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Display message when chat user is writing

Page Overview

1 Initial Problem
2 Conceptual Summary
3 User Interface Modifications
- 3.1 List of Affected Views
- 3.2 User Interface Details
- 3.3 New User Interface Concepts
- 3.4 Accessibility Implications
4 Technical Information
5 Privacy Information
6 Security Implications
7 Contact
8 Funding
9 Discussion
10 Implementation

1 Initial Problem

Nowadays it is quite normal in chat services to see when one or more conversation partners write something.
For example, Slack, Facebook OSC, BBB Chat, ... and many more.

2 Conceptual Summary

When a chat user is writing, a message "[User XY] is typing" should be displayed.

In Repository Chat the message is shown above input field for everybody in the chatroom.
In OnScreenChat the same message should be displayed above the input field of the relevant conversation.

The message is shown as soon as other conversation partners start typing. The message disappears when the message has been sent.
If the user interrupts typing for more than 5 seconds, the message "[User XY] has stopped typing" is displayed. This information is no longer available after the session ends.

If more than one conversation partner is typing, the message "More than one person is typing" is displayed. No details about who exactly is typing.

3 User Interface Modifications

3.1 List of Affected Views

Repository Chat (repository object)
OnScreenChat (effective everywhere)

3.2 User Interface Details

Message should display above input field.

OnScreenChat

Repository Chat

3.3 New User Interface Concepts

This specific "note text" is not a KS element and presumably must not be integrated into the KS.

3.4 Accessibility Implications

For A11Y we'll wrap this information in a ARIA Live Region.

4 Technical Information

None

5 Privacy Information

There is no new user data stored with the changes proposed in this request. Users can see when their conversation partners write something in their common conversation. The required information will be sent from the chat client (browser) to the chat server (Node.js) and emitted as events (1. User starts typing 2. User stops typing) to all subscribed sockets (other participants).

6 Security Implications

We do not see any changes for security issues.

7 Contact

Author of the Request: Jansen, Michael [mjansen]
Maintainer: Jansen, Michael [mjansen]
Implementation of the feature is done by: {The maintainer must add the name of the implementing developer.}

8 Funding

If you are interest in funding this feature, please add your name and institution to this list.

DHBW Karlsruhe

9 Discussion

Former Discussion

JF 31 Mar 2014: We think this would be a good feature for the envisaged On-Screen Chat. We are unsure if this is technically possible within the existing chat. Please contact the maintainer Michael Jansen (mail: mjansen (at) databay.de) and ask him to post his opinion here. Afterwards, please re-schedule the topic on the agenda. If he supports the idea, we could schedule this for 4.5.

Klees, Richard [rklees], 2020-05-31:

Dear Oliver, dear Michael,

I have two additional questions regarding the privacy information given in this request:

Will there be logs on the server regarding the typing activity? Can we name them, so administrators know where the information is stored and treat the logs accordingly?
Will there be some way to deactivate that feature, be it platform wide or for individual users? This is something that many apps have introduced for individual users afaik.

From my perspective, the benefit of this feature is not worth the privacy impact.

Best regards!

Jansen, Michael [mjansen], 2021-05-31:

Thanks for you feedback Klees, Richard [rklees].

Regarding the logs: Good point, there is no explicit logging planned, but of course logging could be required (at least for DEBUG log level) if we consider it as useful during testing/approval. The log message would include the scope (room id or conversation id, and the id of the event subject).
Regarding Deactivation: A user related setting could be introduced in the personal settings (see: screenshot)

Seiler, Yvonne [yvseiler], 31 MAY 2021: Thank you for the article. Two questions:

Is there anything against placing the typing hint directly in the message window?

Especially in the repository chat, it is noticeable that the hint (someone else is typing) and where the message will appear are very far apart. If this typing hint were in the message window (where the message also appears), I think there would be a clearer separation between "here is my area where I can formulate my message" (my message) and "here I can see who is writing what" (message window).

To prevent the text from being difficult to read when scrolling, however, an additional white space would have to be added at the bottom. Or you show the hint "Someone is typing" only at the very end of the conversation.
Instead of "[User XY] has stopped typing" wouldn't it be simpler to simply not display the note "[User XY] is typing" at all when someone stops typing?

Adapted Mockups

JourFixe, ILIAS [jourfixe], 31 MAY 2021 : We highly appreciate this suggestion and accept the feature for ILIAS 8. We would like

to follow Yvonne's suggestion to place the typing info within in the so-called "message area" and not straight above the text input.
to show only when a user is typing text and not also when she/he stopped typing.
to have an option in the Personal Settings to activate this feature personally (default = deactivated in respect of privacy regulations).