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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: [Kopete-devel] Making ENTER sent
From:       Erik Hensema <erik () hensema ! net>
Date:       2004-01-15 19:34:20
Message-ID: 20040115193420.GA3646 () bender ! home ! hensema ! net
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On Thu, Jan 15, 2004 at 02:02:27PM -0200, Henrique Pinto wrote:
> Hi!
> 
> On Thursday 15 January 2004 11:22, Erik Hensema wrote:
> > > we *really* need a clearer way to allow users who want it to use
> > > enter to send messages.
> 
> That's why I proposed a "First-Time Wizard". As pointed out, there 
> might be technical problems in implementing it, but maybe these 
> problems can be solved. I'll investigate.

'problems are there to be solved' :-)

> > No, it should be the default. It's an instant messaging
> > application, and instant messages in the general case consist of
> > single, short lines.
> 
> If the multiline edit field continues in, "Enter" can't be used as 
> default shortcut without breaking the KDE UIG, and that is not 
> something desirable.

Hmmmm. Then I think that the UIG should be extended. Having poor usability
just because you have to conform to a document aimed at improving usability
is plain wrong, IMHO.
I haven't read the UIG (I didn't even know that KDE had such a thing), but
I can imagine that IM is an exception to the rules therein.

> > Kopete is now optimized for the exception: multiline instant
> > messages.
> >
> > I think multiline instant messages were only standard when ICQ
> > first hit the market. At that time IM was new and bandwidth was
> > low. It must have seemed a reasonable thing to do. But that time is
> > long gone now. Now we just send three messages if we want to
> > transmit three lines. Who cares? It's easy, it's fast, it's IM.
> 
> Please, don't make me send 40 messages when I can send just one with 
> 40 lines!

I don't think there is an IM protocol capable of transmitting. Transmitting
that many lines at a time is also against the purpose of IM: a quick chat.

However it should still be possible to transmit multiline messages. Either
use ctrl-enter to insert a linebreak, or cut&paste text into the buffer
(both methods should work, IMHO).

Having the thing configurable is a good thing of course. There are people
used to the current behaviour and there are people who actually like the
current behaviour. Ruling them out is undesirable.


-- 
Erik Hensema (erik@hensema.net)
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