are tabs the best/only way?

[Diatribe]

I was just referring to you saying I wasn't open to listening...

Well, I had kinda explained everything already in this thread. It should have been apparent in the mockup otherwise. Plus you've already said you hate it, and now you are looking for a explanation of things? It seems you've already decided before actually knowing how things are supposed to function.

I said I am not liking it, not that I hate it. Big difference. And also where is it written that one cannot change his mind if there are good arguments. Discussions almost never begin unbiased. That doesn't mean though that one cannot change his pov.

Seriously, these were mockups, nothing more.

Fair enough, I was just discussing the general idea. I can see pros and cons. Especially the way Evan described it. Nevertheless, as I've written before, I think it is a fresh way to think about the direction of IM. Not necessarily my personal favorite but I it's all theoretical anyway as I haven't used it.
After all it's only a discussion.

[bgannin]

Tick made an excellent point - these are just screen mockups. To be more exact, they are amalgams of screenshots that look good together.

In this thread it's went from "is there another option to tabs" all the way to the extreme "adium gets more mail & address book integration" while being centered around screenshots of apps put together to represent an idea.

A large chunk of this discussion has focused on how to go about implementing these screenshots, without dealing on point with the concept itself.

Another note, though this will float into the ether... discussion threads for concepts are a place to discuss, not vote for, the concept. Dozens of "me toos" in a thread do nothing to help the discussion or development of the concept.

And yes, I suck, I'm rude, etc.

[TheSilverFox06]

Well on that note, let me just say this. I do think that Adium is the best IM client on the planet right now, but the matter is still quite debatable. Right now, what sets Adium apart from other clients is the customizability and the ease of use. If Adium were to implement something that no other client has even touched on (not necessarily the proposals in this thread, but just something that's completely different from the norm), and if it ends up working better than the current buddy list/message window setups, then there would be no more room for debate. Adium would be THE client to have, hands down. I realize that this is just wishful thinking right now, and something like this would probably only be able to make it into Adium X 2.0 at the very earliest.

[Catfish_Man]

I realize that this is just wishful thinking right now, and something like this would probably only be able to make it into Adium X 2.0 at the very earliest.

I have... plans. :twisted:

[bburky]

First, these mockups look great. If there's any chance they could be implemented it would be great.
Personally I only use the contact-list when I'm not chatting or when I just signed on. So, my suggestion would be to click the green "+" sign in the title bar and the window collapse and change in to a contact-list-like window. This could happen like iTunes 's "+" sign, collapsing the window into a mini controller. This would also eliminate the problem of "I'm not chatting to any one and I've got a big huge window in my face."

EDIT: Just realized that this would prevent people from using any kind of a borderless window as they would need the "+" sign to return to the new "normal" view. So, some may very much dislike this....

[evands]

First, these mockups look great. If there's any chance they could be implemented it would be great.
Personally I only use the contact-list when I'm not chatting or when I just signed on. So, my suggestion would be to click the green "+" sign in the title bar and the window collapse and change in to a contact-list-like window. This could happen like iTunes 's "+" sign, collapsing the window into a mini controller. This would also eliminate the problem of "I'm not chatting to any one and I've got a big huge window in my face."

EDIT: Just realized that this would prevent people from using any kind of a borderless window as they would need the "+" sign to return to the new "normal" view. So, some may very much dislike this....

You'd also be surprised (as someone who does know) how few people are aware that iTunes can do this. Furthermore, note that this is inconsistent system behavior -- the zoom button is supposed to be a resize, not a functionality change. I also strongly that Finder's use of the toolbar button to change all sorts of stuff is bizarre, but discussing the evils of Finder is not only out of the scope of this thread but also has already been done elsewhere quite nicely.

[djmori]

First, these mockups look great. If there's any chance they could be implemented it would be great.
Personally I only use the contact-list when I'm not chatting or when I just signed on. So, my suggestion would be to click the green "+" sign in the title bar and the window collapse and change in to a contact-list-like window. This could happen like iTunes 's "+" sign, collapsing the window into a mini controller. This would also eliminate the problem of "I'm not chatting to any one and I've got a big huge window in my face."

EDIT: Just realized that this would prevent people from using any kind of a borderless window as they would need the "+" sign to return to the new "normal" view. So, some may very much dislike this....

This idea (IMO) is just great. First it would solve an issue that Diatribe said before; you just wont need to have a "*huge* permanently visible message window" , but instead, something much smaller. Second, it sounds a lot more minimalistic... one thing adium is looking towards. And third, it could implement those "top buddys" (3-5) that tick mencioned before and most people have.
One window is, of course, better than 2 but one key feauture of adium (one in my top list) is that it can be cusomized to stay out of the way when one doesn't need it. At least for me, it is important that it stays that way.

You'd also be surprised (as someone who does know) how few people are aware that iTunes can do this. Furthermore, note that this is inconsistent system behavior -- the zoom button is supposed to be a resize, not a functionality change. I also strongly that Finder's use of the toolbar button to change all sorts of stuff is bizarre, but discussing the evils of Finder is not only out of the scope of this thread but also has already been done elsewhere quite nicely.

