New UI and Screen Real Estate

[Curt Sampson]

This is just a single data point from a single user, of course, but you
may be interested to know that I used Pidgin for about 30 seconds before
uninstalling it and going straight back to GAIM. Why? My buddy window
goes from about 1/3 of my screen height to more than 2/3 of it because
of the huge icons that Pidgin uses. I'll consider using it again when
there's at least a "compact format" option for this sort of thing. (Feel
free to drop me an e-mail if you ever add this.)

Incidently, though this is just a matter of aesthetics rather than
usability, I think that overall the Gaim UI design is much cleaner
and better looking. The new Pidgin UI brings to mind the "add lots of
distracting, shiny bits" approach of Vista, which at least for me,
hinders usability. Then again, I'm very much a minimalist in these things.

cjs
-- 
Curt Sampson         <cjs at cynic.net>         +81 90 7737 2974
              http://www.starling-software.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism
by those who have not got it.    --George Bernard Shaw