[Bug 253765] Re: Replace Pidgin and Ekiga with Empathy

[John B.]

I apologize if this is not the appropriate place for this discussion,
but I think the devs should pay very close attention to user feedback
during the alpha/beta process for Karmic before making the final
decision to replace Pidgin/Ekiga with Empathy.  I've tried out Empathy
for a few days, and it's just not as good as Pidgin from a usability
standpoint, which will hurt with new users of ubuntu.  I'm not as
concerned with "previous" users, as they'll know that pidgin and ekiga
exist, and may install them if they please.

Many of the issues I've encountered are extremely well documented at
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/EmpathyVsPidginUsability , and most of the
usability issues with Empathy still remain.  Personally, I had issues
with:

-- the "Create" account issue (does this create a new account on the
network or am I adding an existing one to my empathy profile?)

-- the "odd default name" issue (it is not immediately clear how to
rename an account from "New AIM Account", there is no "rename" or "edit"
button, you just have to double-click)

-- it was not immediately clear whether or not the new username/password
combo had been accepted

-- Setting statuses - it was not clear from the main contact list how to
set statuses for my accounts (globally or individually), especially if
the accounts are offline.  I do not think it is possible if the accounts
are offline.

-- To turn on an account, (they're not on by default when created), you
have to enter the "accounts" menu and click the corresponding
checkboxes.  This is a horrible UI for people with many accounts that
might want to be offline on some, but online on others, given that you
cannot set your status individually for each account from the main
contact list window.

-- I couldn't even add my most-used msn account (others I had added just
fine), after trying several times and logging in to hotmail to make sure
I wasn't forgetting the password.  As far as I could tell, it's a bug
with password length, though it could be something else.

I've read the arguments in favor of Empathy, as far as better
integration with the Gnome desktop, and that certainly is compelling.  I
just encourage those with the power of making the decisions to really
spend some time with the application thinking about how a new ubuntu
user would rate the experience.  Having used ubuntu and pidgin for
years, I think that the interface in Empathy falls a great deal short of
what it should be, and the confusion and frustration to new users is
enough to seriously reconsider having Empathy installed by default
rather than Pidgin (I have no objections to both being installed, but I
understand that's against policy due to the limited size of a CD).

-- 
Replace Pidgin and Ekiga with Empathy
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/253765
You received this bug notification because you are a member of
Telepathy, which is the registrant for Empathy.