Firstly, thank you all involved for creating an absolutely brilliant little app that enables me to do all of the things I've been grumbling that Messenger hasn't been able to do for years! And more!

I wish I had stumbled upon it sooner.

Its installation was smooth, I particularly liked the option to opt out of the sponsor because ultimately, I would have found a way to kill it off... and I would like to give a special mention to the simple fact that 'Msg+' is not intrusive to the aesthetic of the main Messenger program. It doesn't hijack the interface or litter it with crap, and compliments the feature set very simply... and seemingly, very efficiently.

Now, I've been using/configuring/checking out some of the features to this most current version (3.54.132 - May 23rd 2005) for a good week now, and I believe I have stumbled across some features that can be improved upon to make this fantastic little thingamy even more intuitive.

They are as follows:

- RSS feeds. Msg+ can already tell me about email in a selection of different acounts, it would be extremely useful to have Msg+ compatible with the news feeds that are increasing in popularity on the net in a very similar vein. Keeping me up to date on my favourite news through the one app.

- Comeback Messages. Is it possible to program an icon change with this feature? For example, I choose an offline user, type in my message, and then upon setting any time restrictions I might desire, the little red character changes colour (to say, blue) to signify a message 'in waiting'. It reassures and reminds me that such a message is awaiting distribution to the contact. If the message is set to expire it simply changes back to red.

- Msg+ Identity. Another simple icon change to detect a contacts capacity to accept Msg+ only features. Something as simple as the little green online character having a red (+) where the round circle of the head was situated on regular users would do the job rather well.

- Personalised Status List Tickbox A simple tick graphic next to a personalised status that I choose to use would be greatly appreciated in that list under 'More Statuses'. At the moment, I don't create an external identifier so the header bar does not change. It remains '(Away)' etc... A tick next to the Personalised Status that I am using would help me to identify that such customization has been applied. I've also noticed that I can't seem to simply utilize the basic MSN Messenger labelling and just apply 'auto-response' messages for the different reasons I might be away.

For example, I'm (Away), but I am away because I have had to go to the shops. So I set the appropriate programmed Personalised Status describing this but maintain the standard (Away) identifier.

And on another occasion I might use the same (Away) identifier as a visual aid to me cooking in the kitchen... so I would use the same basic MSN Messenger identifier to illustrate the point, aside from a different Personalised Status response list that would dictate the point. I can't seem to do that. (Does that make sense?! )

I sincerely hope that these suggestions can be considered, as this Msg+ extension has so far improved my instant messaging through MSN Messenger 100% thus far, with no detrimental effect, and I would like that to continue.

Thanks for your time.


SketcH

quote:

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Originally posted by SketcH
- RSS feeds. Msg+ can already tell me about email in a selection of different acounts, it would be extremely useful to have Msg+ compatible with the news feeds that are increasing in popularity on the net in a very similar vein. Keeping me up to date on my favourite news through the one app.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
- Comeback Messages. Is it possible to program an icon change with this feature? For example, I choose an offline user, type in my message, and then upon setting any time restrictions I might desire, the little red character changes colour (to say, blue) to signify a message 'in waiting'. It reassures and reminds me that such a message is awaiting distribution to the contact.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
- Msg+ Identity. Another simple icon change to detect a contacts capacity to accept Msg+ only features. Something as simple as the little green online character having a red (+) where the round circle of the head was situated on regular users would do the job rather well.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
- Personalised Status List Tickbox A simple tick graphic next to a personalised status that I choose to use would be greatly appreciated in that list under 'More Statuses'. At the moment, I don't create an external identifier so the header bar does not change. It remains '(Away)' etc... A tick next to the Personalised Status that I am using would help me to identify that such customization has been applied.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
I've also noticed that I can't seem to simply utilize the basic MSN Messenger labelling and just apply 'auto-response' messages for the different reasons I might be away.

For example, I'm (Away), but I am away because I have had to go to the shops. So I set the appropriate programmed Personalised Status describing this but maintain the standard (Away) identifier.

And on another occasion I might use the same (Away) identifier as a visual aid to me cooking in the kitchen... so I would use the same basic MSN Messenger identifier to illustrate the point, aside from a different Personalised Status response list that would dictate the point. I can't seem to do that. (Does that make sense?! )

---

With regard to the 'ping' thing. I know of that method, however, the other user is generally pretty alarmed when the word 'ping?' pops up on their window for seemingly no apparent reason... and I find myself explaining what I was doing... which the average contact on my list doesn't really understand anyway.

It's a pain.

The other item that I may have typed in a somewhat confusing way, put simply, means that I cannot use the inbuilt MSN identifiers for more than one personalisation status.

Rather than displaying (Sleeping) etc... I'm quite happy to use the ones that are available and can be seen by everyone whether or not they use Msg+.

If the 'tickbox' under the 'more statuses' list was included, and this problem fixed, I could vary the auto responses attached to the standard (Away) etc... identifiers by a selection in that 'more statuses' menu.

Therefore I could be (Away) etc.. for multiple reasons, dependant on the one I decide that best fits my state of (Away).

