just don’t delete cookies as those are what saves all preferences for your individual devices.

 

[duraleigh]

Generally, Anything that appears on my screen that I didn't ask for is a timewaster and completely unwanted. To belittle that opinion because you don't share it doesn't make you correct, it makes you narrow.

The argument that "everybody does it" only annoys me more. I feel like I am continuously being hustled to do something I really don't want to do.

I hope TFP can be a sanctuary that is not trying to "push" you into something you never asked for.

The specific mechanics of how it works is not important to me because I will NEVER want it in the first place.

 

[proavia]

So, what EXACTLY will get installed if I click the Install option?
After it installs "something", is there an option to turn it off or change its settings?
Once I install "it", can I uninstall it or am I stuck with it?
Is it a browser extension?
Does it need to be installed on a device by device basis?

Why is it being forced on us?

I'm not buying into your excuse of "money" to expand the test site. There are many cheap options available to run the test site on separate hosting. And if you are running a dedicated server for the main TFP site, just add a subdomain there for the test site. The bandwidth used for the test site would be minimal.

in the Winter when nobody actually cares about their pools

That's a pretty short sighted statement.
Many of us in the northern hemisphere care about our pools year round. And then there are the TFP members in the southern hemisphere. Just because you're somewhere freezing cold this time of year, not all of us are. I get that traffic falls off this time of year and it's probably a better option to do updates now rather than when the site is busier, but there are users here now who need assistance - even new users here for the first time.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Gene,

I was looking at news and saw that I had a notification from TFP. Someone had "called" me by using @ my-name. One click on the notification and it took me directly to that thread.. I found that pretty neat...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[proavia]

Gene,

I was looking at news and saw that I had a notification from TFP. Someone had "called" me by using @ my-name. One click on the notification and it took me directly to that thread.. I found that pretty neat...

Thanks,

Jim R.

Yup, that feature, the mailbox and bell in the upper right have worked great for years.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Gene,

I was not in the TFP website at all...

I was on a news site and the notification showed up. Clicking it took me directly to the thread in TFP..

I know next to nothing about PC's, but it seems new to me.

I don't see the mailbox or bell unless I'm in the TFP site.

Jim R.

 

[Newdude]

For many of us regulars, if we're offsite, we are tending to the real world. If I'm driving at work I don't want the phone dinging because there's 3 new posts in threads I was in. I'll check it when I get to where I'm going and have a minute. Even in the slow season, I get 20 to 40 alerts a day, in the busy season, I dunno, 100 ? The phone wouldn't stop dinging in the spring.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Dude,

I don't have that problem, as I have most of the 'alerts' turned off.

That and no one like me...

Jim R.

 

[proavia]

Gene,

I was not in the TFP website at all...

I was on a news site and the notification showed up. Clicking it took me directly to the thread in TFP..

I know next to nothing about PC's, but it seems new to me.

I don't see the mailbox or bell unless I'm in the TFP site.

Jim R.

Jim

So you installed this new thing?
Is it a separate app?
Is it a separate icon that you have to open to view the content or is it something in your preferred browser?
Is the icon added to your desktop?

 

[Dirk]

I'm on MacOS and iOS and haven't seen any of this. So I can only offer preferences.

- No savvy user will click on anything that says "install me," especially if it's browser related.
- I wouldn't even click a close or cancel button on such a popup, even if it had one.
- And if it didn't go away by clicking anywhere else on the web page, I'd close the window and be reluctant to ever open the page again.
- If it happened each time I visited the site (and I was newish to the site), I wouldn't come back.
- If the notification appears to be content on the web page itself, I'd be more likely to engage it. But floating in front of it smacks of a hack. If it's floating in front of the webpage (and moves when the window is moved), that's bad. If it's floating in front of the app, not part of the window, and looks to be generated by the OS, that's battle-stations-red-alert.

- I will never want a push notification. I never turn them on, or accept them, for anything except my own reminders.
- I get notified by email of Conversations activity, but not Alerts, and wouldn't want that functionality and settings to go away.

