Threads: V2

[daniellekirkwood]

The Threads MVP has been launched, this issue discusses items that are above and beyond the first release of Threads across platforms.

This issue does not yet have a definition of done. It's definition is dependent on the MVP launch of Threads.

For a full list of issues that have been moved to Post Launch, see here: https:/orgs/vector-im/projects/17/views/37

Before actioning this Initative we should review all the ideas captured below and apply Product thinking to them
This is currently just a bit of a dumping ground so nothing gets lost.

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Issues not in the MVP of Threads:

Product

• Short press on Mobile WIP
• Gracefully handling room upgrades 🗒️ Notes
• Threads: Improve handling of encryption errors across all clients #118
• Improved rendering of content types and formatting styles in threads (root messages, thread summaries). Simplified rendering of content types and formatting in root messages and thread summaries #121
  Note: For the first release we've just normalized the behavior for all platforms taking the web implementation as the reference, even if not optimal (e.g., spoilers aren't hidden, making everything plain text and getting rid of all styling, no icons for media, etc.). An improved rendering would mean redefining what is the expected output for each content type and formatting style for a better experience.
• Improved thread activity updates in room list Exploration: Room list. TODO: Jano to add mockups for users who keep Previews off.
• Consider other improvements and feature ideas documented on GitLab

Web

• Improve using Threads across multiple rooms & DMs element-web#19686
• "Send voice message" not visible when timeline is too narrow element-web#19361
• RightPanel navigation is unintuitive, especially with threads element-web#19660
• Handle chat effects in thread view element-web#19713
• Add some motion/transition when navigating back and forth between the thread list and a single threads, to reinforce the navigation path.

Android

• Threads Tablet view (Android) element-android#4458 (needs review)
• Expand Threads bottom sheet on swipe (Android) element-android#4460

iOS

• Threads Tablet view (iOS) element-ios#5140 (needs review)
• Expand Threads bottom sheet on swipe (iOS) element-ios#5142

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Issues optimistically included in the MVP but might be pushed to V2...

• Make files drag and drop file in a room work with threads element-web#19578

[daniellekirkwood]

@janogarcia Lets use this issue, and this comment to keep notes on what we'd like from V2 of Threads. Please add other things you think of here:

Notifications improvements

• As a user, I would like for my notification count to be accurate and clear across all platforms
• As a user, I would like to see the number of unread thread messages on the Thread icon in the top right of a room
• Make sure the unread badge is highlighted if there are unread mentions and the color doesn't get reset if a new reply not containing a direct mention enters the timeline. Note: According to Germain this is dependent on fixing a long-standing Synapse bug. Changing nickname resets highlight_count matrix-org/synapse#9716

Right panel improvements

• As a user, when I open a room with unread threads (on web) I would like the right panel to open to the Thread List view automatically

[janogarcia]

Gracefully handling room upgrades

Or how we could minimize the negative impact of room upgrades on Threads.

Room upgrades are rather infrequent, but there will probably be new room versions released in 2022.

Most prominent challenges include:

• Make sure previous threads can still be browsed in the room, even after an upgrade. Otherwise the thread list will go blank after the upgrade.
• Make sure users can still reply to threads that were created in a previous room version. Otherwise users won't be able to interact with those threads.

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Are we planning to improve the experience for room upgrades in the short/medium-term?

Reply from Dan Callahan - Jan 17, 2022

Not yet scheduled; we don’t have the human bandwidth to address it at the moment. We’re open to shifting our priorities depending on strategic context, but based on our current sense of where things are, fast room joins remain our major focus.

[janogarcia]

Suggestion: Better context for incomplete threads error messages

• Add a Learn more link for incomplete threads.

It could point to an external article in the help center or show it in a modal window / popover window.

→ Exploration: Incomplete threads

[janogarcia]

Suggestion: Improved thread activity updates in room list

An improved, more usable way to indicate thread-related activity in the room list. A more advanced implementation that would allow us to know the users intention and take them to the expected place (main timeline, all updated threads, or to a specific thread).

→ Exploration: Room list

Related internal discussion.

[janogarcia]

@daniellekirkwood Should we also move the future feature ideas we initially documented on Gitlab to a single place?

[janogarcia]

Suggestion: Thread list navigation transition

Add some motion/transition when navigating back and forth between the thread list and a single threads, to reinforce the navigation path.

[daniellekirkwood]

Suggestion to consider

• Add Threads to Permissions in some rooms so that users can only post in threads, not in timeline.
• Room permission for creating "top-level" messages; those without it can only thread reply #209 (comment)

[daniellekirkwood]

## Also

Thread Timeline actions

• Supporting things like Polls, Locations, Voice Messages, chat effects, etc.

Thread ‘accessibility’

• We’ve had feedback that the notifications are hard to assign to Threads instead of the Room timeline. Jano’s designs for the room list may help with that:

[matthijskooijman]

Suggestion to consider

• Feature: Move messages into thread #503

[tmissoni]

Suggestion: Create a Thread

There should be the possibilty to Create a Thread in room. Creation of the Thread implies that all the reply must be part of the Thread and will not be added to the standard timeline.
Upon Thread creation, you are asked to give the Thread a name. Such name, will be used for easier navigation in the Thread Panel and for a more efficient search of topics.
The Discord approach is very efficient imo.

Check for "How do I create Thread" Section
https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403205878423-Threads-FAQ#h_01F99ZAA4JA9SXQP0ARGC57EBW

[tmissoni]

Suggestion: Naming a Thread

In addition to the naming of a Thread upon creation, there should be the possibility to name a thread that has been already created. Again, this add the value of easier navigation in the Thread Panel and more efficient search.

[daniellekirkwood]

On and Off by Room

Either by blocking the UI to create Threads in the first place, or more intense than that.

https://matrix.to/#/!tCaHWuHHvOHjWyqapP:matrix.org/$-GM1KhcRuKnhJOm_BGacq1UNlp2Nj6tkpHNsj3Vuwco?via=matrix.org&via=element.io&via=vector.modular.im

[daniellekirkwood]

Subscribe to a Thread

User's should only get notifications for threaded messages if they have subscribed to it (where subscription could be started thread, reacted to messages, or responded)

This is noted in the Notifications documentation we keep internally.