Do we need subject lines?

[tmtmtmtm]

Can we remove that box entirely? Or replace it with something that seems like it's something different (e.g. how WhatDoTheyKnow asks you first for

a one line summary of the information you are requesting, e.g. 'Crime statistics by ward level for Wales'

[lfalvarez]

this sounds pretty good as well. But I'd like to understand something, is this just a wording thing?

[tmtmtmtm]

I'm trying to work out whether we need to prompt the user to fill in a 'Subject' line at all: you don't use such a thing when sending a physical letter to someone, and Facebook has done a good job of eliminating from their messaging too. If we do want to use them, then we should look at ways of steering people towards good ones — like how Alaveteli does.

[paullenz]

I would be tempted to say something simple and auto-populated for launch and think about user-created as a later stage?

On 6 March 2015 at 07:39, Tony Bowden notifications@github.com wrote:

I'm trying to work out whether we need to prompt the user to fill in a 'Subject' line at all: you don't use such a thing when sending a physical letter to someone, and Facebook has done a good job of eliminating from their messaging too. If we do want to use them, then we should look at ways of steering people towards good ones — like how Alaveteli does.

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/ciudadanointeligente/write-it/issues/564#issuecomment-77518826 .

[tmtmtmtm]

@paullenz — We already ask users for subject lines. This is about whether we remove that, or change the wording so that it doesn't seem like it's a subject line (like on WhatDoTheyKnow.com), even if it functions as one.

[paullenz]

ahhhh - right

On 6 March 2015 at 10:39, Tony Bowden notifications@github.com wrote:

@paullenz https://github.com/paullenz — We already ask users for subject lines. This is about whether we remove that, or change the wording so that it doesn't seem like it's a subject line (like on WhatDoTheyKnow.com), even if it functions as one.

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/ciudadanointeligente/write-it/issues/564#issuecomment-77539360 .

[martinszy]

Legislative already asks the user for subject lines, so it will have to be updated if you change this. I agree that subject lines are superfluous and that we should generate one automatically like "question for x from a citizen". But in order not to break existing implementations I would accept the field via API and use it if present. Or maybe have a configuration option on weather to respect the deprecated subject field that comes in thru the API. Martin. El mar 6, 2015 7:52 AM, "paullenz" notifications@github.com escribió:

ahhhh - right

On 6 March 2015 at 10:39, Tony Bowden notifications@github.com wrote:

@paullenz https://github.com/paullenz — We already ask users for subject lines. This is about whether we remove that, or change the wording so that it doesn't seem like it's a subject line (like on WhatDoTheyKnow.com), even if it functions as one.

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub < https://github.com/ciudadanointeligente/write-it/issues/564#issuecomment-77539360

.

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/ciudadanointeligente/write-it/issues/564#issuecomment-77541070 .

[tmtmtmtm]

@martinszy Are you using the WebUI, or only the API? The API would continue to work the same way — this is only about changing what the UI shows.

[lfalvarez]

I think it should probably only change WebUI. IMO

[martinszy]

I'm only using the API via legislative, not the web ui. But strive for consistency. El mar 6, 2015 10:54 AM, "Luis Felipe Álvarez Burgos" < notifications@github.com> escribió:

I think it should probably only change WebUI. IMO

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/ciudadanointeligente/write-it/issues/564#issuecomment-77561493 .

[lfalvarez]

Consistency is a good point as well.