- I use TFP almost exclusively on Safari on Mac, and very rarely on any iOS device.
- When I want something to do, I go to the What's New page directly from a bookmark in Safari on Mac. I first look at the Alert and Conversations icons, then peruse the What's New list.
- If I ever got a TFP popup while working on some other webpage, or g-forbid while working in some other application than Safari, I'd go berserk and seek to turn it off, and then would be a bit put off that I had to waste time doing that. I would not immediately think "Neat, TFP is getting with the times," or anything of the sort. I would more likely think "I like things as they are, no need for 'improvements.'" I only want to opt-in to things, never opt-out.
- If there was a stand-alone TFP app for Mac, I wouldn't use it. And if that became the only option, I would likely be less active on the site. IMO, a forum belongs on a website.

I am probably not a typical user. I never type on a "smart" device if I can help. I don't like to read on a smart device either. I don't use social media apps, at all. I post comments here and there, but always while in a browser. I engage the internet world only when I feel like it, and wouldn't ever want to be bothered to do so when I was doing anything else.

 

[proavia]

- No savvy user will click on anything that says "install me," especially if it's browser related.
- I wouldn't even click a close or cancel button on such a popup, even if it had one.
- And if it didn't go away by clicking anywhere else on the web page, I'd close the window and be reluctant to ever open the page again.
- If it happened each time I visited the site (and I was newish to the site), I wouldn't come back.
- If the notification appears to be content on the web page itself, I'd be more likely to engage it. But floating in front of it smacks of a hack. If it's floating in front of the webpage (and moves when the window is moved), that's bad. If it's floating in front of the app, not part of the window, and looks to be generated by the OS, that's battle-stations-red-alert.

100,000 percent!!!

Having this pop up at all without notice from the webmaster is a HUGE mistake.
This isn't the supposed test site after all - or is it?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I'm on MacOS and iOS and haven't seen any of this. So I can only offer preferences.

- No savvy user will click on anything that says "install me," especially if it's browser related.
- I wouldn't even click a close or cancel button on such a popup, even if it had one.
- And if it didn't go away by clicking anywhere else on the web page, I'd close the window and be reluctant to ever open the page again.
- If it happened each time I visited the site (and I was newish to the site), I wouldn't come back.
- If the notification appears to be content on the web page itself, I'd be more likely to engage it. But floating in front of it smacks of a hack. If it's floating in front of the webpage (and moves when the window is moved), that's bad. If it's floating in front of the app, not part of the window, and looks to be generated by the OS, that's battle-stations-red-alert.

- I will never want a push notification. I never turn them on, or accept them, for anything except my own reminders.
- I get notified by email of Conversations activity, but not Alerts, and wouldn't want that functionality and settings to go away.

- I use TFP almost exclusively on Safari on Mac, and very rarely on any iOS device.
- When I want something to do, I go to the What's New page directly from a bookmark in Safari on Mac. I first look at the Alert and Conversations icons, then peruse the What's New list.
- If I ever got a TFP popup while working on some other webpage, or g-forbid while working in some other application than Safari, I'd go berserk and seek to turn it off, and then would be a bit put off that I had to waste time doing that. I would not immediately think "Neat, TFP is getting with the times," or anything of the sort. I would more likely think "I like things as they are, no need for 'improvements.'" I only want to opt-in to things, never opt-out.
- If there was a stand-alone TFP app for Mac, I wouldn't use it. And if that became the only option, I would likely be less active on the site. IMO, a forum belongs on a website.

I am probably not a typical user. I never type on a "smart" device if I can help. I don't like to read on a smart device either. I don't use social media apps, at all. I post comments here and there, but always while in a browser. I engage the internet world only when I feel like it, and wouldn't ever want to be bothered to do so when I was doing anything else.

100,000 percent!!!

Having this pop up at all without notice from the webmaster is a HUGE mistake.
This isn't the supposed test site after all - or is it?

