Re: [Gaim-devel] Usability issue and suggestion: remote file transfer requests

[Ethan B. <ebl...@cs...>]

Andy spake unto us the following wisdom:
> As Stephen Elilert mentioned, this is apparently already a feature of
> some other IM clients. From your objections, I'm unsure if you
> understand my proposal. I'm suggesting that popups be abandoned
> altogether. In their place any file transfer requests be written to the
> conversation window with a button (or clickable text) for the user to
> accept the transfer. Along with tray icon and audio notification
> options. - In exactly the same way an incoming message is handled. So
> the ability is already in code, it just needs to be moved to the
> conversation window.

We are unconcerned about "some other IM clients".  While they may be a
source of inspiration, "SomeMessenger does it!" is not a motivation.

That said, this does not sound like an unreasonable way to handle file
transfer requests.  There are, however, some questions:

1) What do you do when you do not have a conversation open with a
   user?
2) I personally tend to ignore new messages most of the time, until I
   am ready to deal with them.  I don't get file transfers, so I don't
   have a good feeling about this, but do people tend to expect to be
   notified of these in a relatively short period of time?  (I would
   suspect yes, since inattention leads to failed transfers.) Does
   this mean some additional notification would be in order.
3) We currently don't really allow a way to modify existing text; this
   probably would have to change, if the conversation became more
   dialog-like.  What should this be like?

Ethan

--=20
The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws [that have no remedy
for evils].  They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor
determined to commit crimes.
		-- Cesare Beccaria, "On Crimes and Punishments", 1764