Origin: Origin messaging on boarding feedback

[davecraige]

I've begun testing messaging with a few people. I wanted to share a few user experiences and ideas if you don't mind. Feel free to give feedback on how you would like these issues formatted in the future ( don't want to make too many and overwhelm the issues section, but did want to begin keeping an eye on any parts of messaging that are challenging to use )

I believe the current challenges to messaging are:

• Moved messages
• Messages not appearing when logging into a new machine
• Dropping avatars and names
• User avatars and names slow to populate
• Unable to message some accounts

Also below you will find some ideas as well. They are:

• Simple URL's
• Link to Profile
• Dropdown with messages included
• Send message visual improvements

Here is more information and some screenshots on each of these topics.

---

Moved messages:
It appears as though messages get moved around. Here is an example from my conversation with Luka.

_Before_

_After_

Messages not appearing when logging into a new machine
I don't believe messages appear when logging into a new machine. My messages are blank when I just switched from laptop to desktop.

Dropping avatars and names
It appears as though the DApp is dropping avatars and names (including Kay's). Screenshot below.

User avatars and names slow to populate
Seems like it sometimes takes 10 or 15 seconds for user's avatars and profile pages to populate. This leads to a bit of confusion because it appears for the first number of seconds as though the user is no longer found in the system.

Additional note: It seems as though this bug extends to listings as well. I just created a new listing and it currently doesn't show my avatar, name and profile correctly.

Unable to message some accounts
It appears as though some accounts I am unable to message. Not sure if they logged off, or if there is a bug that prevents me from sending them a message.

Additional ideas

Simple URL's

• Is there any easy way for a user to copy and paste their profile URL from the Demo DApp at this time? I've manually been creating mine (https://demo.originprotocol.com/#/users/0xCD36AE1201144E08B176FD2598e33E0d87f68Ec0) but I was wondering if there is an easier way. I'm beginning to connect with a few people willing to test messaging and would love to be able to ask them for their URL's to begin a conversation.

Link to Profile

• Would love to be able to click on a user's avatar or name to be able to be linked to their profile page. Currently when a user sends me a hello, I don't believe there is an easy way to check their profile and listings.
  

Dropdown with messages included
Would be nice to have the dropdown populated with the current messages in it with names and avatars also working. Here is how FB messages does this:

Send message visual improvements

• Any thoughts on making the "send message" link a bit clearer to users? It seems to be a bit difficult to find off to the right side.

[mek32390]

as mentioned in QA Testing channel on discord: Although I have already viewed the "welcome to messaging" message from Kay on one tab, whenever I open a new tab and visit the DApp in it (in the same Chrome window), I get the same "welcome to messaging" message from Kay. Refreshing the tabs doesn't help, and the only way to get the notification to resolve is to view the messaging page again.

edit: the "welcome to messaging" notification regenerates from Kay even when I am in the same tab and have already viewed the message, after I have "published information to the blockchain" from the profile page. I tested it with changing my name and adding a phone number attestation.

Browser/Extension
Chrome (Version 68.0.3440.106) using Metamask (Version 4.9.3)

Platform/OS
Mac/OS High Sierra (Version 10.13.16)

[mek32390]

also noticed that after changing my name on my profile, it is not being reflected in the profile drop down, however it does appear on the messaging and profile pages.

Browser/Extension
Chrome (Version 68.0.3440.106) using Metamask (Version 4.9.3)

Platform/OS
Mac/OS High Sierra (Version 10.13.16)

[micahalcorn]

@mek32390 is the identity dropdown fixed after a refresh? It sounds like https://github.com/OriginProtocol/origin-dapp/issues/223.

[mek32390]

@micahalcorn it doesn't seem to be fixed by a refresh. I haven't seen it be fixed by any action taken on the DApp, yet. It still shows I am a "Unnamed User" in the dropdown.

