Disqus - Latest Comments for manifestcreative

Re: Counting the “Ago” Time: How to Keep Publish Dates Fresh

manifestcreative — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 11:49:03 -0000

Helpful to some folks will be the core function in WordPress called human_time_diff(). While it doesn't present quite as many options as your example, it may be sufficient in many scenarios. The aptly named WordPress filter 'human_time_diff' exposes the offset between the two times passed into the function and allows for customization of the string that is returned.

The WordPress Codex entry and documentation is available at: https://codex.wordpress.org...

Re: New: The Dazzling FreshBooks iPhone App Update is Here

manifestcreative — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 14:47:40 -0000

I'm disappointed that this app update doesn't address some of the more basic problems with the user interface. "Motivational phrases" are great I suppose, but how about adding a client name to the list of projects so that a user can more easily sort through their list? As it stands there's no easy way to reference a specific project that has a same or similar name as another project assigned to a completely different project.

I've mentioned this in the past, and know it would be a simple thing to add. While I'm happy to see that you're paying attention to the app, perhaps you need to better focus in on the things that will actually make a day-to-day difference to your users.

This is a step in the right direction. I do hope that you'll continue making updates and that some of the general usability of the app will soon be addressed. That would elevate this app from good to great!

Re: New: Improve Your Cash Flow by Allowing Partial Payments Online

manifestcreative — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 12:28:15 -0000

Hi Julia,

The only way that I've found to accomplish this is to create 2 invoices. This tends to keep things cleaner as well, especially if you apply financing charges to past due invoices. If you accept a partial payment there's a chance that finance charges could be added to the remaining balance.

For the initial invoice, my method is usually to create a line item for the full amount, but set the quantity to .5 (50%). This provided a visual reference that the payment is a deposit on the full amount.

Then when I send the final invoice my line item is for the full amount with a quantity of 1. I add a second line item with a negative amount that reflects their initial payment.

Hope that helps!

Re: Masking Passwords: Help or Hindrance?

manifestcreative — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 13:40:12 -0000

It should be noted that by because the masked password input field has been the norm for such a long time, that to disable it by default would likely leave users feeling as if your site is less than secure. With this context in mind, it's another argument for why a show/hide password feature is probably the best way to avoid UX frustrations, while also keeping users confident in your site's security.

Re: Updates: Less Manual Entry For Payments, Contacts And Expenses

manifestcreative — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 17:25:33 -0000

A way to report income that is not generated from an invoice is my most needed feature and would carry FreshBooks towards being an actual accounting application instead of purely time tracking and invoicing.

I have several affiliate payments and commissions that I have to go in and create invoices, with fake client details (so nothing gets accidentally sent) every time. Then I have to mark each invoice as paid. Pretty confusing way of recording something that should be very simple.

Also, there are times where I track the hours that I work on a project, but it's not necessarily being billed. Think bug fixes that were included in a development project's main contract. To mark these hours as paid, I have to generate an invoice, then add a negative dollar line item so the balance is zero. Then I have to create a payment for $0.00 just to make sure the invoice is closed. There has to be a better way!

On the mobile app version, I have a minor frustration that I've mentioned many times before. When entering time tracking details there are no client names displayed. Many people work on very similarly named projects (like 'Web Development') across multiple clients. There's currently no way to differentiate between projects. All it would take is the ability to see client names… seems like such a simple fix, but so far, no traction. :-(

These new features are great, and congratulations on getting them out into the wild, wooly world. But maybe it's time for your next development cycle to be on fixing the little annoyances and buggy things that loyal users have been suggesting for years?

Imagine how delighted all of us Freshbookers would be if you opened up The Big List - http://www.freshbooks.com/b... - on something like User Voice and just picked the most popular feature for each major development cycle. Heck, limit the pool to ones your developers know they can tackle, let us vote, then you be one of the oh-so-rare companies that both listens *and* follows through!

We keep hearing that the FreshBooks team is listening, Rob. Frankly, that's why I'm still talking, both with my keyboard and with my dollars. I'm hoping the FreshBooks team will remember that age-old adage; "Actions speak louder than words!"

Re: New: Expense Imports That Categorize Themselves

manifestcreative — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 12:41:28 -0000

Great update. This makes a huge difference for us!

Re: Screencast: Pulling Live Data Into Your Local Development Environment using WP Migrate DB Pro

manifestcreative — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:35:44 -0000

Any chance this also downloads changed media (wp-content/uploads) referenced in the database?

Re: Chuck Eesley: Course overview

manifestcreative — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:33:46 -0000

Anyone else having trouble signing in to the venture-lab.org website?

Re: Where are the tweets?

manifestcreative — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:33:29 -0000

Since these Tweets are being made available to the Library of Congress, funded by our tax dollars, would it be reasonable to expect to be able to access them via an API? One of the things that has helped Twitter.com to achieve such user numbers has been the availability of it's data to a variety of uses.

We can only hope that the Library of Congress will take a similar approach.

Re: Can You Really Build A Great Tech Firm Outside Silicon Valley?

manifestcreative — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:45:42 -0000

While there will always be advantages to locating your tech company in a larger urban center, there will also always be advantages to going against the statuesque. The first example that comes to mind is located right here in Bozeman, Montana. They're called Right Now Technologies.

