Instantbird 0.2 alpha 1 and addons!

Today is a very special day for us. We have a double release to announce!

First, the long awaited add-ons website is now ready for you to use. You will already find a lot of extensions on it since we took care of uploading more than 200 of them. Think about browsing the experimental add-ons, a lot of them are still marked as such. The add-ons website is at this address: https://addons.instantbird.org/.

And last, but not least, Instantbird 0.2 alpha 1 is now ready for you to try it! There’s a lot of new interesting stuff in this one. Here are some of them, read the release notes for more:

It is ready to be localized (and you can try an experimental French language pack),
Improved conversations: you can change conversation styles, smiley themes are now handled.
We implemented a ‘magic’ copy/paste feature that will allow you to have pretty quotes out of messages copied from Instantbird. Some bugs may still exist in this.
As usual, we took great care of stability issues, so Instantbird 0.2 alpha 1 is already more stable than 0.1.3.1 at this point, so don’t hesitate to give it a try!

You can download the alpha and read the release notes from here.

27 thoughts on “Instantbird 0.2 alpha 1 and addons!”

Hello,

I don’t want to creat un bug for the first day ;-)

The “experimental French language pack” don’t work…
Install ok —> but at the restart, Instanbird is always in english …
(maybe it’s me, but i don’t find any option for changing language and it’s not “automatic”)

Sorry my first message is not better…

But thank you for all this great job :-)

@Totoche: I edited the description of the addon to indicate how to enable it once it is installed.

:-)

[url=http://pagesperso-orange.fr/Totoche2607/Instantbird_fr.bmp]screenshot[/url]

And … my second message to congratulate all the team.

Great work guys! I love the clean message styles, something that other clients (*coughs* Pidgin *coughs*) have been missing for awhile. Also, its running great off my USB, which is a double bonus. Definitely looking forward to the stable release of .2 .

This is EXCELLENT. Main Window Minimize to Tray, Regular Installer, and you are Golden. THIS is showing GREAT promise.

Hello Just found this IM and I really like how simple it looks and works. Keep up the good work :)

¿Question? Instantbird only show the online contacts?. I have to create multiple accounts and put the contact across ot them for the item show

@gatolandia: Currently it shows only online contacts, yes.

On the alpha’s download page, you mention that Instantbird has an about:config menu. How does one access it? I can’t find it.

@Michael B.: In the error console, type openDialog('about:config').

I would also have to say that tho I just found this program, it already shows a lot of promises and I hope you guys continue to improve it. The minimalistic nature of the message dialog is great! Though having a message history and being able to minimize the buddy list to tray would be nice :)

Major step in the right direction! Minimizing to system tray is quite literally the only thing that’s stopping me from switching from pidgin right now.

I totally agree with 404

I also totally agree with 404

@404 (and follow up): it should be there for 0.2b1. Stay tuned.

There is an addon on the addon-page that allows to minimize the buddy list to tray:

https://addons.instantbird.org/en-US/instantbird/addon/211

(Another thing for convenience: there’s also an extension that shows incoming messages in a small notification window near the task tray (on windows atleast):

https://addons.instantbird.org/en-US/instantbird/addon/208 )

Votre projet avance dans la bonne voie! Le développement est un peu lent, mais les progrès sont là.

I love the new Message Styles, it’s genial to customise the chat. But one thing I would like to know about it: Is it possible to change the Message Style dependent on the used protocol? So you can say use this Message Style for ICQ and an other for the IRC? Or what would be really great, that the Message Style it self changes dependent on the used protocol. To explain the ‘Why’, I like the MiniBubble, its my favorite, but cause there are no nicknames shown, what I like at ICQ, in IRC you cant see which user send the message, so it is nessesary to show up the nickname over the incoming bubbles.

Hey guys, when the new version is coming out? What are you planning for it?

@bruno: We don’t know the release date yet. ‘When it’s ready’ I guess :). Probably in a month or two… For more information about what we are planning for it, you can give a look at the roadmap.

I am starting to use Instantbird 0.1.3.1. Managed to use msn and gtalk. However, whenever I start yahoo. it always stays at connecting stage. Is there any special setting for yahoo.

Tak

@TakI think the libpurple version in Instantbird 0.1.3.1 is too old to connect to yahoo properly. You can try the alpha, or a nightly build ;) !

Thanks Florian. It works with nightly build

It’s OK. Version 0.1.3.1 has a bug for Yahoo connction. Version 0.2 alpha works properly. I should remember the parameter for Yahoo. Fill the username field only with <user_name> without “@yahoo.com”. Thanks to Florian and Tak. Thanks to all Instantbird developers’ (I’m waiting the final ersion 0.2. Good work!)

Is there something new, you can tell use? How is the work going? Are you all fine? :)

(hope my english is understandingly)

@Tare: We are all fine. The current work going on is finishing the preference window. We will release a beta once this is finished. If you can’t wait to play with something new, you can enjoy the new tabs in nightly builds. :)

@ Tare: The nightlies just get better and better! Beta 1 will really impress a lot of people I think! Additions off the top of my head: Buddy list now has “twisties” for the categories and Notification for Mobile buddies (at least for Y! and AIM). They have updated the tabs and borrowed the Options window both from Firefox 3.0. The Options window doesn’t just collect the old options but expands on them and offers new things to the table that makes this a world-class messenger! Nightly tests aren’t for everyone, but Beta 1 is going to kick butt!

