Spoke: Bug: Remove flash of gray background between each sent message when sending

[JesseWeinstein]

Describe the bug
The way the whole screen gets a brief dark gray overlay while each initial outbound message is sent is very visually distracting and unpleasant. We should just not do that -- it serves no useful purpose.

To Reproduce

1. Send an initial outbound text

Expected behavior
The screen stays exactly the same, except that the word "Sending" appears briefly in the middle,
and the count of sent messages goes up. The overall color of the screen does not vary. When handling replies, the gray background is still displayed, to make it clear you are handling a different conversation.

Platform (please complete the following information):

• OS: Linux
• Browser: Firefox
• Desktop or Mobile? Desktop
• Version: Unknown

[JesseWeinstein]

I think the place to change this is: https://github.com/MoveOnOrg/Spoke/blob/main/src/containers/AssignmentTexterContact.jsx#L64

[ibrand]

@schuyler1d I know the "sending" screen is something you've historically liked. Curious for your thoughts there.

@arena I know the sending screen is something you feel 🤷‍♀ about. Curious for your thoughts here too

[arena]

The transition is important to meet the user's need to know that they are on a new conversation. It doesn't have to be gray... but it could be confusing if it felt like the message you sent just vanished, when actually you are on a new convo. Imagine the scenario where someone replies with a simple answer and the next person does the same (e.g. Yes) then it would look like you responded and then nothing happened. ...those are my thoughts.

@JesseWeinstein what are your thoughts on what would be an ideal alternative to signify that the texter is viewing a new convo? If there is no transition how will they know they are on a new convo once they auto-advance? Open to helping with this.. definitely think green and gray are not the most harmonious and would love a more elegant transition.

[JesseWeinstein]

Oh, we should certainly leave the gray background when switching conversations when handling replies ! I'm only referring to when sending initial outbound messages, where people send a lot of them very quickly, in a row, and the gray background becomes a quick set of flashes, that is very visually painful.

[arena]

If you get inspired maybe add confetti when sending 🎆

[ibrand]

@schuyler1d any thoughts here before I mark this as ready to be worked on?

[schuyler1d]

we should wait for Spoke 6.0 (or they can branch off of stage-main branch currently). But very PRO this.

[arena]

My .02 --- there needs to be some sort of feedback that hitting the send button did something even if there is latency. I think it's pretty safe to assume there will be latency at least sometimes and a texter needs to know that the app is responding.

[JesseWeinstein]

I'd recommend having just the button change color -- that should provide feedback, but not distract people with the whole page flashing.

[arena]

@JesseWeinstein I'm not convinced that would be enough visual feedback on mobile when my big finger is covering most of the button.

[JesseWeinstein]

Wait -- the count changes in any case! That should be plenty of feedback...

[schuyler1d]

Also, the name changes (which is pretty big, and at least normally what i'm looking at when sending first messages)

[arena]

Here's my take:

As a texter, when I'm sending initial texts, I need to know that they are being sent with via a visual change (a flash works well) that is obvious and not covered by my finger on mobile.

When responding, I need to know that a message is being sent even if there is significant latency. I need more than a name change and a button state change if there is latency and then, ideally, something to clearly communicate that I'm looking at a new convo even if the reply is exactly the same as the last one.

In my mockups, where I have very limited options, I played with slide and I liked it on mobile. Perhaps an ideation/design session is in order. HMU on ProgCode?