While I've never worked for them, I do have many friends who do. When I've asked them, "As programmers why don't you live in a city?", their answer is nearly always the same. Because the things I LOVE are HERE! There's a lot more to running a tech company than venture capital and corporate campuses.

I for one will take hiking in Yellowstone National Park and skiing powder at Bridger Bowl over a traffic jam or trendy sushi bar any day of the week. Oh, and it's also nice to know my neighbors too.

Yeah, it's probably easier to build a great tech firm in Silicon Valley. But if quality of life is important to you, why would you?

Re: Price Chopper Attacks Customer’s Job Over Negative Tweet

manifestcreative — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:08:46 -0000

I've found that one of the most potent ways to respond to a negative comment is along the lines of "How could we have handled this better?" or "What can we do to solve this?"

That allows the customer or complainer the opportunity to explain what would most satisfy THEM. There's no need to escalate the situation - especially publicly. Bad form Price Chopper!

Re: Why I Am Still Not Ready for New Twitter

manifestcreative — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:05:45 -0000

Rows, eh? And all this time I thought that TweetDeck and HootSuite showed information in columns! :-P

Insert this image instead? LOL!
http://www.aoc.gov/images/h...

Re: Your Avatar on the Web

manifestcreative — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:52:33 -0000

I'm really surprised that no one has mentioned the Gravatar.com web service by Automattic (the group behind WordPress). Gravatar, short for Globally Recognized Avatar, allows you to associate an avatar with your e-mail address. That way whenever you comment on a blog, it automagically pulls the avatar image you've uploaded with that service.

Want to change your avatar across all of the blogs you've ever commented on, just upload a new photo to their service.

The other item worth mentioning, is that most blog platforms allow you to choose the default image that is displayed when your users have yet to create or upload their photo. This can be a great way to set your blog apart.

There's a great little tutorial on how to accomplish this in WordPress over at WPEngineer: http://bit.ly/bcjvhe

Re: More on Montana Opticom’s stimulus award to improve rural broadband

manifestcreative — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:14:30 -0000

Hi Michael,

Just wanted to say thanks for your excellent coverage on this topic. I'll be interested to learn more about Montana Opticom's contract and the details included in it. However, I'm initially elated to learn that both my home and business will potentially have a much speedier option for broadband internet access.

Re: Shhh I Updated My Website

manifestcreative — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:44:08 -0000

Hi Drew,

I'm really liking the new site design. Huge props on making the time for the overhaul. When you're busy working on client's projects, I know just how difficult it can be to work on your own materials.

Agree with you 100% about Kira. She's an incredibly talented writer with a good understanding of branding.

Re: Glacier Park is listening

manifestcreative — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:42:43 -0000

"The park has decided to use Twitter as a one-way communicaiton tool only."

Really?! The whole point of social media is not to broadcast one's message, but to foster conversation.

Re: Content is Not King

manifestcreative — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:34:11 -0000

Hi Chris,

I suppose that I fundamentally agree that relationships trump content. However that content itself is often the difference between someone deciding that they trust you or not. Carefully considered content helps me decide whether I'll follow a kingly mandate or whether it's simply braggadocio.

I think that content should be considered less a form of currency - with which you buy something - and more like the platform on which a candidate campaigns for your trust and your vote of confidence.

Re: WARNING: Twitter Phishing Scam Spreading via Tweets and DMs

manifestcreative — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:58:01 -0000

Yesterday you reported that there was a problem with Twitter that when users would change their password, they had the potential to get locked out.

Has this problem been rectified? Is that why you're recommending the password change now?

http://mashable.com/2009/10...

Re: Social Butterflies - This video is like an uber “One to Grow On” PSA...

manifestcreative — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:56:15 -0000

I like how this video is almost overwhelming with facts and information, but ends with a question.

Today there are more doctors, physicists, inventors, mathematicians and engineers alive than at any other time in human existence. Computers and machines are becoming increasingly able to create other computers and machines.

The entirety of human knowledge is able to be archived, transmitted, searched and consumed regardless of language, disability, location or preference.

However, as the world becomes evermore complex and options continue to expand exponentially, we will still seek the least complex solution most often.

Re: 5 beginner tools for internet marketing

manifestcreative — Fri, 01 May 2009 00:20:29 -0000

Hi Glen,

There's three ways that I've found very effective in cutting down on blog comment spam.

The first is to disable comments altogether. However, I think that this removes a lot of the very community and interaction that are essential to blogging. I hope that the following two options will convince you to turn your comments back on!

For WordPress Users: If you host your own WordPress blog, take a look at the plug-in called Akismet. There's lots of good information online about the service, and it's cut down on my comment spam tremendously. Once you've installed Akismet, you'll need to get a WordPress API code from WordPress.org. You can do this by registering for a free account.

Other Bloggers: Consider using a 3rd party commenting service like Disqus. While we've just converted our website to this platform, so far we've been very pleased. Disqus is free and has several other features you may want to take the time to become familiar with.

Those are the things that have worked great for us in the past. Anyone else care to add their $0.02?