Pita/etherpad-lite — Issue #356: Full sidebar chat by default option
Author: mcnair
Created: 2012-01-25 17:04:13+00:00
State: open

I would like to make the arguement that having a full sidebar chat facilitates a better workflow for etherpad users.

Etherpad, not the lite version, has the entire right side of the window as a chat box. In my extensive use of etherpad for organizing meetings as well as for collaboration on documents i have found the full sidebar chat to be really useful in helping to create clear workflows while using the pad --> collaborative text area for crafting projects / meetings and chat for the constant back and forth.

For example, creating the agenda of a meeting, and taking notes on the agenda topics happen in the main space, while the chat space is used for the conversation thats ongoing. If you didnt have the chat space, then you would be cluttering the pad constantly with the back and forth communication. I have found that since the chat box in etherpad lite is much less prominent, restricted to much less lines, and masks the collaborative text it is used less, and users do much of the back and forth chatting designed for the chat box in the collaborative text space resulting in a more cluttered, less effecient, and less useful collaboration.

i would love to see etherpad lite have the default chat take up the entire right side of the window. Full column with an option to minimize perhaps.