Totoche on July 23, 2009 at 6:06 pm said:

Hello,

I don’t want to creat un bug for the first day ;-)

The “experimental French language pack” don’t work…

Install ok —> but at the restart, Instanbird is always in english …

(maybe it’s me, but i don’t find any option for changing language and it’s not “automatic”)

Sorry my first message is not better…

But thank you for all this great job :-)
Florian on July 23, 2009 at 6:17 pm said:

@Totoche: I edited the description of the addon to indicate how to enable it once it is installed.
Totoche on July 23, 2009 at 8:38 pm said:

:-)

[url=http://pagesperso-orange.fr/Totoche2607/Instantbird_fr.bmp]screenshot[/url]

And … my second message to congratulate all the team.
Tigsfan on July 24, 2009 at 12:00 am said:

Great work guys! I love the clean message styles, something that other clients (*coughs* Pidgin *coughs*) have been missing for awhile. Also, its running great off my USB, which is a double bonus. Definitely looking forward to the stable release of .2 .
Instantbirdie on July 24, 2009 at 3:54 am said:

This is EXCELLENT. Main Window Minimize to Tray, Regular Installer, and you are Golden. THIS is showing GREAT promise.
Jinja on July 24, 2009 at 4:14 pm said:

Hello Just found this IM and I really like how simple it looks and works. Keep up the good work :)
gatolandia on July 25, 2009 at 5:18 am said:

¿Question? Instantbird only show the online contacts?. I have to create multiple accounts and put the contact across ot them for the item show
Florian on July 25, 2009 at 10:41 am said:

@gatolandia: Currently it shows only online contacts, yes.
Michael B. on July 25, 2009 at 8:47 pm said:

On the alpha’s download page, you mention that Instantbird has an about:config menu. How does one access it? I can’t find it.
Florian on July 26, 2009 at 3:06 am said:

@Michael B.: In the error console, type openDialog('about:config').
(anonymous) on July 27, 2009 at 3:05 am said:

I would also have to say that tho I just found this program, it already shows a lot of promises and I hope you guys continue to improve it. The minimalistic nature of the message dialog is great! Though having a message history and being able to minimize the buddy list to tray would be nice :)
404 on August 2, 2009 at 4:06 pm said:

Major step in the right direction! Minimizing to system tray is quite literally the only thing that’s stopping me from switching from pidgin right now.
olecve on August 3, 2009 at 8:28 am said:

I totally agree with 404
(anonymous) on August 4, 2009 at 5:53 am said:

I also totally agree with 404
Even on August 4, 2009 at 12:23 pm said:

@404 (and follow up): it should be there for 0.2b1. Stay tuned.
Mic on August 8, 2009 at 4:24 pm said:

There is an addon on the addon-page that allows to minimize the buddy list to tray:

https://addons.instantbird.org/en-US/instantbird/addon/211

(Another thing for convenience: there’s also an extension that shows incoming messages in a small notification window near the task tray (on windows atleast):

https://addons.instantbird.org/en-US/instantbird/addon/208 )
Lubilia on August 8, 2009 at 6:31 pm said:

Votre projet avance dans la bonne voie! Le développement est un peu lent, mais les progrès sont là.
Tare on August 13, 2009 at 10:48 am said:

I love the new Message Styles, it’s genial to customise the chat. But one thing I would like to know about it: Is it possible to change the Message Style dependent on the used protocol? So you can say use this Message Style for ICQ and an other for the IRC? Or what would be really great, that the Message Style it self changes dependent on the used protocol. To explain the ‘Why’, I like the MiniBubble, its my favorite, but cause there are no nicknames shown, what I like at ICQ, in IRC you cant see which user send the message, so it is nessesary to show up the nickname over the incoming bubbles.
bruno on August 31, 2009 at 10:03 pm said:

Hey guys, when the new version is coming out? What are you planning for it?
Florian on August 31, 2009 at 10:10 pm said:

@bruno: We don’t know the release date yet. ‘When it’s ready’ I guess :). Probably in a month or two… For more information about what we are planning for it, you can give a look at the roadmap.
Tak on September 14, 2009 at 4:16 pm said:

I am starting to use Instantbird 0.1.3.1. Managed to use msn and gtalk. However, whenever I start yahoo. it always stays at connecting stage. Is there any special setting for yahoo.

Tak
Florian on September 14, 2009 at 4:20 pm said:

@TakI think the libpurple version in Instantbird 0.1.3.1 is too old to connect to yahoo properly. You can try the alpha, or a nightly build ;) !
Tak on September 15, 2009 at 2:47 pm said:

Thanks Florian. It works with nightly build
Francesco <The Player> on September 18, 2009 at 8:40 pm said:

It’s OK. Version 0.1.3.1 has a bug for Yahoo connction. Version 0.2 alpha works properly. I should remember the parameter for Yahoo. Fill the username field only with <user_name> without “@yahoo.com”. Thanks to Florian and Tak. Thanks to all Instantbird developers’ (I’m waiting the final ersion 0.2. Good work!)
Tare on November 7, 2009 at 8:43 am said:

Is there something new, you can tell use? How is the work going? Are you all fine? :)

(hope my english is understandingly)
Florian on November 7, 2009 at 8:47 am said:

@Tare: We are all fine. The current work going on is finishing the preference window. We will release a beta once this is finished. If you can’t wait to play with something new, you can enjoy the new tabs in nightly builds. :)
Patrickjdempsey on November 30, 2009 at 2:28 am said:

@ Tare: The nightlies just get better and better! Beta 1 will really impress a lot of people I think! Additions off the top of my head: Buddy list now has “twisties” for the categories and Notification for Mobile buddies (at least for Y! and AIM). They have updated the tabs and borrowed the Options window both from Firefox 3.0. The Options window doesn’t just collect the old options but expands on them and offers new things to the table that makes this a world-class messenger! Nightly tests aren’t for everyone, but Beta 1 is going to kick butt!