Please listen to use about protocol icons, anal as we may be, :P

[BigRedBrent]

I am fully aware that this request is definitely for those who are just plain anal retentive.

But I would like to point out that there are thousands upon thousands of people just like me and to just tell us all tough titties suck it up (in not so many words), well that sort of makes be a bit sad.

At any point I spent just about 6 hours looking for some way to show some sort of protocol icon on the screen names in my buddy list. I looked for plug-ins and anything that would help me do this with no luck. The last thing I stumble onto is a ticket on this sight with a pointless back and forth argument with one person trying to express why he wants them and other continuing to ask for a good enough reason to add them.

I got to say, an option to change them either built in or through some sort of theme support would be the best solution. That way everyone walks away happy. I don't know if a plug-in could be made to offer this support or not.

I do not know how to make a plug-in for this program so I am left to hope that someone will offer some form of this support in one way or another.

If it is not simple to make a plug-in to change such things, then built in support for themes that would be able to change displayed icons for each protocol and status would be the best solution I would think.

I do not want to turn this into some sort of argument. I just want to inform you that for those thousands of people like myself this will always feel like a thorn in our side, that will never go away until corrected. Fully aware how anal that is, it however can not be helped without heavy doses of medication or some other form of radical treatment, :P.

The point is I and many other just will not get used to it, and will always have the need to see a graphical representation of the protocol used by a screen name at a glance.

[BigRedBrent]

I am fully aware that this request is definitely for those who are just plain anal retentive.

But I would like to point out that there are thousands upon thousands of people just like me and to just tell us all tough titties suck it up (in not so many words), well that sort of makes be a bit sad.

At any point I spent just about 6 hours looking for some way to show some sort of protocol icon on the screen names in my buddy list. I looked for plug-ins and anything that would help me do this with no luck. The last thing I stumble onto is a ticket on this sight with a pointless back and forth argument with one person trying to express why he wants them and other continuing to ask for a good enough reason to add them. http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/414

I got to say, an option to change them either built in or through some sort of theme support would be the best solution. That way everyone walks away happy. I don't know if a plug-in could be made to offer this support or not.

I do not know how to make a plug-in for this program so I am left to hope that someone will offer some form of this support in one way or another.

If it is not simple to make a plug-in to change such things, then built in support for themes that would be able to change displayed icons for each protocol and status would be the best solution I would think.

I do not want to turn this into some sort of argument. I just want to inform you that for those thousands of people like myself this will always feel like a thorn in our side, that will never go away until corrected. Fully aware how anal that is, it however can not be helped without heavy doses of medication or some other form of radical treatment, :P.

The point is I and many other just will not get used to it, and will always have the need to see a graphical representation of the protocol used by a screen name at a glance.

[BigRedBrent]

I am fully aware that this request is definitely for those who are just plain anal retentive.

But I would like to point out that there are thousands upon thousands of people just like me and to just tell us all tough titties suck it up (in not so many words), well that sort of makes be a bit sad.

At any point I spent just about 6 hours looking for some way to show some sort of protocol icon on the screen names in my buddy list. I looked for plug-ins and anything that would help me do this with no luck. The last thing I stumble onto is a ticket on this sight with a pointless back and forth argument with one person trying to express why he wants them and other continuing to ask for a good enough reason to add them. http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/414

I got to say, an option to change them either built in or through some sort of theme support would be the best solution. That way everyone walks away happy. I don't know if a plug-in could be made to offer this support or not.

I do not know how to make a plug-in for this program so I am left to hope that someone will offer some form of this support in one way or another.

If it is not simple to make a plug-in to change such things, then built in support for themes that would be able to change displayed icons for each protocol and status would be the best solution I would think.

I do not want to turn this into some sort of argument. I just want to inform you that for those thousands of people like myself this will always feel like a thorn in our side, that will never go away until corrected. Fully aware how anal that is, it however can not be helped without heavy doses of medication or some other form of radical treatment, :P.

The point is I and many other just will not get used to it, and will always have the need to see a graphical representation of the protocol used by a screen name at a glance.

I am sorry if I may have messed up some of my grammar, but I am sending this to you at about 6am since I have been up all night looking for a solution. I have given up tonight and desperatly need some rest. Thank you for your time.

[BigRedBrent]

I am fully aware that this request is definitely for those who are just plain anal retentive.

But I would like to point out that there are thousands upon thousands of people just like me and to just tell us all tough titties suck it up (in not so many words), well that sort of makes be a bit sad.

