Shoutbox

got my vote.

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...

very very very nice suggestoion

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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)

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or maybe not, the icon can be still there... and be pressed for other tips.

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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

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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.

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.

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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.

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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

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

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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

And sure, I supposed some inbuilt tips should be included anyway.

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Originally posted by KeyStorm

quote:

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

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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

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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:

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

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yup

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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

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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

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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.

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.

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.

excellent idea i think .