Wanna know why he paid you?

Peter Stindberg opened a new JIRA (What’s JIRA & how to vote?) issue, VWR-9597 ‘Optional text for payments to show up in transaction history’, which is a suggestion to Lindens to add the following functionality to our SLives & transaction history:

An extra input field in the ‘Pay Dialogue’ where one can add the ‘reason’ for the payment. Where this information is entered, it will show up in the transaction history in stead of the vague ‘gift’. Now avatar to avatar L$ transactions show up in the history as ‘gift’. However when buying services, paying staff or other non-vendor transactions, it might be good to know what the payment was actually made for.
llGiveMoney(key destination, integer amount) could get an optional 3rd string parameter with the subject/description line as well. That way we could thus get rid of the “Object pays” nuisance in transaction histories.

An example* of how my transaction history would look like if implemented:

Good idea** by Peter or great idea***? ;)

* I just found out exactly _how_ easy it is to forge Second Life transaction history screenshot in photoshop. Font type: Verdana. Font size: 11px Font style: normal.
** In case of ‘good idea’, go vote for the ‘Optional text for payments to show up in transaction history’ JIRA issue. (How to vote on SL JIRA.)
** Great idea? Don’t just go vote, but encourage your friends to do so too! ;)

Tags: jira, second life, SLinovation, transaction history

13 Responses to “Wanna know why he paid you?”

Erbo Evans wrote a comment on October 8, 2008

A very good idea, as I explained in a comment to the JIRA. EVE Online already has this kind of feature; it would be even MORE useful in SL.

Crap Mariner wrote a comment on October 8, 2008

Aww… you didn’t have to cut it off at my name.

Ari Blackthorne wrote a comment on October 8, 2008

Phooey.
The request is just aplacation of lazy minds.
Why request an interface change when with very little effort the answer is right in front of them already?

My answer to this PJIRA rquest:
http://sociallymundane.com/2008/10/why-jira-hogwash.html

it’s an okay idea. But nothing worth blinking at twice, I think.

;)

Arteer wrote a comment on October 8, 2008

…still giggling at this “really” great idea. I’ll vote.

/me thinks your use of humor to promote valid and worthy issues would benefit many a statesmen iRL, too. Have you ever thought of expanding your citizenship and managing political campaigns? I think it pays reasonably well. ;=)

Vint Falken wrote a comment on October 8, 2008

Ari, obviously, you don’t have a lot of staff in different time zones to pay. Or receive a lot of different small transactions to your account, etc. Oh, and Mr. Stindberg did say the field was ‘optional’ and definitely not obliged.

So I assume this is one of those ‘it were a great idea only if I would have thought of it’ somethings to you?

Not at all.

I said I think it’s a good idea in the script. The dialog thing I’m just not so sure would be used that often to justify the effort on Linden Lab’s part with adding a field to an already overblown database, Interface tweaks (though I guess they already are getting ready to unveil a total rehash of that.)

I’m just saying I don’t see it as a compelling project. But then again, I guess PJIRA is really our only real communication with LL.

it is not, not would I hope to infer that’s it’s a bad idea or even not a good idea. it is. I’m just saying there already are ways to get this information in world.

The examples I provided are simplified, I agree. But for staff, there already are great “managing devices” to clock in and out and pay people and they give full reports. And large numbers of small payments can esily be handled by any multi-product vendor that exists in world right now.

Either way, even if his situation is so large that it is impossible to use existing devices and tools in-world to satisfy his need, it then becomes the request of the extreme minority for a feature that will benefit all, but only be used by the extreme minority.

So I’m just saying with the limited engineering resources Linden lab has, is this a good use of those resources when measured against all the other engineering requests?

So to clarify my position on it: it’s a great idea, I agree. But how mnay will actually use and benefit from the feature divided by the effort to implement the feature=good invenstment overall?

Like many who blog (including yourself) I simply pose a question as food for thought. ;)

Consider this a nice little extra to go with the ‘automated access to transaction history logs’ demand.

Ganymedes1985 wrote a comment on October 9, 2008

Oooh, I see that L$ 25.816!
Wasn’t that a fun “gift” =P

But srsly, it would be handy to get a bit of extra info
*goes to vote on the JIRA*

Crap Mariner wrote a comment on October 9, 2008

I suppose I should have added my serious response to that silly one…

I agree that putting notes on transactions would help people with book keeping.

Doubledown Tandino wrote a comment on October 9, 2008

That $25000 for really good sex… where’s that location?
It looks like the Cucumber Cockhouse, but i can’t tell for sure.

AWESOME idea by the way with this whole note on payment thing. I know in RL I write on the dollar bill what I’m spending it on.

by the way, Ari Blackthorne, your entire debate on why this won’t work falls flat…. first off… because you’re lazy doesn’t mean others are. 2nd, it wouldnt be a manditory field… when fastpay box appears, there’d be an extra box to write text, … ya either write in it or don’t.

As a performer in SL….. I get tips… they come and come and come and come, small incriments…. how do I know which are the tips and which are for payments for services?
I especially like the idea that music audience members would be able to write notes along with their tips. that is what intrigues me the most.

Neko Girl wrote a comment on October 12, 2008