[Pidgin] #2146: Option for showing a column for protocol on the main window

[Pidgin]

#2146: Option for showing a column for protocol on the main window
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  Reporter:  merwin        |       Owner:  seanegan      
      Type:  patch         |      Status:  new           
  Priority:  minor         |   Milestone:  2.1.1         
 Component:  pidgin (gtk)  |     Version:  2.0.2         
Resolution:                |    Keywords:  protocol icons
   Pending:  0             |  
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Comment (by merwin):

 I don't think that most people want to have the status icons overwritten
 with the protocol icon. They provide very different types of information.
 I really like the unified status icons, and would hate to see it
 overwritten by the protocol icon.[[BR]]
 [[BR]]
 If it is not added as an option in the UI, then maybe consider providing a
 few columns in the buddy list that aren't used by anything and are hidden
 by default, but that plugins can have access to.[[BR]]
 [[BR]]
 Each plugin then could provide a configuration option of which of the few
 "extra" columns they want to use.[[BR]]
 [[BR]]
 This would satisfy everyone's needs, as well as pave the way for a number
 of different plugins that will utilize this new real estate.[[BR]]
 [[BR]]
 I don't personally have the knowledge of how to do this, or how the plugin
 api works, but it seems feasable to me.[[BR]]
 [[BR]]
 As a final note, I don't see the harm in pushing the different "Show XX"
 to their own submenu and leaving the protocol column there but hidden by
 default. As most people don't care about it, they will probably just leave
 it disabled. But it's such a small code change that I don't see the
 advantage to leaving it out. But nonetheless, I will still provide the
 custom version applied to the source on my website until it can be worked
 in properly as a plugin, or added to the main code.

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Ticket URL: <https://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/2146#comment:7>
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