Agree. But thats a problem about how it was implementend (another button should be use for that,not the green one) but about the idea itself is cleaver. Be able to use the app while it stays out of your way. That why a lot of people use itunes controllers on the systray too.

[bgannin]

There's no systray on my Mac

(the idea of apps running without open windows [but a presence in some location] is likely rooted in the Mac's past, ala the app switcher menu of the classic MacOS)

[djmori]

There's no systray on my Mac

(the idea of apps running without open windows [but a presence in some location] is likely rooted in the Mac's past, ala the app switcher menu of the classic MacOS)

Upps.. menu bar I mean.

[John Don]

I realize that this is just wishful thinking right now, and something like this would probably only be able to make it into Adium X 2.0 at the very earliest.

I have... plans. :twisted:

YESSSSSSS.

[MBHockey]

I was just referring to you saying I wasn't open to listening...

Well, I had kinda explained everything already in this thread. It should have been apparent in the mockup otherwise. Plus you've already said you hate it, and now you are looking for a explanation of things? It seems you've already decided before actually knowing how things are supposed to function.

And about the list, I thought the list would be incorporated on the left of the mockups, which would, if you had to leave the entire window open in order to see your contact's statuses, basically increase the size of your contactlist, as there would be the message window attached to it. Or the other way around however you want.

Well, if you care about the person a lot you put them in the buddy bar. Otherwise, there is smart groups and the contacts in the buddy pane. Including smart lists like "changed status in last 10 minutes and is not away" would be useful. This seems better than a long vertical list with small names, it's easier to see the names, it has a search, and easier to see the contact pictures.


Seriously, these were mockups, nothing more.

That whole smart list thing...i find it really, really cool.

[bburky]

I don't know how much of the mockups are being implemented (or if at all hardly) but in the contact-list-replacement Safari-bookmarks-like menu, I noticed it shows surprisingly little information. Of course idle time and such will probably be shown below in the actual version if this is actually used, but what if we could have a list view, basically exactly like Safari, as an option? You could have columns for idle time, availability, etc. It would be organized and all too. Just an idea, after all this whole thread is ideas.

[TheSilverFox06]

I don't know how much of the mockups are being implemented (or if at all hardly) but in the contact-list-replacement Safari-bookmarks-like menu, I noticed it shows surprisingly little information. Of course idle time and such will probably be shown below in the actual version if this is actually used, but what if we could have a list view, basically exactly like Safari, as an option? You could have columns for idle time, availability, etc. It would be organized and all too. Just an idea, after all this whole thread is ideas.

I'd imagine, purely hypothetically of course, that if the mockups were to be implemented as they are, the info displayed would probably be just as customizable as the info displayed in the current contact list.

[The_Tick]

I don't know how much of the mockups are being implemented (or if at all hardly) but in the contact-list-replacement Safari-bookmarks-like menu, I noticed it shows surprisingly little information. Of course idle time and such will probably be shown below in the actual version if this is actually used, but what if we could have a list view, basically exactly like Safari, as an option? You could have columns for idle time, availability, etc. It would be organized and all too. Just an idea, after all this whole thread is ideas.

I'd imagine, purely hypothetically of course, that if the mockups were to be implemented as they are, the info displayed would probably be just as customizable as the info displayed in the current contact list.

Nevar! bwa ha ha

[Crypt]

I don't know how much of the mockups are being implemented (or if at all hardly) but in the contact-list-replacement Safari-bookmarks-like menu, I noticed it shows surprisingly little information. Of course idle time and such will probably be shown below in the actual version if this is actually used, but what if we could have a list view, basically exactly like Safari, as an option? You could have columns for idle time, availability, etc. It would be organized and all too. Just an idea, after all this whole thread is ideas.

I'd imagine, purely hypothetically of course, that if the mockups were to be implemented as they are, the info displayed would probably be just as customizable as the info displayed in the current contact list.

Nevar! bwa ha ha

this is the point where an emoticonof one face smacking the other comes in hand

[desicanuk]

I'm actually really digg'n some of those mockups ya'll got going.

Seriously - I'm curious about how different adium would be if it looked like that and whether I'd like it or not.

To me it sort of looks like a mix between a chat app and finder - not saying thats a good or bad thing - just different


is there any word on whether adium will look like any of these?

[TheSilverFox06]

I'm actually really digg'n some of those mockups ya'll got going.

Seriously - I'm curious about how different adium would be if it looked like that and whether I'd like it or not.

To me it sort of looks like a mix between a chat app and finder - not saying thats a good or bad thing - just different


is there any word on whether adium will look like any of these?

I think it's probably too early to say what, if any, major changes Adium is going to make along these lines.

[Shark!]

Tabs are better I think, I just want from adium webcam and costom smileys thats all and then I can use it 4ever

[Ethion]

don't de-rail this thread now.

[The_Tick]

Tabs are better I think, I just want from adium webcam and costom smileys thats all and then I can use it 4ever

The first part of this post was on topic, everything else was not. Don't derail threads.