[jdev] JEP-0085 clarification

[Peter Saint-Andre]

Travis Shirk wrote:
> 
>     JEP-0085: "Chat State Notifications"[1] states that <inactive/> should
>     be sent when:
> 
>     User does not interact with the chat interface for an intermediate
>     period of time (e.g., 30 seconds), minimizes the chat interface, or
>     starts interacting with another chat interface or application.
> 
>     The phrase "starts interacting with another chat interface or
>     application" simply restates (only with more ambiguity) "User does not
>     interact with the chat interface for an intermediate period of time
>     (e.g., 30 seconds)".

Ambiguity is bad. Well, at least in protocol specifications. :-)

>     Is there anyone out there that supports sending <inactive/> every time a
>     window loses focus? (/me is cocked and ready :)), and if not, can we get
>     an update to the JEP that stresses that this is not the intention.

The trigger descriptions in JEP-0085 are intended to provide guidelines, 
not hard and fast rules. That said, now that you've pointed it out I 
agree that the guidelines regarding <inactive/> are ambiguous. What 
matters most here is whether the user *has* interacted with the chat 
interface over the last x seconds. It is probably unwarranted to assume 
that the user *will not* interact with the chat interface over the next 
x seconds simply because he or she has minimized the chat interface or 
switched focus to another chat interface or application. (However, 
assuming that the user is gone because he or she has terminated the 
interface may be more warranted.) This kind of "predictive notification" 
could lead to many false alarms so I think we need to discourage it by 
tightening up the trigger language for <inactive/> (and possibly also 
<gone/>).

Peter

-- 
Peter Saint-Andre
Jabber Software Foundation
http://www.jabber.org/people/stpeter.shtml
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