another question on live messenger

I don't see the status of users. Yes, only a (tiny!) icon, but where is the
text???

(I'm used to messenger 7 where this is also shown in text)


--
regards,

|\ /|
| \/ |@rk
\../
\/os

Jonathan
Sat Apr 12 21:48:30 CDT 2008

Hi there,

Unfortunately that feature is gone. You have to go by the icons.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--

"Linea Recta" <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> wrote in message
news:4800b118$0$14359$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl...
> I don't see the status of users. Yes, only a (tiny!) icon, but where is the text???
>
> (I'm used to messenger 7 where this is also shown in text)
>
>
> --
> regards,
>
> |\ /|
> | \/ |@rk
> \../
> \/os
>

Linea
Sun Apr 13 10:03:30 CDT 2008

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" <msnewsreplies@jonathankay.com> schreef in bericht
news:1EB6BC16-D3E2-4484-BE0F-1EE6CF64591D@microsoft.com...
> Hi there,
>
> Unfortunately that feature is gone. You have to go by the icons.


So it seems they aim to demolish the no-nonsense features and keep the
bloat...
I wonder who's making all the unwise decisions.
But that's not your fault (I suppose), you didn't make Messenger (or did
you? :-))


--
regards,

|\ /|
| \/ |@rk
\../
\/os

Jonathan
Sun Apr 13 22:02:12 CDT 2008

Hi Linea,

I'm afraid although I do provide feedback for Messenger, I'm afraid I've not really had much
impact on the actual decisions that have been made.

My personal opinion is that Messenger is rather a mess at the moment and is suffering from
some severe usability problems. A lot of the user interfaces changes over the past few
versions have been simply "to make it pretty" for existing users and completely ignoring new
users and existing functionality that some people actually liked.

I'm actually headed for the mothership (Redmond) this week and will most certainly be
utilizing some of the feedback you've given me in my arguments with the team. I'll do my
best.

Although just a side node, I'm very much pro-"bloat" (in the true sense of the word). In
fact, the continuing efforts to "eliminate bloat" have been part of the problem that we face
now. For example, I can imagine a discussion, "this '(Away)' thing looks bloated, lets
remove it!" As software develops, it should have more functionality, not less. And it's up
to those architecting and putting together software in a professional environment to
synergize functionality, usability and the aesthetics. This isn't easy, and it's far easier
for me to sit here and criticize... but I do think they're slightly on the wrong track (and
have been for awhile).

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--


"Linea Recta" <mccm.vos@abc.invalid> wrote in message
news:480220c9$0$14356$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl...
> "Jonathan Kay [MVP]" <msnewsreplies@jonathankay.com> schreef in bericht
> news:1EB6BC16-D3E2-4484-BE0F-1EE6CF64591D@microsoft.com...
>> Hi there,
>>
>> Unfortunately that feature is gone. You have to go by the icons.
>
>
> So it seems they aim to demolish the no-nonsense features and keep the bloat...
> I wonder who's making all the unwise decisions.
> But that's not your fault (I suppose), you didn't make Messenger (or did you? :-))
>
>
> --
> regards,
>
> |\ /|
> | \/ |@rk
> \../
> \/os
>

Linea
Mon Apr 14 12:57:58 CDT 2008

hi Jonathan,

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" <msnewsreplies@jonathankay.com> schreef in bericht
news:9517F64C-676C-40F7-83E6-E7C243C3DED2@microsoft.com...
> Hi Linea,
>
> I'm afraid although I do provide feedback for Messenger, I'm afraid I've
not really had much
> impact on the actual decisions that have been made.


You mean they ignore your input?


>
> My personal opinion is that Messenger is rather a mess at the moment and
is suffering from
> some severe usability problems. A lot of the user interfaces changes over
the past few
> versions have been simply "to make it pretty" for existing users and
completely ignoring new
> users and existing functionality that some people actually liked.


Agreed fully. I don't mind if it looks good, pretty if you will, but
emphasis should be on functionallity.


>
> I'm actually headed for the mothership (Redmond) this week and will most
certainly be
> utilizing some of the feedback you've given me in my arguments with the
team. I'll do my
> best.
>
> Although just a side node, I'm very much pro-"bloat" (in the true sense of
the word). In
> fact, the continuing efforts to "eliminate bloat" have been part of the
problem that we face
> now. For example, I can imagine a discussion, "this '(Away)' thing looks
bloated, lets
> remove it!" As software develops, it should have more functionality, not
less.


Agreed. I understand opinions on what is considered bloat can differ, but at
least appreciated options can be left in tact by making them available by
enabling/disabling.
The tiny icons in live messenger don't distinguish anymore between important
different status: 'away', 'be right back', 'lunch' etc. as they all have the
same icon. How complicated can it be to make (at least an option) to display
the involved text labels?


> And it's up
> to those architecting and putting together software in a professional
environment to
> synergize functionality, usability and the aesthetics.

I think these are all more easy than the actual programming. In fact, for
designing functionality you only need common sense.

And another thing that comes to mind, although not directly related to
Messenger, is the fact that I find it very annoying that the option to
choose large fonts for reading the (different kinds of) Help files in
Windows and some of its applications. In early versions one could set large
font sizes, but with newer versions they seem to have decided this was too
useful and removed it! And now the user is often left with rediculous small
fonts, especially when using high reolution screen settings. The same goes
for many web sites nowadays. I think this is lunacy! This philosophy to
think "looks" are more important than wether people can actually read the
content is absolutely bonkers.


> This isn't easy, and it's far easier
> for me to sit here and criticize... but I do think they're slightly on the
wrong track (and
> have been for awhile).


Best wishes and make them listen! :-))



--
regards,

|\ /|
| \/ |@rk
\../
\/os