At any point I spent just about 6 hours looking for some way to show some sort of protocol icon on the screen names in my buddy list. I looked for plug-ins and anything that would help me do this with no luck. The last thing I stumble onto is a ticket on this sight with a pointless back and forth argument with one person trying to express why he wants them and other continuing to ask for a good enough reason to add them. http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/414

I got to say, an option to change them either built in or through some sort of theme support would be the best solution. That way everyone walks away happy. I don't know if a plug-in could be made to offer this support or not.

I do not know how to make a plug-in for this program so I am left to hope that someone will offer some form of this support in one way or another.

If it is not simple to make a plug-in to change such things, then built in support for themes that would be able to change displayed icons for each protocol and status would be the best solution I would think.

I do not want to turn this into some sort of argument. I just want to inform you that for those thousands of people like myself this will always feel like a thorn in our side, that will never go away until corrected. Fully aware how anal that is, it however can not be helped without heavy doses of medication or some other form of radical treatment, :P.

The point is I and many other just will not get used to it, and will always have the need to see a graphical representation of the protocol used by a screen name at a glance.

I am sorry if I may have messed up some of my grammar, but I am sending this to you at about 6am since I have been up all night looking for a solution. I have given up tonight and desperately need some rest. Thank you for your time.

[BigRedBrent]

I am fully aware that this request is definitely for those who are just plain anal retentive.

But I would like to point out that there are thousands upon thousands of people just like me and to just tell us all tough titties suck it up (in not so many words), well that sort of makes be a bit sad.

At any point I spent just about 6 hours looking for some way to show some sort of protocol icon on the screen names in my buddy list. I looked for plug-ins and anything that would help me do this with no luck. The last thing I stumble onto is a ticket on this sight with a pointless back and forth argument with one person trying to express why he wants them and other continuing to ask for a good enough reason to add them. http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/414

I got to say, an option to change them either built in or through some sort of theme support would be the best solution. That way everyone walks away happy. I don't know if a plug-in could be made to offer this support or not.

I do not know how to make a plug-in for this program so I am left to hope that someone will offer some form of this support in one way or another.

If it is not simple to make a plug-in to change such things, then built in support for themes that would be able to change displayed icons for each protocol and status would be the best solution I would think.

I do not want to turn this into some sort of argument. I just want to inform you that for those thousands of people like myself this will always feel like a thorn in our side, that will never go away until corrected. Fully aware how anal that is, it however can not be helped without heavy doses of medication or some other form of radical treatment, :P.

The point is I and many other just will not get used to it, and will always have the need to see a graphical representation of the protocol used by a screen name at a glance.

I am sorry if I may have messed up some of my grammar, but I am sending this to you at about 6am since I have been up all night looking for a solution. I have given up tonight and desperately need some rest. Thank you for your time.

[BigRedBrent]

Sorry, please delete all the posts above these last two, I was not aware that it was posting it more then once. I thought you had some form of option to let me edit my posts, I guess not, :P.

[BigRedBrent]

I am fully aware that this request is definitely for those who are just plain anal retentive.

But I would like to point out that there are thousands upon thousands of people just like me and to just tell us all tough titties suck it up (in not so many words), well that sort of makes be a bit sad.

At any point I spent just about 6 hours looking for some way to show some sort of protocol icon on the screen names in my buddy list. I looked for plug-ins and anything that would help me do this with no luck. The last thing I stumble onto is a ticket on this sight with a pointless back and forth argument with one person trying to express why he wants them and other continuing to ask for a good enough reason to add them. http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/414

I got to say, an option to change them either built in or through some sort of theme support would be the best solution. That way everyone walks away happy. I don't know if a plug-in could be made to offer this support or not.

I do not know how to make a plug-in for this program so I am left to hope that someone will offer some form of this support in one way or another.

If it is not simple to make a plug-in to change such things, then built in support for themes that would be able to change displayed icons for each protocol and status would be the best solution I would think.

I do not want to turn this into some sort of argument. I just want to inform you that for those thousands of people like myself this will always feel like a thorn in our side, that will never go away until corrected. Fully aware how anal that is, it however can not be helped without heavy doses of medication or some other form of radical treatment, :P.

The point is I and many other just will not get used to it, and will always have the need to see a graphical representation of the protocol used by a screen name at a glance.

I am sorry if I may have messed up some of my grammar, but I am sending this to you at about 6am since I have been up all night looking for a solution. I have given up tonight and desperately need some rest. Thank you for your time.

[absolute2x]

I agree with you. It would be very helpful to have the option for protocol icons. I think it will help with adoption of less-tech savvy users... the people I am trying to get to use Pidgin at my workplace. Also, ability to send chat request to multiple people/entire groups would be superb.

[elb]

I am not sure what you think spamming the bug tracker is going to accomplish.