All good for YOU

Now let others have and choose to use the tools they find useful and stop assuming that the way YOU live online is the way everyone else should live …

 

[proavia]

All good for YOU

Now let others have and choose to use the tools they find useful and stop assuming that the way YOU live online is the way everyone else should live …

Matt

You may not want to assume that Dirk meant "for everyone".
@Dirk was quite careful to use the word "I" almost exclusively.

There needs to be a simple opt-in and opt-out option.
Opt-in is probably the better option.

If you don't offer the app, some won't be happy.
If you force the offer repeatedly, some won't be happy.
If you don't offer a simple explanation of what "it" is and what "it" does before having it pop up, some won't be happy.

My own take is this wasn't quite ready for prime time yet and that the test environment had too small a number users.

As an aside to that, it appears my suggesting a wider testing audience on the test site/server and Lee's response to that has been (sadly) edited out of this thread.

 

[Dirk]

You may not want to assume that Dirk meant "for everyone".
@Dirk was quite careful to use the word "I" almost exclusively.

I thought that was clear enough. I certainly didn't mean to suggest it's my-way-or-the-highway. I only stated my own particular preferences (or meant to). From my first line: "So I can only offer preferences."

If some new feature is available on the forum, or a new app, whatever, notify me by email. Or use a banner or similar webpage element, that is part of the content of the page, with a link to allow me to opt in. Sorry if that wasn't also clear, Matt. If TFP thinks it's some groundbreaking tech that everyone will just have to have, make it a banner at the top of the page. Then allow me the opportunity to look at it, decide to read about this new feature, or not. Or use this new feature or not. But a popup? No! A popup that cannot be excused? I'll give that the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was an unintended bug that will get eliminated.

I have no problem with adding functionality to the TFP experience. I would encourage that. It's only the marketing method I am questioning. Or rather stating I wouldn't appreciate. Announce the new feature in a way that doesn't intrude, and allow the user to add the feature should they choose to, in a very simple manner, with a minimum of effort. That is the very definition of "...let others have and choose to use the tools they find useful." Choose being the opporitive word. Was that Matt agreeing with me without meaning to?

 

[Newdude]

+1. I think we're all for new features and the beta testing that ensues as a necessary step to progress. For desktop users, they should be informed to install the program/patch if they want to be part of it. For mobile, they should be given a similar heads up to opt in. Pestering anyone who isn't into it was my entire beef, which has since been fixed.

 

[Leebo]

@proavia

Talked with both the developer of PoolMath and the people whom handle most of the actual development of TFP about this issue and we’re all stumped. None of us can recreate the issue on our Android devices. Can you let me know what device you’re using, what version of chrome you’re on, and what version of Android you are using so we can work to recreate this?

 

[duraleigh]

I am being repetitive but I will say again.......this proposed "feature" serves no purpose we at TFP should be interested in.

Far too many CURRENT issues to fix.........why add new ones that will only cause more problems?

 

[Newdude]

why add new ones that will only cause more problems?

Because it will be useful for a bunch of members.

For the regulars (particularly retirees) with TFP running in the background all day, it'll alert them they can come kill some more time with new messages to their posts.

For the newbs seeking help, it'll alert them they have answers. Think how many one and done posters we've had that asked a question and never returned. Maybe with a notification, they'd remember they asked and return.

It'd be especially helpful for those with urgent issues. Helping many open/close, they are knee deep in it when they ask while doing, and it would benefit them too to know they got a response 3 mins later instead of checking back every 15 mins.

Others won't want to be bothered and that should be ok too.

 

[Texas Splash]

Lee, FWIW, I use an android and two laptops with Windows. After opting out twice before, I received a third pop up request this evening.

 

[woodyp]

I already get emails from pretty much everything I need to know about on the site, so I turned off the notifications. I only have a couple of personally important things I NEED to get a text message with its accompanying "ding" sound for.

To each their own though.