Slowly Features Request: Desirable functions

Feature Request :

The Context Menu (dot menu at bottom right corner) functions in Slowly Mobile version. Would LOVE to see the “Copy to Clipboard” function added to Web Client mode!

And this would add a lot of functionality to it. I have some other suggestions too, outlined below. Some are more complex, some are not present in Slowly versions at all yet – mobile or Web.

But let's look at the simpler ones first.

Slowly Web Client for me is the kicks

The best thing added to Slowly since I started using the app, in June last year.

And that time covers A LOT of new added functions – as the Team is hard working, creative and responsive to suggestions. Things like these have been added since June 2019 :

And various other features as well...

But between all that I listed, the Web Client is THE MOST important one. Not only for me, but for the app, for the user base and the ecosystem.

Letters are serious forms of writing, for the people who enjoy them, and honestly can't be done well with a limited size screen, a less precise and slower touch keyboard, the occasional lagging from multiple tasks running in the background in mobiles.

Why is it so Important ?

Web Client, aka Web Mode, brought us the full keyboards and large screens that any half decent computer can offer; it doesn't take a fast laptop, or a flagship one, to run it well.

I have been using Slowly in Windows 10 since early July, 2019, about 2.5 months before Web Client was released. At the time, I discovered a solution that enables running the Android version, and that was my platform of choice for many, many months. Until earlier this year, when I decided that to write a proper Web Client Manual, I needed to give it the full use treatment, and committed to it for a week.

Since then I enjoyed it, and it has been my work space for the many letters I receive and respond to.

Web client still misses some Mobile version functions

There are a few Features from the Mobile clients which are still not in the Web one as we know; some are more difficult to implement, and they might be in the works, but with a lower priority than maintaining the Mobile versions – which is were new features usually are launched, first seen.

I will wait, and will be happy when it's possible to search for Users in Explorer via Web client. That is a biggie, though, complex.

For now – I thought of posting this topic, with a smaller feature request.

The one described in the Title – to have the functions which are shown in the '...' Context Menu in all letters on a Mobile version. To have at least one (the Green Highlight on image above), and it possible the second one, the Yellow highlighted one.

Feature one : Copy full letter to Clipboard.

Present in the Mobile, and super handy for us who enjoy processing text. I have used it, as I do send some of my own letters (editing out any personal details, abbreviating the pen pal's First Name to an initial only, etc), I do send a specially nice piece to a friend with similar interests, or who is a writer and reader and provides encouragement and feedback.

My good friend Liz, who I wrote about in a Slowly Stories feature, is one of those. I mention in the story that she's my future editor – and incentivates me to write, publish, and someday, publish a book of my own. Which I would entrust on her hands for editing.

How to select full letter text in Web Mode today ?

That feature shouldn't be too complex to implement, I imagine, and would be very handy. Currently, in Web mode doing this task requires careful mouse work (or larger parts of the screen will end up highlighted, not intended.

Worse, long letters might require scrolling while marking text – and that also takes skill. A simple click in the button shown, in the mobile versions, does it easy and fast. Bam.

Switch to another app, or open a new draft and introduce the letter to new friend, then paste it in. Done, no sweat.

The pasting part works wonderful in Web client, no problems, and we can easily copy it over to a backup file, or to a text editor we enjoy working with, etc.

It's just the Full Letter Text Selection that we are missing, having to be done manually. Please consider adding this, Team Slowly (and this post is clearly a Blog page already; copy to text editor, page will be done soon).

Feature two : Email a copy

This can be a handy one too, I have used it a couple of times, but not as frequently. It does provide a couple of functions :

Backup function is sorely missing (I plan to write about it)

We have all of our letters in a server somewhere 'in the cloud' – which in reality means it is stored in one or more servers, located somewhere in a DataCenter facility.

A live Webpage Hosting Data Center

Our Data is precious

Think about the time we spent and all the emotions, secret thoughts and wonderful writing we have in those letters. And yet, we don't have anything if there's no internet signal for your mobile, if the power goes down and kills the home or office network. ALL the letters reside far, far away.

I have written about this, and that it's important. For now, the email to our selves could do a backup – if you have lots of time and patience.

Liz and me had 127 letters on August 1st, when I wrote my Story - it was for the International Day of Friendship. We got more since, of course...

International Day of Friendship, Slowly stamp, 2020

Exporting our Letters, a dream

An independantly developed Web Client exists, I have tested it and was in awe at the work the programmer did – by himself, and working without any manual or API documentation. This Client HAS a full backup function.

It can export ALL of the letters between you and a certain pen pal, they are all written out to a Text file.

The headers are there, the time stamp and also a Word Count – another enhancement he built into it. He's got some other nice touches and features I wish for – detailed Statistics. A Word Counter right in the editor window; so you know how far you are.

Word Count today is laborious

I had to copy out a letter twice today to check for its length – the process of marking the whole body, and opening a tab with WordCounter.net -– to see how large it was. First time, about 1100 words. Second time? up to 1700. And that made it time to wrap – adding a note that this was part 1 of the full reply, with part 2 following.

I like this method, as it makes it easier to read and reply at the receiver's end. Some penpals see it that way too, others might frown; but the option is there, and I do use it when needed.

A memorable reply to one single letter from a friend in Ukraine ended up in 3 separate reply letters, sequential, finishing one topic and continuing on to the next. Until done.

Needless to say, that takes time... And effort.

Here we are, at the moment : 1240 words to end of previous line. So I will wrap it up, take a screenshot for the banner in this page. Recommend the wonderful WordCounter.net site to all readers here.

Famous Last Words

Special thank you to all the folks behind the SLOWLY app.

Letters we share, with pen pals all over the world. A modern day take in the traditional penpal experience. Come and join us, using SLOWLY.

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@friends-near-and-afar-letters-we-share@wordsmith.social

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