Shoutbox

[suggestion] Tip of the day - Printable Version

-Shoutbox (https://shoutbox.menthix.net)
+-- Forum: MsgHelp Archive (/forumdisplay.php?fid=58)
+--- Forum: Messenger Plus! for Live Messenger (/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+---- Forum: WLM Plus! General (/forumdisplay.php?fid=23)
+----- Thread: [suggestion] Tip of the day (/showthread.php?tid=49408)
[suggestion] Tip of the day by KeyStorm on 08-24-2005 at 02:54 AM

In KeyStorm's reply to [Suggestion] (FAQ's Option) I suggested a way to include short and targeted help pieces to make the users discover features in Plus!. I thought this may be the best appealing way to have users read the instructions.

I've compiled a simple concept art of the feature:

[Image: attachment.php?pid=519458]

Ideas:

  • The icon (which _needs_ to look better than that) should have a smooth blinking animation that would attract users attention but wouldn't annoy when looking at the window.

  • The balloon would appear when the icon is pressed

  • After quitting the tip by pressing on the exit button or just clicking outside it the icon would disappear until next day (or next reboot)

  • Tips (and their respective translations) would be maintained online and be periodically grabbed by Messenger Plus! making it easier to manage. There could be a group of people who would keep updating and profiling the tips list. If users don't allow Plus! to access the net (using a firewall) the icon won't appear at all

  • Optionally: The first time it is shown, a ballon could automattically pop up suggesting the user to regularly click on the icon to read interesting tips and tricks. This would also allow users to disable the feature like they can do from any other tip.

Well, i heard some people supporting the idea, so I thought I would give it a somewhat more accurate description. :)
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by uberdosis on 08-24-2005 at 03:04 AM

Good idea, although i dont use the side bar in the convo.

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by [MR] on 08-24-2005 at 03:12 AM

i like that idea a whole lot good job (y)

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by CookieRevised on 08-24-2005 at 04:16 AM

(Y)(Y)(Y) is all I can say ;)

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by albert on 08-24-2005 at 04:34 AM

Would be cool, I have been using msg Plus for a fewe yrs now, and still only use the /away , /online etc.. commands :)

Nice job (Y)

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by blackjack on 08-24-2005 at 04:44 AM

Great Idea KS (y) this would be helpful for lots of users :D

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by J.J on 08-24-2005 at 04:56 AM

I really like that idea, gives new users the chance to learn about the cool features that Plus! has to offer.

Certainely is a great idea KS, would love to see it implemented.

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by mandorallen on 08-24-2005 at 01:00 PM

Well, it's a good idea KS :bow: :p

But i have a question, if you click on the balloon, what would happen?, will disappear or will open a windows browser to the official website?

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Kryptonate on 08-24-2005 at 01:03 PM

Looks good :D. I hope Patchou will implement it.

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by KeyStorm on 08-24-2005 at 01:03 PM

Nah... I suppose it sholdn't do anything. However there should be some tips that linked to the forums (which should be localized for each language, also the URL), to the FAQs, even to the petition as a temporary event.
That would be possible using remote tips, which would allow to add and remove tips within days.

Also, there may be a quotient of relevance which would boost a tip to show faster than others.

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Sunshine on 08-24-2005 at 01:11 PM

Good idea those baloons Keystorm (y)
Very professional.

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Anio_pke on 08-24-2005 at 01:23 PM

very good idea (Y)

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Max on 08-24-2005 at 03:19 PM

Very professional KeyStorm. (Y)

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Millenium_edition on 08-24-2005 at 06:09 PM

would be good if it pointed at the plus! menu instead of an icon in that sidebar. it already has two icons. which is more than enough

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Max on 08-24-2005 at 06:12 PM

I was thinking the same thing M_e I was just too lazy to type it. :refuck:

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Lou on 08-24-2005 at 06:21 PM

I actually quite like this idea. Could come in handy for new ppl using plus!