___________________________________________________________

More Statuses------- MSN ---    Away
                         '                             --------------------- Sleeping AutoResponse
                         '                             --------------------- Eating Auto Response
                         '                             --------------------- Gone Out Auto-R
                         '                    Busy
                         '                            ---------------------- Working Auto-R
                         '                            ---------------------- Cooking Auto-R
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc...
                         '                    Etc...
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc...
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc... (Tick shows use)
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc...
                         '     
                         ' --Plus! ----   Sleeping (New ID)-------------- Sleeping Auto-R
                                             
                                              Gone Out (New ID)------------- Gone Out Auto-R
                                             
                                              CounterStrike (New ID)------- CS Auto-R

___________________________________________________________


^ That any clearer?



SketcH

As for the RSS plugin, you may have to wait for it to become final.

Hi.

Another small thing I've just noticed that I thought to share; pressing the Enter key in the 'Comeback Message' window doesn't enable paragraph spacing, strangely.

Given that there is already an 'ok' button to close the window and set the message as 'in waiting', why have two keys that do the same thing?

Being able to set paragraphs in that window would be useful to break up information.

(EDIT= Right click 'cut,copy,paste' is also unavailable, which is odd. I personally use the keyboard shortcuts anyway... but the average user might not. Handy for pasting web urls to mates. Speaking of which, do web urls appear on the other end as clickable links through this thing?)

Cheers.


SketcH

URLs probably are clickable the other end. I don't see why they wouldn't be.

As for making the textbox more user-friendly, it should be.

quote:

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Originally posted by SketcH
pressing the Enter key in the 'Comeback Message' window doesn't enable paragraph spacing, strangely

---

quote:

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Originally posted by SketcH
Given that there is already an 'ok' button to close the window and set the message as 'in waiting', why have two keys that do the same thing?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Tochjo

You can use Ctrl+Enter for that.

---

quote:

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Originally posted by SketcH
Could Msg+ author the same kind of alternative setting option?

---

('Enter' to insert line. 'OK' to send message, in this Msg+ instance. )

Hmmn, fair enough... I understand the argument.

However, as that ICQ image above shows... this one singular tickbox differentiates not only personal preference, but casual users to 'power' users.

And as it's been asked before on these boards, its possible implementation is still very valid.

As ICQ discovered, and that image illustrates.

EDIT= JUST TO CLARIFY. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE 'COME-BACK MESSAGE' WINDOW IN MSG+ ONLY. NOT THE STANDARD MESSAGE WINDOW. THE ICQ REFERENCE I'M USING WAS FOR THEIR STANDARD MESSAGING WINDOWS.

All-in-all though, I don't believe I came across any documentation or description that 'Ctrl-Enter' would insert paragraphing into that specific window. Perhaps that would be the easiest and quickest thing to address for the benefit of the average user. Should no action be taken to change the setting.

In all, I think it's best to keep with standard practises. The Comeback Message is a dialog window, and dialog windows always have OK = Enter. Ctrl+Enter is for a forced line break (page break where line breaks are the norm).

Something else that I've noticed through continued use that could be refined in an updated version of Msg+:

Within auto-responses, the Auto-R is applied to myself as well as my contact, this is a little peculiar.

I should in theory be able to post to the contact as many times as I like, whenever I like, without being reminded by my own auto-response that I the sender, 'may be away from my computer and therefore unable to respond', given that... I was the one who sent the message! So I know exactly where I am!

These auto-responses and time delay management settings should only really apply to incoming messages, not out-going ones too!

With the exception that everytime I send a message to the contact, these time delay settings would restart, thus assuming the fact that I am now situated back at my computer, and able to accept limited incoming communication again up until either the time delay runs out, or I send a response again which would restart the clock.


Cheers.


SketcH

Hello. Me again.

Why, when I attempt to access my oddment of email accounts through the novel Msg+ interface... does it constantly persist in hijacking the webpages I'm already utilising for other means? It's becoming really annoying.

Could it not simply open up a nice clean page of its own device, and use that instead?

Cheers. Needed to vent.


SketcH

quote:

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Originally posted by SketcH
Could it not simply open up a nice clean page of its own device, and use that instead?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
I've also noticed that I can't seem to simply utilize the basic MSN Messenger labelling and just apply 'auto-response' messages for the different reasons I might be away.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
For example, I'm (Away), but I am away because I have had to go to the shops. So I set the appropriate programmed Personalised Status describing this but maintain the standard (Away) identifier.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
And on another occasion I might use the same (Away) identifier as a visual aid to me cooking in the kitchen... so I would use the same basic MSN Messenger identifier to illustrate the point, aside from a different Personalised Status response list that would dictate the point. I can't seem to do that. (Does that make sense?!)
(...)
I cannot use the inbuilt MSN identifiers for more than one personalisation status.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
With regard to the 'ping' thing. I know of that method, however, the other user is generally pretty alarmed when the word 'ping?' pops up on their window for seemingly no apparent reason... and I find myself explaining what I was doing... which the average contact on my list doesn't really understand anyway. It's a pain.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
(EDIT= Right click 'cut,copy,paste' is also unavailable, which is odd.)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
(EDIT=Speaking of which, do web urls appear on the other end as clickable links through this thing?)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
All-in-all though, I don't believe I came across any documentation or description that 'Ctrl-Enter' would insert paragraphing into that specific window. Perhaps that would be the easiest and quickest thing to address for the benefit of the average user. Should no action be taken to change the setting.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
Something else that I've noticed through continued use that could be refined in an updated version of Msg+: Within auto-responses, the Auto-R is applied to myself as well as my contact, this is a little peculiar.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
Does the time delay on Auto-R not apply if I close the conversation window?

