[JDEV] UI opinions..

[Vivre Draco]

On 6 Aug 99,, arh14 at cornell.edu sounded off on Re: [JDEV] UI opinions..:

> Actually a menu label on a menu bar is rather tiny too...I would
> say smaller than a button, and less prone to cluttering.  The
> tradeoff is that if you don't efficiently use all your menu bar
> space you get this large useless 13-pixel high menu band that is
> unreclaimable. 

   Not if you use MSIE-style toolbars, then you can put other stuff 
next to your menu. If there's one thing I like about Microsoft, it's 
their toolbars...

> > Hmm.... I like this.  What about, in the ubiquitous context menu you get by
> > right-clicking on the tray icon, one of the menu picks is a "Send Message To
> > >", which expands into your buddy list?  I know I would use that a lot--my
> 
> I like this too...maybe no context menu...you just select the name
> from the popup and it presents you with a send message dialog? 
> That would be very nice.  Reduced to: pick Joe.  I very
> infrequently use the other context menu items (user info, etc.),
> and I can afford the open up the IM then. 

   Ok, here's what I would like to see on the right-click menu for 
the tray icon: An unminimize client option; a "send message" submenu 
listing the on-line users that brings up a send message dialog when 
you click on one; and a "status" submenu so you can switch between 
away, here, on the phone, whatever options you have. I want the tray 
icon to have a "flash event and double-click to open" interface 
option like in ICQ, which is why I want the "unminimize client" 
option -- that way if you've received a message you don't have to 
open it before you can get to your client, if you want to change 
settings or do anything else you need the client up for.

   Also, on messages... I'd like an easy way to switch between 
"query" style like an AIM IM window or an IRC query window, and 
single message mode like in ICQ. For example, let's say you have 
single message as your default. A message comes in, displayed like in 
ICQ. At the bottom (top, side, wherever) you have a row of buttons to 
view message history, read next (if there's more messages from the 
same person), add to contact list (if they're not already in your 
list), view user info, switch to query mode, whatever else is 
relevent, and most importantly, reply. Then, when you hit reply, the 
bottom of the window expands into a nice little reply dialog so you 
can still see the original while you type your message. When you hit 
send (or ctrl+enter) the window disappears.

   Unless you've hit the "query mode." Then, the window stays up and 
each new message that comes in is displayed in order, just like in 
the IM windows in AIM, or a query window in IRC. This way, you can 
have your single message mode for quick exchanges of info, and if you 
want an on-going conversation you can have a query window. When in 
query window mode, there should be a "flash on message" option to 
cause the window's taskbar button to flash whenever a message comes 
in. It would be nice to also have an option so it could minimize to 
the tray (as an additional icon besides the main Jabber icon), since 
some ppl are so concerned about their taskbar space.

--
"Our system doesn't encourage politicians to stop lying, 
 just to learn to be better liars..." 
--Andrea Marie Collins 

Copyright 1999 Vivre Draco (cfc at paganpaths.org)
excelsior ad infinitum -- http://www.paganpaths.org/~cfc/