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by KeyStorm on 08-24-2005 at 06:22 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Millenium_edition
would be good if it pointed at the plus! menu instead of an icon in that sidebar. it already has two icons. which is more than enough

Hm... what if, like me, people prefer the shaded mode thus not being any Plus menu other than the icon itself. :huh:
And I don't see why 3 icons would be too much. Actually the idea is that there is some place or spot that shows the tips and not just showing up unasked (what would make people disable it undiscriminately). :-/
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Millenium_edition on 08-24-2005 at 06:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by KeyStorm
quote:
Originally posted by Millenium_edition
would be good if it pointed at the plus! menu instead of an icon in that sidebar. it already has two icons. which is more than enough

Hm... what if, like me, people prefer the shaded mode thus not being any Plus menu other than the icon itself. :huh:
And I don't see why 3 icons would be too much. Actually the idea is that there is some place or spot that shows the tips and not just showing up unasked (what would make people disable it undiscriminately). :-/
because not everyone has the textbox sized so the icons all show up (in my case for examle i don't even see the sounds icon)... which makes it unused except for the people with large text boxes (= 10% maybe of messengerusers, since most of them don't even know they can move that)
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by KeyStorm on 08-24-2005 at 07:01 PM

This is the sleekest I can get from Messenger 7.5. There's space for another icon (not more, but at least one).

[Image: attachment.php?pid=520040]

Edit: lol forgot the file :P

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Sunshine on 08-24-2005 at 07:20 PM

I agree with Keystorm, there's enough room for one more icon. You can't resize the textbox smaller than shown by Keystorm unless you patch MSNM in some way to make it not show searchbutton and/or sendbutton. Really do we have to take that into consideration?

In my opinion where Keystorm placed the icon would be the best. Adittionally there could be a menu item in Plus! menu in main screen that says "tips" or similar (so people can browse through the tips without having to open a conversationbox).

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by ShawnZ on 08-24-2005 at 07:22 PM

got my vote.

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by CookieRevised on 08-24-2005 at 07:28 PM

To be more correct, you can't size the textbox smaller then the "Send" button. This means, in 6.2.x for example, that there is only just enough room for two icons, not three icons like shown in KeyStorm's sshot (the reason why the box is bigger in 7.x is that there is a search link beneath the "Send" button)...

But let us not dwell on that, the point is the tooltip/balloon hint system. Where the icon is going to be placed is up to Patchou and/or Guido...

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Choli on 08-24-2005 at 07:45 PM

very very very nice suggestoion (Y)

quote:
Originally posted by KeyStorm
After quitting the tip by pressing on the exit button or just clicking outside it the icon would disappear until next day (or next reboot)
or maybe not, the icon can be still there... and be pressed for other tips.
quote:
Originally posted by KeyStorm
Tips (and their respective translations) would be maintained online and be periodically grabbed by Messenger Plus! making it easier to manage. There could be a group of people who would keep updating and profiling the tips list. If users don't allow Plus! to access the net (using a firewall) the icon won't appear at all
some of the tips should be included in Plus' instalation. I think that the idea of having online tips is good, however built-in tips should be a must-have. :)

And the tips should be randomly choosen from the online and built-in ones. But adding a new online tip maybe should have more priority.
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by user27089 on 08-24-2005 at 07:50 PM

I think the idea is pretty good, and would be useful for the newer members of Messenger Plus!... I also like the idea of the "remote tips", as it is online anyway, it would be easier for Patchou to add or remove tips...

Would this not be a strain on the servers though, that's what I'm wondering.

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by toddy on 08-24-2005 at 07:57 PM

quote:
Originally posted by traxor
I think the idea is pretty good, and would be useful for the newer members of Messenger Plus!... I also like the idea of the "remote tips", as it is online anyway, it would be easier for Patchou to add or remove tips...

Would this not be a strain on the servers though, that's what I'm wondering.

not really, its won't take up much space....and as u said, its only gonna be new members that really use it, so they will be many users who turn it off or whatever
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by KeyStorm on 08-24-2005 at 09:53 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Choli
or maybe not, the icon can be still there... and be pressed for other tips.

But it should stop flashing, in that case. However, I'd try to avoid overwheming with tips, and once it's closed to have it as much disappeared as possible. This may even make it more exciting to discover new things day after day :O ;)

And sure, I supposed some inbuilt tips should be included anyway.
RE: RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by CookieRevised on 08-25-2005 at 12:39 AM

quote:
Originally posted by KeyStorm
quote:
Originally posted by Choli
or maybe not, the icon can be still there... and be pressed for other tips.

