Re: [GnomeMeeting-list] When Ekiga rings... and when maybe it shouldn't.

[Malcolm Caldwell <malcolm caldwell ntu edu au>]

On Wed, 2006-06-21 at 21:52 +0200, Damien Sandras wrote:
> Le mercredi 21 juin 2006 à 13:18 -0600, simon a écrit :
> > > 
> > > For my point of view, it makes Ekiga hardly usable...too bad, is such an 
> > >    oustanding piece of software otherwise !!
> > 
> > Of course it's up to you, but I don't see why this would have a impact
> > on usability. Afterall you're either listening to silence (or ringing)
> > whilst the call is set up.... the other person will not answer any
> > quicker. 
> > 
> 
> Indeed!
> 
> I see two possibilities :
> 1) the server sends the 100 TRYING or 180 RINGING, very quickly (it is
> how it should be except if the remote server has load problems): in that
> case, delaying the dial tone won't change much to the current behavior.
> 
> 2) the server sends the 100 TRYING or 180 RINGING with a big delay,
> let's say for example 10 seconds: in that case, if we do not play the
> dialtone, the user will think that the software is not dialing, not
> working, because the silence will be disturbing.
> 
> In an ideal world, the remote server will send call progress media,
> meaning that the media will start with the telco dialtone as soon as the
> 180 Ringing is received. You will thus hear the difference and know that
> it is the telco tone and not Ekiga's one. That is how it should be done
> (in my opinion) and how diamondcard works, for example.
> 
> Alternatively, we could also have another sound event for "dialing",
> which would be played until the 180 Ringing is received. Not sure it
> would bring much. Not sure either it makes the software unusable...

How about a throbber?  This would be quite consistent with other desktop
apps.  It could be implemented in the button next to the location input
box.   (Which IMHO has a bad icon choice at the moment: just exactly
what does a two pronged plug have to do with making or ending a call?).

The animation would start when the user starts trying to connect.  I am
not sure when it should stop, probably when 180 RINGING has been
received.