On Mon, 27 Sep 2004 20:21:00 -0500, Tim Ringenbach <omarvo@...> wrote:
> Sean Egan wrote:
>
> >The auto-genereated statuses would be genereated based on the
> >protocols being used. If only MSN is being used, the auto-generated
> >statuses would be Away From Computer, Be Right Back, Busy, On The
> >Phone, etc. When more than one account is being used simultaneously,
> >only then do things get complicated.
> >
> I assumed more than one account being used simultaneously was the common
> case though, so I was trying to bring up something that I thought might
> be overlooked.
I think both cases are equally important.
> >>In addiction, it could provide easier ways to get at Account Actions,
> >>and Buddy Icons.
> >>How many times do people ask us "how do I set my buddy icon?"
> >>Ask someone to change their MSN friendly name, and see if they can find it.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >But I think I'd much sooner decide to check the "Account Editor" than
> >the "Buddy List." There's something about "Buddy List" that makes me
> >think it's not the best place to change my password.
> >
> >
> I don't completely buy that argument. The "Buddy List" isn't just a list
> of buddies, it's the main window of the application. The "Buddy List" is
> already the only place you can change your password, it's just buried
> three levels deep in a menu where you'll never find it. The only way to
> get to the "Account Editor" is through the "Buddy List". It's also has
> the menu item to join a chat, etc.
>
> But as Ethan always reminds me, just because we're already doing
> something that sucks isn't an excuse to do more of it. I've been asked
> how to join a chat enough times to know the Buddies menu probably isn't
> a very initutive place for it.
Where do people would want to change their buddy icon? wherever they can see it.
Where do people would want to see their buddy icon? probably on the
account options, conversation window, and wherever their status is
displayed.
Where do people would want to see their status displayed? on the main window.
> >>So, I see a number of problems with the disparity between the various
> >>protocols statuses and trying to use a global status. So here's what I
> >>came up with to try to solve it.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >You're begging that this is a problem. I simply don't think people
> >generally care about it as much as y'all think they do. I know I
> >could give two craps whether my Yahoo account is "Not at Desk" or
> >"Not in Office."
> >
> >
> I was more concerned about cases like adding an account, and then using
> an previously built custom status, and having it do something dumb like
> go offline, or stay available while every other account is invisible or
> away. So I tried to come up with a solution, which I assumed hadn't
> previously been reach, since I didn't see anyone answering criticism
> with it.
I agree with Sean in the sense that most people would not care that
much, and you are assuming there will be custom statuses, where in
fact Sean is proposing general global statuses not changeable by the
user. AFAIK.
But I agree with you that people will want to change a single acount's
status. And a place in the main window (firsthand) seems better for me
than any other place.
It seems we are all having different preceptions about what the new
status UI should do. So I think first we need to settle down what
should the status UI ideally allow. This is what I have in mind:
* Allow to change the status of all the accounts.
* Show the status of all the accounts.
This should be done quickly, simple and efective. It can be done with
meaningful global statuses, visible and modifyable on the main window.
Each prpl might map their own statuses to the global ones. The ones I can
think about are Available, Offline, Away, Invisible, Idle, Be Right
Back, Be Back
Later, On the phone, Gone to eat, Not at keyb, Do not disturb, Free to chat.
A single global away message is simple and efective enough for most people.
I think the way to set custom global away states should be done with a
plugin since it's not something most people will care too much about.
* Allow to change the status of a single account.
* Show the status of a single account.
Again this should be done quickly, simple and efective.
But we must consider that this "single status" is what our buddies will
ultimately see; that's why this single status should consist not only of an
away status, and away message but also nickname, and buddy icon.
So we should be able to see and change those for a specific account quickly
on the main window.
(The ones with a * are the ones I think we should all agree)
--
Felipe Contreras
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