KDE User Research Profiles (May 7 2008)
Updates on current KDE User Research Profiles:
Plasma User Research Profile: A lot of good stuff came out of the Plasma Interviews and the work from Tokamak. I’d like to see more of this written up and discussed in public.
Both the Okular User Research Profile and Gwenview User Research Profile have some good stuff in their profiles. Remember that these profiles grow with the project, and as you expand your scope or add/change functionality, the profiles must be updated to remain useful.
This week, I would like to call on Kopete to begin working on their User Research Profile.
Instant messaging is an activity that nearly every type of user participates in and Kopete is one of the best instant messenger applications out there. But because Kopete has such a broad audience, it makes it that much more important to get all of the user types and use cases/scenarios documented. As always, ping me if you need help getting started.
I have a kind of hate-love relation with Kopete. Kopete is the IM client I like most, but it’s (unfortunately) far from a “killer” app in my opinion.
Sorry, I know I’m not supposed to request features here :); but for the Kopete in KDE4, I would like to see more focus on single-protocol usage (many of us are happy with just one) and a easier way to just sign in (think: guest mode).
Use case: Kate needs to contact a friend and borrows my computer to see if he/she is online. Because Kate’s only going to use Kopete temporary it doesn’t make sense to create a new account.
Maybe this is out of scope for Kopete, guess I’ll find out soon.
Kopete is not «one of the best», it’s *the* best!
I hope, you’ill make it even better :-)
That actually is planned for kopete : see http://techbase.kde.org/index.php?title=Projects/Kopete/Roadmap#Guest_mode_.28Status:_not_done.29
Kopete is best. I highly use it multiprotocolity, and the killer-feature is ability to create mete-contacts (most of my contact link, also uses 2-3 IM’s)
I miss only skype and good file transfer support.
@Hans
I disagree about the single-protocol usage as long as there are multiple popular protocols around and your contacts just happen to use different ones. This would mandate using different clients to chat with people using different protocols and that’s one era I’m happy we left behind with the coming of multi-protocol clients. The technical distinction does not really make sense from a user’s point of view who just wishes to talk to some people.
@ thothonegan
Awesome. Now that you mention it, I’m sure I’ve seen that before. Ops.
@ Erunno
What I meant was to make Kopete easier to understand for those who are used to client such as MSN Messenger (the most popular here). This would go along with the guest mode: if you just want to use MSN, it doesn’t really make sense to make a new account in Kopete too, right? You already have a MSN account, all you want is to sign in.
The whole account/identity thing confuses me, but to be honest I haven’t really looked into it either. I just want a MSN* client that works, no fuss. Yes Amsn should be the best for me, but it’s really ugly. :P
—
* As I said, it’s the most popular here. I prefer IRC anyway.
Well, one of the reasons i don’t use KDE4 is that kopete-kde4 sucks atm.
I would definitely like to help out Celeste. :-) Cheers!
I’m using KDE4 on windows, and now Kopete is the only messenger i use. I’d like to help improving the usability. How do i do that? Where do i send my description?
Kopete is my favorie app :) I use it heven for IRC. Having the multiple contacts in just one place is a defently plus.
Usbility wise I think some improvments could be made like, more visual user friendly wizards.
Bit more work on drag on drop contacts, (not working all the time).
Bit more work on the UI polishing.
The possibility to have plasma like chat windows (kids would love that).
I’M prety sure you will do a great work there celeste.
I would like to see a generic framework, at the KDE config level or hopefully at the generic desktop environment level, where one can switch current profiles. For example, one senario if one is an frequent video editor he or she would have cinellera/kdenlive, audicatity, gimp [allong with the related settiwith a generic framework for this and an open API the current desktop could be set the the profile and applications could respond to this [the raptor menu would have a menu for frequent profile applications].
I think a generic framework would be neccesary because the applications are rarely an independent usage senario. Using the phd user profile from Okular, the PhD student may use Firefox with Zotero, with Writer/some form of latex, and Okular for reading full screen.
Am I sending this to the wrong place… if so then please send me an email with an suggestion where to send it.
I know that comment is kind of irrelevant, but how come your hackergotchi on Planet KDE is so much better than the one you use on Planet Ubuntu?
I feel so left out :/
@Bertrand: I never updated the Ubuntu one. I think Jono would be sad if I got rid of the blue hair :-P