Block Users - Spark support

Spark Spark Support
1

Is there any technical reason why Spark doesn’t support the ability to block a user? I’d expect this would be a pretty simple addition which would be useful to most users. From my (limited) understanding, the actual manipulation of blocked users is relatively trivial using XMPP so I’m perplexed why this hasn’t appeared in what is a pretty mature client before now.

Anyone?

2

Maybe this is because Spark is business targeted client. And in business sector you dont need to block someone i think. I dont want my users to block their collegues or even boss (accidentically or just playing with it) and forget.

I think Privacy Lists feature/standard are some what related to that issue.

Privacy Lists

3

That sounds plausible. However, it’d still be a neat feature to support; Gato is working on adding GoogleTalk support to the client so they do obviously consider it a worth working on non-commercial features.

I’d personally like to be able to block people in a commercial environment; my users use the feature with other clients and use it as a reason for not switching to Spark.

Perhaps support could be disabled by default, but enabled by adding a line to the config file.

D

4

They aren’t using Spark? Wow. That’s crazy ;). Ok, so what client does a good job of this? I just want a reference point to build it out

Cheers,

Derek

5

I’m not sure; I use Spark 2.5.5 (unless I’m registering with Openfire gateways ).

I believe Pidgin is the client which I’m currently fighting against. I’m not altogether sure whether the client just doesn’t display the messages, or whether it manages the privacy lists correctly. I seem to remember Pandion supporting this well too.

Whilst I’ve got your attention, could I be cheeky and ask another question? I’m attempting to get Daniel to add support for new mail notications from the gateway. Is there any way those notifications could tell Spark to display a toast popup rather than displaying them as actual messages?

thanks!!

DJ

6

Hi Derek,

Trillian has a nice UI. XMPP may offer a much more detailed way in blocking things but I guess that some basic functions should be a very good start, so I post the features I use:

  1. Accept messages only from users on my contact list (presence subscriptions are always accepted)

1b. Ignore iq:time and iq:version packets (Trillian does not leak computer information but Spark does)

  1. Users who can see my status: Derek, Matt, Gato, …

  2. Users who can see my status when I’m invisible: Derek, Matt, Gato, … Trillian allows to set the status to invisible)

  3. Never display my IP address (this is probably only interesting when initiating a file transfer)

…

  1. Block users: Foobar, …

  2. Accept messages only from users: Foo, Bar, …

  3. Block all users

Even if you implement only the first option this would be a nice start. As XMPP also allows to work with groups in privacy lists one may think of a nice graphical interface so that normal users can use it.

LG