Re: [Ayatana] Why are the MeMenu and the messaging applet two separate things?

[frederik nnaji <frederik.nnaji@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 02/11/10 22:25, Matthew Paul Thomas wrote:
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> David Prieto wrote on 02/11/10 07:39:
>    
> > I originally sent this as a question for Askubuntu, but got no reply:
> >
> > http://askubuntu.com/questions/10688/why-are-the-memenu-and-the-messaging-applet-two-separate-things
> >
> > "When I look at them, their functionality seems to overlap so much that
> > they could almost be merged:
> > ...
> >      
> Only because no-one has done the design work necessary to work out how
> to merge them. Would you like to have a go?
>    

I suppose you are referring to wireframe mockups again..
I like the idea of wireframe mockups, i would love to see a strongly 
customizable wireframe-based theme for the window decorator in Ubuntu, 
that would help a lot with making mockups.
Also do i believe that in the end our UI will look something like a 
wireframe with translucent widgets above content..

> Possibly the hardest part is working out how to communicate IM status
> and new-messages status simultaneously.

i thought we answered that already, together:

so the Presence bubble has 5 frames, "available", "away", "not 
available", "hidden" and "chat disabled", each of them has its own 
variation of the IM bubble icon. now add color to indicate alert state 
and you have 10 frames.
Since all indicators are consistently monochrome now, adding color for 
select events such as "new incoming message" makes sense already. The 
envelope doesn't convey the IM function, neither the blog function, so 
it is the wrong visual metaphor anyway. The envelope can still be used 
within the designated new menu to indicate the latest unread email.
Clicking on that "latest new unread email indicator" in the designated 
menu should open the message in my preferred email program.

> But there are other layout
> issues to consider, too.
>    

Please spell them out so we can address them collaboratively!
I think often a good idea that replaces a complicated one makes most 
issues disappear at once.