But it should stop flashing, in that case. However, I'd try to avoid overwheming with tips, and once it's closed to have it as much disappeared as possible. This may even make it more exciting to discover new things day after day :O ;)
That's why I, personally, would only show a tip every X startups or every X days. A user can get pretty tired of the popping balloons each time he starts messenger or each hour or something like that. IMHO, if there is an extensive period between two tips automatically showing, the chances are much bigger that the user doesn't turn it off strait away (and thus the feature missing its purpose)

quote:
Originally posted by KeyStorm
And sure, I supposed some inbuilt tips should be included anyway.
yup

----------------

But it would take a lot of tips (local/online) to make this feature keeping its appeal I think. In a database of 50 tips you will soon have seen them all.

much work.... but it would be a great thing ;)
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by KeyStorm on 08-25-2005 at 12:52 AM

quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised
But it would take a lot of tips (local/online) to make this feature keeping its appeal I think. In a database of 50 tips you will soon have seen them all.

much work
Aye, but I can think of quite some tips, Plus! has so many features and nearly obscure functions that you can't actually get to see them all in one day. :P

Btw... I wouldn't like very much the balloon to appear unasked. I don't know to what point people will disable them in the first popup or just close it. That and the first self-propaganda tip (claiming something like: "The tip of the day will help you discovering many features in Messenger Plus!. We advice you not to disable it and read it regularly. Plus! has many surprises for you")  should be thoroughly thought to make it as succesful as possible.

I've thought that some other relevant notices could be shown in the balloon. Can't think of any right now, but for example, when you join convos to a window using the menu item or the shortcut, a ballon could pop up offering some info on how to navigate and turn-off the feature.
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Guido on 08-25-2005 at 01:13 AM

Very nice idea... if patchou decides to implement it we should be very careful to avoid making a bad impression to users and letting them disable it easily (as the link you included to "never show tips again); otherwise some might find it very annoying I imagine.

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Hank on 08-25-2005 at 01:16 AM

excellent idea i think .

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by stephen_wq on 08-25-2005 at 08:13 AM

I think there should be the plus icon, microsoft office paperclip style :P
Then it can randomly get a lightbulb over its head when it has a tip.
Or not
Tips are a good idea anyway

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Choli on 08-25-2005 at 07:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised
That's why I, personally, would only show a tip every X startups or every X days. A user can get pretty tired of the popping balloons each time he starts messenger or each hour or something like that. IMHO, if there is an extensive period between two tips automatically showing, the chances are much bigger that the user doesn't turn it off strait away (and thus the feature missing its purpose)
i agree with that. Maybe there should be a flashing icon every 2 or 3 days, however the static icon would be there always, just in case the user wants to learn something new right then.

Also, if a very new tip or very interesting notice has been added to the DB, Plus should show* that tip even if it showed another the last day, ie: even if it is still in the 2-3 days without tips.

*-> With "show tip" i mean, flash the icon and wait until the user press it to show the tip. A tip should never be displayed automatically, except, maybe, for the first one (tip of the day will help you discovering many features in Messenger Plus!. We advice you not to disable it and read it regularly. Plus! has many surprises for you). This will prevent the user from disabling the feature as soon as s/he gets annoyed by the first tip.
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by blackjack on 08-25-2005 at 10:24 PM

[Image: tip0zp.jpg]

I have some idea :P Just another Option in that globe :P (More!) and when u click it.. it will take u to this Window...

[Image: tipspreferences5iu.jpg]

There you can Choose how much tips per day u want to be showed.. or some other way you want to be informed.. 8-) I dunno :P but more options available for Tips :P

Edit: I dunno.. Maybe this is too much for a little Tip :P But well.. is just an Idea :)

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by CookieRevised on 08-25-2005 at 11:46 PM

The purpose of the tips is not to have a shortcut to the preferences (well it could include a tip saying you can find lots of stuff in the prefs, but this is not its main purpose)...

A tip window useually contains only text (de tip), and some options relating to the tips: close balloon, show next one, ... If there is going to be a link/button to the prefs, it should be the prefs of the tips themselfs.

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by KeyStorm on 08-26-2005 at 12:07 AM

quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised
The purpose of the tips is not to have a shortcut to the preferences (well it could include a tip saying you can find lots of stuff in the prefs, but this is not its main purpose)...

Nah, Blacky meant there to be a new tab in preferences to set up everything related to the tips. Hovewer I think it might be better to have a dialog (if any) that popped up letting you select whether to enable or disable the tips, whether to have them pop up alone or manually shown and with what frequency they should appear.