[mek32390]

Some user-experience issues I identified while browsing through the DApp:

Issue: with attestations, we assume people don't understand the implications of publishing information on the blockchain. Should we assume the same in that people may not know it costs money + gas to publish data (transactions) on the blockchain? If so, we should provide additional context, just as we do with attestations.

Issue: we may want to indicate and provide more context to users when we sponsor gas fees for certain transactions. For those used to Metamask, this could make it hard to determine if they are experiencing a bug or feature while using the DApp. I think it's a remarkable feature.

Issue: relating to the above screen shot, if the UNKNOWN FUNCTION was registered and even better, provided context on the transaction, it would make the MetaMask dialogue more informative. The UNKNOWN FUNCTION only makes the transaction experience more _unknown_ than it already is. Since the Metamask dialogue is acting somewhat as a shopping cart at this point, something more descriptive than UNKNOWN FUNCTION would help if it could be done.

Issue: it would be very helpful to display a user's current balance on the listing detail page, and what the ending balance would be if they chose to purchase the listing using the default gas rate set within MetaMask. We can try to do our best to work around the half-baked shopping cart that MetaMask is.

Issue: In the modal on the DApp, we tell the user to push "Submit in the MetaMask Window". The button displayed in the MetaMask window actually reads, "CONFIRM". We could be more descriptive in describing the steps for a user to take in the MetaMask dialogue (and provide a link to explain what MetaMask is, how it works, and why we use it). Again, working around Meta Mask.

Issue: a help/FAQ page in the DApp would be very useful IMO. It would help users bridge the gap between decentralized and centralized apps, and provide context on what Origin is. It would educate users, and reduce the fear of this thing called a DApp. I know we are currently primarily building for other developers, but developers are building for their _end users_, and that is where adoption will come from. They will face these problems eventually, so it is in our best interest to help solve them. Building with our customers customers in mind!

I know many of the points I've raised probably fall under "Polishing the DApp", and aren't top priority at this time. However, with mainnet approaching, there will likely be a variety of users directed to the DApp from many different _origins_, and they will have varying levels of familiarity with the blockchain and DApp ecosystem. The FAQ/help page could summarize most of these, and I could certainly help or take the lead on it.

Again, excuse my regurgitation of opinions here. I figured it would be better to get these published instead of potentially forgetting them. Didn't mean to be nit-picky or distracting, either. Mainnet is already loaded with greatness, but to non-technical people, and newcomers to the industry who recently downloaded Meta Mask for the first time (or haven't yet downloaded it) they unfortunately may not be so impressed, and those are the end-users Origin's customers are building for. Educating other DApp developers and their customers within the DApp will help them appreciate the marvel that Origin is.

[LukaNarat]

I've also noticed that after making attestations and changing my name as well as adding some user information, it has now been lost and I only see the default "unnamed user" view, when viewing my profile (using the same eth address and Chrome Version 68.0.3440.106 (Official Build) (64-bit).

[matthewliu]

Mitch, thanks for filing these. If it's not too much trouble, please file
issues as separate Github issues vs. a collection of them. There's no good
way to prioritize fixes/have discussion if it's a long running list of
issues.

On Thu, Aug 30, 2018 at 1:48 PM, Luka Narat [e-mail]
wrote:

I've also noticed that after making attestations and changing my name as
well as adding some user information, it has now been lost and I only see
the default "unnamed user" view, when viewing my profile (using the same
eth address and Chrome Version 68.0.3440.106 (Official Build) (64-bit).

[image: unnameduser]
https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/5909745/44878297-c685b480-aca6-11e8-925b-82e7979d03fa.png

—
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.
Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub
https://github.com/OriginProtocol/origin-dapp/issues/427#issuecomment-417462018,
or mute the thread
https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AEuxN85bHQkbxahWBwqH2XmTsLKsc1ULks5uWE-TgaJpZM4WIe8N
.

--
Cofounder of Origin http://www.originprotocol.com

Join our Telegram http://t.me/originprotocol

[mek32390]

@matthewliu noted, will do.

[micahalcorn]

Closing as much of this has been addressed 🤞