Ekiga callto stories.
=====================

#1 

Eve wants to contact Adam. After God creating Google on the eight day,
she makes a search and find his number as +46 (0)70-5432100. Since she 
is using Firefox with the ekiga-callto extension, this is actually a 
link. Eve presses the link. When doing so, the Ekiga windows becomes 
visible on top  all windows, the url window contains '+46705432100'
and the call is placed without further actions.

Comments:

This  basically boils down to  that ekiga is called (by Firefox) with 
something like 'ekiga -c callto://+46705432100' through the command 
line. (For Firefox, Ekiga just acts as a handler of callto: links). 
This is an unambiguous number with international prefix. I really want 
Ekiga to place this call directly without furher user interaction, 
preferably with the complete number in the URL window. The Ekiga window 
should pop up on top of all other windows, it's important with visual 
feedback after clicking the link. 

It's questionable if the complete sip url should be presented for the 
user in this case.  The user has just placed a call to a number and  the
rest of the url is just as interesting other addresses and hosts 
involved.  I think it's better with just number.


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#2 

Adam later wants to call back. He forgot to take a note of Eve's number
(after all, he is a man) so he also googles to find her number which is
011-66666. Using the same Firefox extension he clicks on this number.
As a result, the Ekiga window becomes visible on top of all windows
with the number +46116666 in the url window. The call is placed when
Adam pushes the "Call" button.

Comments: 

This roughly the same, but the number is not complete with countrycode. 
In this situation the number should be expanded to a complete number,
and placed in the URL window. However, the user needs a chance to edit 
the number before the call is placed because the number is ambiguous, 
and we can just make an educated guess how to expand it. This is what 
happens when using e. g., an US number, which often are intended to
be evaluated in the known world (i. e., United States of America).

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#3

Since Eve didn't pick up the phone, Adam sent an email instead. When
Eve reads this, she decides to call him. Adam's nr +46 (0)70-5432100
is noted in the  email signature. Eve selects the number with her 
mouse, copies it and pastes it into the ekiga URL window which thus 
reads '+46 (0)70-5432100'. Now, what happens?

Comments


This means that a number is pasted directly into the url window. In 
this case it typically contains formatting characters e. g. 
"+46 (0)70-543 21 00' It can be a complete number as in #1, or without 
countrycode as in #2. In either case, the number should be converted 
by removing the formatting characters and possibly normalizing the 
number with countrycode etc. Eventually the user should be able to 
place the call.

To this point I think it's quite clear. The devil is in the details. 
Should there be a context menu with a "normalize number" item? A 
specific button?  Should it be handled when user clicks the "Call" 
button?  At which point should user be able to edit the number if need 
be? It's partly a question how to create a nice UI, but also about what
is easy to do within  the current code. 

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#4

Eve, being the structured type, decides to store Adam's nr in her PIM
Evolution database as a contact. Later, when she want's to call him 
she brings up Ekiga's Address Book Window, where his number is noted
as 070-5432100. Now, what happens?

Comments

This  about the typical number 070-5432100 in a PIM database e. g, 
Evolution data server.  This also needs to be expanded before Ekiga 
can use it. The conversion is unambiguous, there is no need to edit 
the number. So basically it's just a question to take the number, 
expand it and place the call. And once again, the devil is in the 
details:  At which point should the conversion be done?  My personal
 opinion is that this should "just work",  it should be possible to 
just invoke the "Call" context menu item for the contact. This should 
automatically convert the number before the rest of the Ekiga logic 
handles it.  Likewise, when the number is imported to the roster, 
it should be expanded "on the fly". 






