Signal-desktop: Conversation Colors are Inverted

[GuardianMajor]

• [x] I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates
  

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Bug description

I just got the latest update and now all colors in my conversations are inverted. My messages were always grey the recipient's messages always show up colored as designated on the Android device.

Steps to reproduce

1. run it
2. observe

Actual result:

But now no matter who I am conversing with, comes across as grey and doesn't honor their color and instead their color is associated with me.

Expected result:

Since I am the only common factor in all the conversations, mine should remain grey like it has always been and the colors should ONLY apply to the receipts. The new behavior is odd, counter intuitive and frankly uncomfortable, there should in the least be an option to disable this behavior and go back to when it works right.

Platform info

Signal version: v1.17.0-beta.1

Operating System: Windows 10 Pro x64 1803.17134.320

Linked device version: 4.27.3

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

This is the intended design going forward, as referenced in the latest release notes: https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Desktop/releases/tag/v1.17.0-beta.1

You can find more information about the color switch here: https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360016466812-Frequently-Asked-Questions-about-the-recent-changes-to-conversation-colors

[GuardianMajor]

@scottnonnenberg I appreciate the links, thank you. I tried to see if there was discussion on it but didn't see those, sorry.

But what I don't get is the why though, you want to change colors from Red to Crimson, fine, but why does it make more sense that ME (being 1 entity) should have so many different colors in conversations but the people who are different are all the same color. What is the logic in that?

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@GuardianMajor You can expect more information soon from us on the background behind that decision.

[GuardianMajor]

My friend that's good to hear because I am totally scratching my head on these decisions, they feel so anti user while chasing an imaginary standard. So the clarity would help, thank you.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@GuardianMajor The document above explicitly addresses the color choices, and the left/right design choice. Future blog posts about design will probably be at a higher level. Is there something you feel wasn't addressed in the support article?

[Dyras]

I ordinarily never complain about anything and instead I trust your judgment in whatever you've been planning...

But this, man, this is crazy. I picked purple for my friend and now I'm the purple one? Makes absolutely no sense. I understand using the current system for group chats, but for 1v1 it just feels... weird.

Maybe I'll get used to it, will report back in a week. Really wish you had said something about this before pushing it out to everyone though :|

PS. I really want the ability to make myself blue in 1v1 chats, and I want my friend to be purple. Having my messages purple and hers being black doesn't fit our relationship at all. I'm the one with the black soul, not her!

[GuardianMajor]

Really wish you had said something about this before pushing it out to everyone though

Agreed.

The document above explicitly addresses the color choices, and the left/right design choice. Future blog posts about design will probably be at a higher level. Is there something you feel wasn't addressed in the support article?

Yes, for one the article didn't explain why the left/right swap was made? and why now instead of a 1:1 color system, we have a n:1 where is makes no sense. The changing of color names or hues is so pointless it has no bearing. The swap of now me being a hundred different colors and everyone else being one single color makes zero sense to me. That's why I hoping to understand it through a proper academic explanation somewhere, I have yet to see it, if you feel I have missed it, please point me to it, thank you.

EDIT: I should clarify that yes it does talk about the swap but in the context of groups, and if it wants to apply to that for some reason, by all means go for it, but it shouldn't be pushed on the individual, I think that part makes no sense and there is no mention or even justification for that presented. I don't do groups and all the power to those who do and need this change, but it doesn't feel right to have it wholesale pushed on individual conversations too.

[ghost]

Forgive me for jumping in here, but as a long-time user who did his PhD work in human-computer interaction & usability, I have to say this change makes me feel miserable.

One of the ground rules of UI design is that the designer should always try to visually highlight what's new, changed, or important. For Signal conversations, that effort to draw the eye to the important part of the screen is done by the increased visual contrast between the white (or black) background and the vivid color background of the sender's messages.

This critical usability factor has now not only been blown out of the water, the design is now causing us to focus on our own messages, which (obviously) we already know and don't generally need to re-read over and over again.

Oh and even worse, the change hasn't taken effect everywhere because my desktop client still has the colors assigned correctly, i.e, the old way. Inconsistency makes it even worse.

Please, for the love of all that is good in the world of UI design, reverse this horrible change.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

Thanks for all of your feedback on the beta, everyone. We'll be keeping the new color palette, but reverting the left/right switch: https://community.signalusers.org/t/4-28-chat-colours-reversed/4288/72

[Dyras]

I know I'm just supposed to press "like", but I feel it's important to say: THANK YOU for listening. At times like these I actually feel a mild form of pride in my blackened heart to be a part of the Signal community. Too many communities give everyone the middle finger when faced with differing opinions than their own.

Now if only you could add gif searching to Signal-Desktop. Hint hint.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@downeym BTW, you saw inconsistency between desktop and mobile because you are part of the Android beta but not the Desktop beta.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

Question: a couple of you expressed that you wanted to hear about these changes before they happened. What did you have in mind for communication mechanism there? Also, to be clear, you want to hear about things before they hit beta?

[Dyras]

I'd suggest adding a beta mailing list, so that we get emails about new features. Not only GUI changes would be nice to hear about, but "dangerous" changes too. If Signal has a great chance of breaking from database changes or something similar, I'd like to know so that we can prepare for it. In order to find out about such things now, you more or less have to stalk you and Moxie here on GitHub to see if you've written anything in a pull request.

Most of the things you add are behind the scenes features, so informing people about it really isn't necessary. But for potentially controversial things it would be great if you could make a thread or something where we can talk about it. Like this color inversion, it's probably a great idea for group chats, but it felt really awkward for 1v1 chats. I'm guessing none of you thought of that, because, well, you can't think of everything while making a program.

If nothing else, discussing new major features would make the community stronger since it would feel like our input is actually taken into account when you make decisions. I understand if you don't want to have a 12 pages long discussion about every single thing, but reversing colors out of the blue without telling anyone really made me believe it was a bug and if a feature is mistaken for a bug in a non-Bethesda environment then perhaps some stronger communication is necessary.

If you're not into emails, may I suggest a monthly Reddit post about what's to come?