Description of Problem:

When using applications such as instant messengers
 there are currently only two ways to know that a
new message has been received: 

 - a sound (doesn't work for the deaf or people
without sound such as XDMCP connections) 

 - making the window pop up (most annoying thing ever)

The alternatives seem to be:

1) Application uses a tray icon and makes that
icon blink when new messages arrive

2) again, tray icon, but a balloon window is used
to notify which chat has a new message

3) Window list blinks the icon for the
corresponding window when a message arrives

I don't think 1 gives the user enough information,
ie "who sent me a message? My boss? A friend?" etc.

The balloon window idea is, IMO the second best
way to do this. It can give enough information to
let you know whether you need to deal with the
message or not (tell you the sender). The problems
are, the balloon window will either have to go
away after a while, or the user will have to make
it go away (close it). I don't think either one of
those options is ideal. If I turn around and then
come back I may miss the window, and if I have to
close it, it is going to annoy me and I might as
well have the chat itself pop up.

A flashing entry in the window list makes the most
sense to me, because it a) lets me know exactly
which conversation I'm being alerted to. b) stays
out of my way until I decide to deal with it. c)
can alert me to multiple new messages conveniently

To have this be most useful, the user can't have
so many open windows that their chat windows are
grouped, or be using tabs in their chat. I'm not
sure how to deal with situations where grouping
and tabbing are in use.


Sorry for the long-winded message. What are your
thoughts on this?

Thanks,

Mark