There is no indication that there are "thousands upon thousands" of users "just like you"; there have been a dozen or so users requesting protocol icons in the buddy list, compared to the *millions* of Pidgin users out there. As has been stated in numerous places (which you undoubtedly neglected to research or read), protocol icons could be reinstated by a plugin. We are not going to write such a plugin, but you may.

Duplicate of #414.

[BigRedBrent]

"I am not sure what you think spamming the bug tracker is going to accomplish."

The spam was unintentional as already stated in that thread.

"There is no indication that there are "thousands upon thousands" of users "just like you"; there have been a dozen or so users requesting protocol icons in the buddy list, compared to the *millions* of Pidgin users out there."

I am just guessing since I am sure statistically many people think in the same way I do. Proof of this guess is irrelevant. Statistically if you have a single person actually register to a sight to state a claim you can rest assured that at least a few ten thousand people in the world share his exact views. Now if more then one person do the same then the statistics are multiplied. I do not have any documentation to support this, but I do not feel I should provide evidence to those who don't already know such trivial facts.

"As has been stated in numerous places (which you undoubtedly neglected to research or read), protocol icons could be reinstated by a plug-in. We are not going to write such a plug-in, but you may."

I do not have the knowledge as of yet to make such a plug-in and eagerly await someone who can make one.

[lithium]

"statistically", I would say, a plugin to display what you want would already been written by someone if enough people cared about it (because, statistically, someone of this group would know how to do it - and be willing to do so)

I really like pidgin the way it is now... I make use of buddy grouping and having the protocol displayed on a grouped buddy doesn't make any sense, anyway ;)

[krimzon]

I would like to share my thoughts on this. I spent a while looking for the option to show them as in Gaim, then ran across these pages, and settled for creating a group for each network and sorting my contacts into those groups.

My main reason for doing this is that without seeing protocol/network icons on the buddy list there is no visual explanation as to why I see two or more icons for some of my contacts. So when I want to start a conversation with somebody it feels like I'm making an arbitrary decision between two identical options, but at the same time I know the outcome will determine the network used to chat to them.

If they are using Pidgin or another multi-protocol client then the decision is meaningless. But if they use separate clients and favour one over another, then I have to hover the mouse a couple of times. This is not as simple a difference as it seems ("Look, move, click" to "Look, move, wait, look, move, click").

My need to see protocols sometimes is genuine. Some of my friends prefer to use a single IM most of the time, and only reluctantly appear on other networks (Some prefer to use the Windows Live Messenger client as they regularly use their webcam and voice chat). Some are just extremely stubborn, and even after four years of problems talking to them with their favourite network I can't get them to contact me any way.

In my view the problem is that my buddy list isn't populated with individual contacts - it's populated with usernames on networks. That's why it seems odd not to show those networks. Right now Pidgin seems half way between the old way of doing things and a new way.

I would most like to deal directly with objects representing people in the buddy list, and then add their usernames for each of the networks I can contact them on, as well as choosing the default network to use when I open a conversation with that particular contact.

[elb]

Replying to krimzon:

My main reason for doing this is that without seeing protocol/network icons on the buddy list there is no visual explanation as to why I see two or more icons for some of my contacts. So when I want to start a conversation with somebody it feels like I'm making an arbitrary decision between two identical options, but at the same time I know the outcome will determine the network used to chat to them.

From your comments, it sounds like you don't know about contacts, which solve this precise problem. If you drag one of those duplicate buddies onto another, the target buddy will expand -- if you then drop the contact you're dragging, they will join into a single contact containing two buddies. Pidgin prefers the topmost, most available contact when double-clicking -- so if you order the buddies within a contact by preferred protocol, it should generally Do the Right Thing.

For example, for Sean, I have in my buddy list:

Pidgin (Group)

• Sean Egan (Contact)
  • seanegan@… (XMPP buddy)
  • seanegan@… (XMPP buddy)
  • seanegn (AIM buddy)

This ensures that, when I double-click on 'Sean Egan', if he is signed on to XMPP, I will use that first -- if not, I will use AIM. I don't have to think about this at all, and I don't have to keep the buddies separate; Pidgin takes care of it for me.

Additionally, protocol icons are displayed for expanded contacts. If you *really* need to use a specific protocol buddy within a contact, viewing those protocols is as easy as right-clicking the contact and selecting 'expand'.

I would most like to deal directly with objects representing people in the buddy list, and then add their usernames for each of the networks I can contact them on, as well as choosing the default network to use when I open a conversation with that particular contact.

That is precisely what Pidgin already does!

Hope that helps.

[krimzon]

It does, I've reorganized things now, thanks :)