[GSoC 2012] Planned API changes - RFC

[Elliott Sales de Andrade]

On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 4:47 AM, Tomasz Wasilczyk
<tomkiewicz.groups at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> I've implemented better solution [1] - added another string to
>>> protocol's text table, for buddy usernames. Can someone review it?
>>>
>>
>> I'm still not sure what's wrong with the hints we currently have. We
>> try to use username everywhere for consistency (and if GG doesn't,
>> then it should.) I also don't like the idea of the dialog widgets
>> moving around because the label changed. There is already an
>> exceptionally long discussion on this matter here:
>> http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/2295
>
> The problem with current hints is, that it doesn't display in this
> dialog. It can't, because username input have focus initially set.
>

OK, I was confused because I thought you were referring to the Add
Account dialog.

> Many new users doesn't know, where to type in gg number, because
> "Username" (translated to "Name of user" in Polish) and "Alias" are
> both good candidates.
>

That sounds like a translation issue. If the user has already added an
account, then shouldn't it be obvious which field to use in this
dialog? (I suppose you could argue adding an account is a rare
do-it-once thing though.) Is the same translation not used in both
places? Is the fact that the Alias is optional not a good clue?

Would moving the group below the username help? This would put all
important items together and the optional items at the end.

> Another solution would be just setting focus to protocol selection
> input, instead of username field.
>

This dialog doesn't even appear to display the hint anyway, so the the
widget with the initial focus is just a red herring. Changing the
focus and adding the hints here as well is certainly a possibility.

> Tomek

-- 
Elliott aka QuLogic
Pidgin developer