import names from access filter to subscription filter

[ursula]

Title:
import names from access filter to subscription filter

Area:
filters

Summary:
Users should be able to import the list of people on an access filter as a reading filter, or import the list of people on a reading filter as an access filter.

Description:
I came to Dreamwidth from LiveJournal. On lj, I had some filters that functioned primarily as reading filters and some that functioned primarily as access filters. I created my dw account before reading filters were implemented, so I re-created all of my lj filters as access filters. My reading list on dw has now grown large enough that I'd like to re-purpose some of these "access" filters as reading filters.

When creating a new reading filter, I would like to be able to import all of the names from an existing access filter and then add or subtract names. For instance, to build a "politics" reading filter, I could start by importing the names on my "notrepublicans" access filter, and then add feeds of political bloggers.

I imagine that the reverse functionality, building access filters based on reading filters, might also be useful.

Poll #4438 import names from access filter to subscription filter

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 43

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
27 (62.8%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
4 (9.3%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
1 (2.3%)

(I have no opinion)
10 (23.3%)

(Other: please comment)
1 (2.3%)

Comments

[cesy]

However, if you import filters from LJ, they import as access filters with the OpenID LJ names. Reading filters full of OpenIDs who can't post journal entries are pretty useless. I think this will just result in more confused users.

[zvi]

True, but I think that, as people are increasingly starting journaling lives on DW, it could definitely be something useful for a native account, rather than one started from an import. (And, if we ever get the functionality for DW accounts to claim OpenID accounts, pulling the OpenID from an access filter into a reading filter could automatically add the DW account.

[matgb]

Exactly. Very useful for new native accounts, also useful once claiming is integrated, I have no idea who of my friends is over here.

One friend has granted my LJ OpenID access, but not my DW ID, I discovered this last night when I went to comment.

[ursula]

I thought in the grand future we were supposed to be reading LJ posts on our DW feeds anyway?

[cesy]

Yes, eventually, but that may not work the same way.

[thorfinn]

I actually want to build access filters based on other access filters too, and presumably similar functionality would be useful for subscription filters. :-)

[matgb]

That's true actually. I don' tcurrently have any real access filters (not needed them, so not set them up), but if I did it would be a 'trusted friends' filter, which'd naturally include miss_s_b. But it'd then be nice to have a filter based off that one that's "everyone I trust that isn't Jennie" for things like planning birthday surprises and similar.

Although, actually, I think she said she'd kill me if I ever did that, so maybe that's not such a good idea (birthday surprise party, not having a filter not including her). Still a good idea though.

[kyrielle]

This is the main thing I want, in fact. Filter-from-filter would be lovely. Both as a one-off ("import this, then divorce them and let me edit") or as a permanent attachment ("at any given time, the 'bad day' access filter is comprised of 'close friends', 'family', and 'rants'").

[twisted_times]

+1 to this suggestion - I think that a lot of people have filters with little variation in them except for a handful of names. Having the option for both one-off copy-to-a-new-filter creation and persistent linkage would be fantastic features to have. :)

[msilverstar]

Make this part of the spec for list management, which could apply to subscription lists, access lists, and tags.

[twisted_times]

That would be great! :)

[triadruid]

This, basically. There's a lot that can be done with this part of the journaling experience to make it easier on the user.