hovancik
"Breaks" progress uninterrupted when the user is active (using input devices)
Stretchly 1.17.2 (under Windows 11) does not really block its host during breaks. Screens still display a bit (by default) more than Stretchly, and keyboards and other input devices are usable. This behavior matches Workrave, and I find it adequate (I even argued it should be less obtrusive in ticket #1561).
Unfortunately, this can allow users to ignore break prompts (at least partially) without even postponing or skipping breaks. Even with the default (large) window size, in a fair share of contexts, the user can continue what he's doing while Stretchly counts the time as a break. This is particularly feasible in a full-height application which has an input field at the bottom, like instant messaging applications such as Google Chat, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Discord, Pidgin, KiwiIRC, Konversation, Element, Cisco Jabber, Rocket.Chat or Microsoft Teams.
This is particularly likely to happen when the break starts as the user is already typing (it is very tempting to finish the sentence/message). Workrave avoids this by stealing focus, which already encourages the user to comply immediately, since focus restores automatically after the break. But the main way Workrave prevents this is by monitoring input devices; any usage of a keyboard or other input device during a break interrupts the break for the next 5(?) seconds.
It should not blocked by default, it should be option. If I just want to pause background talk or similar thing I still should be able to do that. Ideally would be to pause currently playing audio (of course if user wish to do this).
@senpl : I suggest you read this report in English (without automated translation) or try Workrave to understand the issue.
Then just use the Full Screen instead of Window break to disable the whole screen.
The behavior of not stealing focus is by design, as that's what people wanted. The reasoning is that you want to finish your though when you're writing something.
Unfortunatelly there is always way to skip break if somebody wants (ie with Task manager). Stretchly tries to help with discipline but it won't teach discipline. So if somebody does not want to follow breaks, there's no way to force them. Not sure why they would use Stretchly, TBH.
It seems the context/explanations in my report made it less clear than I thought. Not stealing focus is acceptable, and this is not asking for more pampering. The issue this tracks is captured in the ticket title: Stretchly should not consider that the user took a break if he was typing for the whole duration. Activity needs to be taken into account, by monitoring a bit like Workrave or Sane Break (and surely most others) do.
Gotcha, you suggest mechanism where we check whether user was really inactive when break is on.