When I chat with Skype, I never know if my chatpartner is busy typing or just waiting for me. Here I have to give credit to Microsoft Messenger!
Please Skype programmers, can't you do the same? Make a short line shown at the bottom of the chat window saying "So-and-so is typing a message" when this is the case.

Or have I missed something?
I am a new forum user, maybe that's why I find it really hard to find topics. To me it seems there is little system in all these posted comments and questions.

[quote=makiadam]When I chat with Skype, I never know if my chatpartner is busy typing or just waiting for me. Here I have to give credit to Microsoft Messenger!
Please Skype programmers, can't you do the same? Make a short line shown at the bottom of the chat window saying "So-and-so is typing a message" when this is the case.

Or have I missed something?
I am a new forum user, maybe that's why I find it really hard to find topics. To me it seems there is little system in all these posted comments and questions.[/quote]

this has been suggested many times, however microsoft has patented that and skype is legally not allowed to have that feature.

that feature would definately be helpful. btw, the principle of IM (audiochatting included) is also patented...i doubt that skype pays to get the approval to offer a freeware chat client

patents that are legal in the usa don't have to be in europe. since skype is a european firm that shouldn't be much of a problem

[quote=Xiaopang] ... patents that are legal in the usa don't have to be in europe. ... [/quote]

Microsoft patents are ...

says who? just because it's microsoft?`patents depend on actual patentlaws which differ.

still, most of skypes features are already patented for sure by other firms or persons and no one complains either

[quote=Xiaopang]says who? just because it's microsoft?`patents depend on actual patentlaws which differ.

still, most of skypes features are already patented for sure by other firms or persons and no one complains either[/quote]

i think microsoft has patented it globally....and with regards to no one complaining. microsoft is big very big compared to skypes competition or anyone else that may care about skype "lifting" (if at all you are right) their protected material. furthermore skype is growing hard and fast, so microsoft would push with legal action if they got the excuse, especially seeing as microsoft's msn messenger wishes to try and compete.

[quote=lukman_chowdhury]
i think microsoft has patented it globally[/quote]

well, american software patents are nothing worth in europe....you can't patent software so far although industry tries everything to change that. here a line from wikipedia:

"A particularly active focus of the debate in recent times has been the proposed European Union directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions, also known as the "CII Directive" or the "Software Patent Directive," which was ultimately rejected by the EU Parliament in July 2005"

here the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patent_debate

i'm wondering that noone of you knows that, although you live in europe and seem pretty firm with stuff like that...hope that settles that little debate. so i think that skype should implement some way of showing if someone is writing...be it a line under the textwindow, or be it a sign that lights up somewhere else (i'm sure that isn't patented anywhere...just to make sure). it won't be a problem.... technically and legally

European Patent Organisation

The European Patent Organisation (EPO or EPOrg in order to distinguish it from the European Patent Office, which is the main organ of the organisation) is a public international organisation set up by the European Patent Convention. The European Patent Organisation has its seat at Munich, Germany.

The European Patent Organisation has the task of granting European patents. Despite what the name suggests, these are not European Community patents or even Europe-wide patents. The European Patent Convention, according to which the European Patent Organisation was established, provides a single patent grant procedure, but not yet a single patent on the point of view of enforcement. After grant, the European patent becomes equivalent to a number ("bundle") of national patents.

The European Patent Organisation is not legally bound to the European Union.

The evolution of the Organisation is inherently linked to the European Patent Convention. See European Patent Convention for the history of the European Patent system as set up by the European Patent Convention and operated by the European Patent Office. ...

full article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_patent_office

European Patent Convention

The Convention on the Grant of European Patents of 5 October 1973, commonly known as the European Patent Convention (EPC), is a multilateral treaty instituting the European Patent Organisation and providing an autonomous legal system according to which European patents are granted. Once granted, a European patent becomes equivalent to a group of independent nationally-enforceable, nationally-revocable patents, except for the provision of a time-limited, unified, post-grant opposition procedure. ...

full article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Pate...tent_Convention

European Patent Office

http://www.european-patent-office.org/_new...es/index.en.php

@sonny: your point is? patents and software patents aren't the same...in the text you posted there's no word about software patents, so whats the deal pasting that stuff?

[quote]this has been suggested many times, however microsoft has patented that and skype is legally not allowed to have that feature.[/quote]

You sure about that? Trillian does it across all the networks that I use and I am fairly sure that ICQ does it.

yeah, and trillian doesn't pay any licence fees. fact is you can implement any feature you want if you use your own code...it's been done all over the market

it's possible that the rules governing the patientability of such things are a bit shakey (i cant be bothered to go look up the laws, thats the job of skype's legal advisors) and those who have used it do so because they feel they can challenge any case made against them and skype chooses not to take up that challenge and play it safe.

it would be nice to hear what skype staff have to say about skypes actual position on this matter.

[quote=lukman_chowdhury]
it would be nice to hear what skype staff have to say about skypes actual position on this matter.[/quote]

indeed. by the way, it's not about taking risks, but knowing your rights

[quote=Xiaopang]by the way, it's not about taking risks, but knowing your rights[/quote]

true, but if the law is unclear on a right (and in many cases it is hence, i have stopped bothering to try and reference it up) then it comes down to risks....but yes u are right.

yeah, you have a point there