Maybe a link to that dialog should replace the "Do not show tips anymore" So people would have to take an intermediate step to disable them, giving them a chance to reconsider it :P
RE: RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by blackjack on 08-26-2005 at 12:09 AM

quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised
The purpose of the tips is not to have a shortcut to the preferences (well it could include a tip saying you can find lots of stuff in the prefs, but this is not its main purpose)...

A tip window useually contains only text (de tip), and some options relating to the tips: close balloon, show next one, ... If there is going to be a link/button to the prefs, it should be the prefs of the tips themselfs.

Yeah thanks i know :P I made that without thinking in what u said :P but now i know its a Bad Idea.. or maybe you can change that stuff.. But not in the preferences.. You can select when to receive a tip (in the balloon) :P Something like that
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by CookieRevised on 08-26-2005 at 12:37 AM

quote:
Originally posted by KeyStorm
Nah, Blacky meant there to be a new tab in preferences to set up everything related to the tips.
yeah, I realised that after I've posted the message (as I essentially said the same in that reply -see last line- :p). I thought I had deleted the post though, guess not....

Anyways
quote:
Originally posted by KeyStorm
Hovewer I think it might be better to have a dialog (if any)
the options for the tips is something perfect to add in the Plus! preferences. IMHO, I wouldn't make a seperate dialog for that. They are after all options/preferences and it would be logic to search for them in the preference panel, I think...

The issue is where to add it; the preference window is getting too full as it is now (remember that Patchou needed to delete a section to add some other stuff), maybe a few more tabs need to be added and a small bit of reorganisation... sounds like big works for Plus! 4 :P
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by KeyStorm on 08-26-2005 at 12:52 AM

After reading

quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised
the options for the tips is something perfect to add in the Plus! preferences. IMHO, I wouldn't make a seperate dialog for that. They are after all options/preferences and it would be logic to search for them in the preference panel, I think...

I was about to post

quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised
The issue is where to add it; the preference window is getting too full as it is now (remember that Patchou needed to delete a section to add some other stuff)

But I was luckily patient enough to read your post til the end :P

Yeah, this is the main reason for I wouldn't add it to the preferences. However Guido and Patchou will have to think up a new GUI for it, because it looks bloated and slightly disorganized. :)
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by LittleK on 09-05-2005 at 06:58 PM

quote:
Originally posted by KeyStorm
Attachment: plus-tipofday.png

Good idea for newbs, but most of the people using it these day already know how Plus! runs and what not. Still a good idea though, i might have a look at it myself if it gets added :)
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Choli on 09-05-2005 at 07:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by LittleK
but most of the people using it these day already know how Plus! runs and what not
i don't think so... lots of people register daily in forums (both these ones and the spanish ones) asking for help, also there are many people who install plus but only know the very basic of it, event if they have plus instaled for a lot of time.

Apart of that, the new features are always new for everybody... KS' suggestion is indeed very good :)
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by LittleK on 09-05-2005 at 08:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Choli
i don't think so... lots of people register daily in forums (both these ones and the spanish ones) asking for help, also there are many people who install plus but only know the very basic of it, event if they have plus instaled for a lot of time.


Yeah but you find most these users ask questions like "whens the next beta out?" Not about MsgPlus features itself. But yeah your right, it is a good idea. :)
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by KeyStorm on 09-05-2005 at 09:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by LittleK
Yeah but you find most these users ask questions like "whens the next beta out?" Not about MsgPlus features itself.

This is what you get... Actually I don't see many Plus! n00bs (the term I feel like to use for them) on this board. They are to be seen on IRC and more likely on the Hispanic Community. However it may be, hese people on't know what beta's are, and they shouldn't even care.

The usergroup you're talking about, Lil'K, are PC (half)powerusers who know about betas and do actually know pretty much how Plus! works, but just usually don't understand Plus! follows different procedures than other software editors who usually publish their betas for public testing, wwhich may, as you know, cause bad effects on the app's reputation when some things go worng or work unexpectedly.

The wider usergroup is people who at most know how to send sounds. Well at least in my opinion, of course.
RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Tarry on 09-13-2005 at 08:34 PM

It's such a nice idea. It'd be really useful for users to discover new features. For example, while I was translating Plus! 3.60 I had problems when translating the texts of a feature. I had to recover the beta mail to find out the proper translation. I think that happened because there's not enough information in the preferences (or options) windows about some features, so it's possible they're not used because of that. Those tips would help to increase the using of the less-known features. Good job!

RE: [suggestion] Tip of the day by Pyro on 09-14-2005 at 04:09 AM

you got me vote!