Authentication Failure --> Re-Enable

[Dan Mahoney, System Admin]

Hey there, I'm noticing an odd behavior with pidgin under ubuntu linux 
(whatever version just happens to come with Karmic via apt).  In this case 
it's Pidgin 2.6.2
(libpurple 2.6.2)
95470d310d5d3a229c0b9fc4232da9bfeafaeb5b

As we all know, and as is an FAQ, pidgin leaves your password laying 
around in cleartext.  I currently don't have my password to the company 
jabber saved.  Instead, I have to type it at login.  I'm fine with this.

As it's a good, complex password, I occasionally mistype it.

I then get a note at the bottom of my buddy list:

dmahoney at foo.company.com disabled
Authentication failure
[Modify Account][Re-Enable]

Clicking re-enable simply tries the same password you've put in, again. 
It does not re-prompt you.  Presumably the only use for the "re-enable 
button" is if there's something that was broken on the server but is now 
fixed, or if pidgin has cached a password that you're *about* to change 
your password to.  (It's also useful with AIM as this is the error AIM 
hands you when you use the "disconnect all but the current connection" 
option).

Once you're here, your only option is to "Modify" the account, and save it 
(still with no password).  Once you do that it dismisses the alert at the 
bottom of your buddy list, so you must THEN go back into 
accounts-->accountname-->enable and put in your password.

An important note here is even if you put a password in, and click save, 
you have to go to the accounts menu, enable, and type your password again. 
It seems more logical that putting in a password would save it for THAT 
session, but not in the config file, but this does not appear to be the 
case.

Would it not make more sense, on an auth fail, to have the system DELETE 
the in-memory password (if it's not saved on disk), so you'll simply be 
re-prompted?

Would it also not make sense that if I'm editing an account that was ONLY 
disabled for an auth fail, that as soon as I click save, it's re-enabled 
without having to manually do so?

Is there already a bug open on this issue?  I get this on two different 
machines, and it seems REALLY bad ui design.

-Dan Mahoney

-- 

"One...plus two...plus one...plus one."

-Tim Curry, Clue

--------Dan Mahoney--------
Techie,  Sysadmin,  WebGeek
Gushi on efnet/undernet IRC
ICQ: 13735144   AIM: LarpGM
Site:  http://www.gushi.org
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