Thanks Richard, Guillermo. However I though I agree that the "alias" part isn't much of an issue I still disagree that the current method is the best way.
I remember several years back when I first started using Linux , I got confused and had to go online to look up how to configure gaim. Though for us Linux power users (and gaim developers!) none of this is a big problem but for newbies coming from Windows/Mac or otherwise this would create a really negative impression. In my mind "Screen name" -> "What name appears on other users screens", not "The name of my passport account". I accept that you are trying to make things consistent as possible across all supported IM protocols, however surely you must accept that each IM protocol is very different and can't be treated as the same? What happens when you get MSN Personal Message/MSN Spaces support working? I would say that from a usability perspective, affordance is far more valuable then consistency, especially for a once off task such as setting up your IM account. On the issues of the extra work created for translators, gaim supports 9 protocols, each would require at most one or two changes each. It's a bit of work yes, but I don't think it's impossible by any means. Kopete from KDE already does all of this, as well as including a link to register a MSN passport, while still looking visually consistent (though it uses a wizard instead of a dialog box) Of course this issue doesn't have to be fixed any time soon, only when ever it is convenient, perhaps in a future release. -- (Usability) Add MSN account "Screen name" https://launchpad.net/bugs/70860 -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