---

quote:

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Originally posted by SketcH
I have also noticed that rather than sending the auto-response and minimizing the window as you would normally expect, I am automatically confronted with the conversation window regardless of whether I am 'Away' or 'Busy' doing something else.

---

quote:

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Originally posted by SketcH
Please note that these suggestions are designed to alert the developers

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Yes. I've tried that. It didn't seem to like it when I used the word 'away' etc... more than once in the 'Status Internal Identifier'.

I've decided against using Personalised Statuses altogether. They have become more of a hinderance than a help to me in the way that they function at the moment.

However, some of the other features that I use courtesy of this app. are really helpful.

Thanks.


SketcH

quote:

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Originally posted by SketcH
Yes. I've tried that. It didn't seem to like it when I used the word 'away' etc... more than once in the 'Status Internal Identifier'.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
I've decided against using Personalised Statuses altogether. They have become more of a hinderance than a help to me in the way that they function at the moment.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
More Statuses------- MSN ---    Away
                         '                             --------------------- Sleeping AutoResponse (see ps 1)
                         '                             --------------------- Eating Auto Response (see ps 2)
                         '                             --------------------- Gone Out Auto-R
                         '                    Busy
                         '                            ---------------------- Working Auto-R (see ps 4)
                         '                            ---------------------- Cooking Auto-R
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc...
                         '                    Etc...
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc...
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc... (Tick shows use)
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc...
                         '   
                         ' --Plus! ----   Sleeping (New ID)-------------- Sleeping Auto-R (see ps 10)
                                             
                                              Gone Out (New ID)------------- Gone Out Auto-R (see ps 11)
                                             
                                              CounterStrike (New ID)------- CS Auto-R (see ps 12)

---

Personalised Status 1
Status internal identifier: Sleeping Auto-R
Messenger Status:           Away
Name Status Tag:            <leave blank>
Auto-responder message:     I'm currently sleeping

Personalised Status 2
Status internal identifier: Eating Auto-R
Messenger Status:           Away
Name Status Tag:            <leave blank>
Auto-responder message:     Sorry, but I'm currently eating

Personalised Status 4
Status internal identifier: Working Auto-R
Messenger Status:           Busy
Name Status Tag:            <leave blank>
Auto-responder message:     At the moment, I'm at work

Personalised Status 10
Status internal identifier: Sleeping Auto-R with new id
Messenger Status:           Away
Name Status Tag:            Sleeping
Auto-responder message:     I'm currently sleeping

Personalised Status 11
Status internal identifier: Gone Out Auto-R with new id
Messenger Status:           Away
Name Status Tag:            Gone Out
Auto-responder message:     I'm currently not here

Personalised Status 12
Status internal identifier: CS Auto-R with new id
Messenger Status:           Busy
Name Status Tag:            CounterStrike
Auto-responder message:     I'm playing CounterStrike, leave me alone

If you want, I could code a quick EXE to put those in auto. All you'd have to give it is your e-mail address so it can find where to put the settings.

Thanks for that. Appreciated.

However, they are still more a hinderance than a help I'm afraid.

The time delay feature not working with windows closed defeats the purpose of Auto-R's if you have to have every conversation you don't want to have open for them to function in time delayed succession, and they even apply to me... which is nuts. Conversations swiftly become Auto-Responding massacres. I don't tend to keep every individual conversation window open, and know very few people who do.

Added to that that when every contact who attempts to contact you and initiates an Auto-R opens a window and takes control over your desktop and primary input; I have found it much more preferable just to use the default MSN method of minimised taskbar blinking.

It's non-intrusive and I'm not over-run by opening Messenger conversation windows.

The good news is, I only downloaded Msg+ so that I could change peoples names, and send 'offline messages' so all these other features are more a bonus than a necessary requirement for me, personally.

If there is one thing that I have mentioned that I would suggest be addressed immediately, it would be the 'Comeback Message' icon change. Red figure to blue figure would be fine.

I just imported some saved settings and it re-applied 'Comeback Messages that I had a) already sent, and b) forgotten about.

With no visual identifier available in my contact list I cannot possibly keep on top of who's awaiting the receipt of one, and what it was about, without trawling through every single users individual Msg+ settings that I may or may not have set. Which is a bit farcical for such a useful Msg+ feature.

I hope my posts have highlighted some areas of development and consideration.

Thanks for your time, and your input.


SketcH