I like Nostr because it challenges many paradigms, including those of interfaces and user interactions, and forces those who build it to think critically outside the box.
I was working on a new design for Blowater by nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hj7qgewaehxw309aex2mrp0yhxymr0washgetj9eshqup0qy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uqzq6ua4ysvfdhvhukpyqv20gk3gw6dlhuc0rpmatrfuwdmt9uyrnrwufzavy and asked myself: the bubbles UI, typical of chat programs we are used to, is really the best and so inevitable solution?
Quick valuation:
- Pros: it makes clear the two parts in a conversation, both with the position and the colors.
- Cons: it reduces the width available space; it gives equal importance to the two parts, while the user is usually interested on the content by the other part; doesn't scale naturally to group chat.
This is an alternative solution that came out.
In linear structure with full width available; other part messages are prominent while their own are dimmed and collapsible to save space.
The line on the right permits to immediately spot the conversation flow/frequency, also on rapid scrolling.
Can adapt to groups putting a minimal profile pic near the date and customizing the right line with the main color picked from the pic itself.
What do you think?
#nostrdesign #asknostr
I like the idea of color-coding. For how many participants (group chats) could this work?
Did you think about threads as well? I somehow always think we would need some spatial representation.
Are you aware of the color theory regarding distance? I think this was Cezanne: blue is distant, orange is close.
I don't know how many participants, I was thinking about small groups (<10), a typical friends and family scenario. Maybe the color code could be activated if the user's activity goes over a threshold, otherwise it stays gray; so there are fewer risks of overlap colors and messages from usually silent users are easily spotted.
No, I didn't think about threads. On mobile, probably a linear structure, just quoting the message I was replying to, is more usable.
I don't know the Cezanne theory, I will study it, thanks for pointing it out. Btw, it makes sense, warm/vibrant color naturally signal activity, while cold/desaturated ones convey the opposite feeling.
Nostr gives us the unique opportunity to test different UI on the same data, the perfect lab.
