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Can we get a centralized to-do list kind of feature?

Sometimes there are questions I would like to answer, answers I'd like to edit, downvotes I'd like reverse, etc. Just stuff that I don't have time to do (or otherwise can't) right then but I'd like to get back to later. This could also be extended to moderators for stuff they want to clean up.

Yes Jeff, I know you are going to tell me to use the starring feature.but shouldn't that be a fundamentally different feature? And if you tell me to use the browser's bookmarks, there are two incoveniences with this:

  1. I use multiple devices and browsers to access SO, so I would have to sync my bookmarks, which is a hassle.

  2. It takes a whole lot of clicks and keypresses to get a link to a specific answer, add the bookmark, categorize it so it doesn't clutter my bookmarks bar, etc. I counted 9 on Chrome, versus potentially 1 or 2 clicks

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    As a moderator on a 2.0 site, the flag page is frequently (ab)used for this purpose. A mods-only chatroom is also used.
    – Kevin Vermeer
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 14:48
  • Also, Jeff might also tell you to use bookmarks and RSS readers. That said, I'd love to have this feature, so +1!
    – Kevin Vermeer
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 14:50
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    I am a bit disappointed by the downvotes... I thought this would have more support. What's wrong with this feature?
    – NullUserException อ_อ
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 14:59
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    Proposed simple implementation: two levels of starring -- click once, "remembered", two clicks, "favorite", three clicks, reset -- along with expanding favorites to answers as well as questions.
    – agf
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 20:32

2 Answers 2

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This would be awesome.

I think it should function something like the current flag system with reasons. The "to do" flags would go into a personal queue. Some examples:

  • Questions could be flagged to answer
  • Answers could be flagged to edit
  • Answers could be flagged to change vote if edited/corrected

The flag queue could function much like moderators handle flags ... eventually deleting them when I as the user consider them to be handled.

Edit: After having had this idea firmly in head for a week or so now, one aspect has stood out to me that I wasn't fully aware of when I first answered here.

Mobile!

I frequently access SE sites from my mobile phone (Android) using the mobile website. The mobile site is actually excellent, but the work flow here could be improved. Several people have argued that having using a personal filing system like a bookmark system or a digital notebook/wiki about things they want to come back to is not that hard, often only one extra click. This is partially true, but only for the desktop.

The process of saving a link on mobile is quite a bit more tedious. Even with a "read later" list setup wired to the "share this page" that basically adds a bookmarked to a queue, the workflow is awkward. Also it does not include any data like WHAT answer on a page I want to come back to edit or research.

Having a per-post (question or answer) links just like flags with a quick multiple choice menu would allow me to queue up things that need attention when I get back to a desktop.

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    +1 for personal moderation queue. Lovely notion (also, it would let us plebs see what the mod queue looks like, so we have some notion what the mods are dealing with).
    – TRiG
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 17:02
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Can you not use browser bookmarks for this? Bookmark folders are perfect for categorizing webpages; make folders for "Will answer", "Will edit", "Will cleanup", etc.

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  • Sure, but then I would have to get the link to a specific answer, comment, etc. and then add the bookmark, select the folder, etc. This takes at least 9 clicks/key presses on Chrome
    – NullUserException อ_อ
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 14:55
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    And also, I rarely use the same browser or even the same computer for everything. So that would mean I'd have to sync my bookmarks too
    – NullUserException อ_อ
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 14:56
  • @NullUserExceptionஇ_இ So sync your bookmarks; the technology isn't new. This is exactly the kind of thing that shouldn't be solved on a per-site basis, unless there's something site-specific about it (like automatically deleting the entries when you've handled them). Having a feature to keep a list of links is pointless, your client can already do it
    – Michael Mrozek
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 14:59
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    What's the point of starring questions then? And how do I sync my Chrome bookmarks on my Desktop with the bookmarks on my phone's browser?
    – NullUserException อ_อ
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 15:01
  • @NullUserExceptionஇ_ You get alerted when the question changes. If you have some combination of browsers that can't sync, use web-based bookmarks
    – Michael Mrozek
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 15:02
  • Great, now I have to rely on another service to handle my SO stuff.
    – NullUserException อ_อ
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 15:05
  • @NullUserExceptionஇ_ It's not "SO stuff", it's a list of links like any other. It's like complaining that you have to rely on a browser to display your "SO pages" and saying SO should have a desktop application. Anyway, if you really feel this warrants a separate feature, good luck
    – Michael Mrozek
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 15:07
  • My comment would be yes I could, but since the flags would be specific to items inside a page, the process of bookmarking is not quite as easy as for just page URLs and little "todo flag" links on each post would streamline the process a lot. I've thought of writting an RTM user-script just for this because it's not the same as most bookmarking functions.
    – Caleb
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 16:56
  • @Caleb Answers are one extra click (you click "link" and then bookmark); so are comments if you install a userscript. I'm not sure what else you'd bookmark, so maybe other things are harder
    – Michael Mrozek
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 17:40
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    @MichaelMrozek "Install a userscript" is a poor substitute for the real thing. It's a workaround.
    – NullUserException อ_อ
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 18:33
  • @NullUserExceptionஇ_இ That's why I didn't mention it earlier
    – Michael Mrozek
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 18:45
  • -1: I agree that bookmarks can be The Tool for this. But I also believe in TMTOWTDI. My example why bookmarks would not work for me: I have often trouble keeping concentration on one thing. If I used bookmarks as a to-do list, I would have to keep them damn well organized so that I could isolate myself just with one TODO and the service (SO). That's a lot of effort and it's not very portable. On the other hand, having it right in the WUI would make it a one-click thing.
    – Alois Mahdal
    Commented Mar 22, 2012 at 19:35

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