Don’t forget… get a meebo account to get chat logs and user preferences! click on the meebo thought bubble on top of the buddy list to get an account now!
fun with numbers
Ever since I discovered the Guiness Book of World Records in elementary school, I’ve been fascinated with numbers. Just last week, Jian and I took the time to log how much time it takes to track down a JavaScript bug. The answer? Most JavaScript bugs take 10-30 minutes though a few rogue bugs take 6-8 hours! Now when we spot a bug taking more than an hour we try to get the entire team involved.
meebo is a numbers goldmine. We’ve always used statistics to track meebo activity. By monitoring daily logons, IMs sent, and peak users we can catch bugs or server problems early. However, we also use metrics to shape meebo’s design. For instance, we added an icon to the top of the IM window in the last release for easy access to a user’s profile information. This was a difficult decision. We plan to add more buttons to this area in the near future, but we also recognized that the IM window is getting busier and busier.
To reduce the clutter, I suggested removing the send button in the last release. While everyone agreed that they sent messages with the “Enter” key instead of the send button, we also recognized that the 7 or 8 of us didn’t represent everyone in the meebo community. So what did we do? We decided to track how many messages were sent using the “Enter” key versus the send button. Sandy predicted that 60% of messages would be sent with the “Enter” key – I thought it would be closer to 90%. However, it turns out that almost all meebo users (98.5%) prefer the “Enter” key. As a result, we’re taking out the send button in the next release.
Our intuition is often off. Two releases ago, we considered eliminating the “New user?” and “Forgot your password?” links on the front meebo login page. Before doing so, we decided to track how many users clicked on the links. Good thing we didn’t eliminate them – turns out that 11,000+ meebo users depend upon these links daily!
In the future, we’d like to optimize other parts of the meebo experience. Many users have reported having difficulty finding the meebo icon that links to the preferences and accounts. We updated the icon in the previous release but we still need to improve the navigation to the “my meebo” window. Also, we have many more MSN users than we anticipated, so we’re using our MSN accounts more frequently so we can understand the MSN experience better.
We like to let meebo users drive the development by getting feedback early and often. Statistics have allowed us to gather feedback that we wouldn’t get from the blogs, forum, or email alone. For a math junkie like me, this is about as good as it gets 
Take Care!
-Elaine
[ comments ] [ past blogs ]
May 17th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
It the 98.5% using the enter key the reason why you’re removing the “Send” button. Or is it also adding load to your servers and or to the GUIs in some way.
I was wondering if it is something you can enable/disable it as per a user’s preference. Maybe disabled by default and enabled if the user wants it??
thanks, use Meebo everyday.
how’d tha name come around tho?
May 17th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
I’m a bit confused why you would want to remove the “send” button.
Because if the fact that it is right next to the status bar, which is a total necessity, it really doesn’t take up any extra space. And what difference does “clutter” make? It doesn’t hurt the chatting experience at all…
I just think it might look and feel kind of awkward not having a “send” button, regardless of whether I use it…
May 17th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
Just make the images slightly smaller and I wouldn’t have a complaint, they just seem huge to me.
May 17th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
hey!
meebo is my only way of messenging, so of course i love it, and what is there not to love BUT
i have a suggestion that i really would like made. is it possible for you to make some way where we can have a profile ourselves?
if so that would be really cool and i’ve been dying for that to happen!
ii love you guys
May 17th, 2006 at 2:10 pm
On my AIM service I can enter a cell number and am asked to give it a nickname so that I know whose cell number it is that I added to the list. When I use meebo service, those cell numbers do not show what nicknames I gave them making it hard for me to remember what all the cell numbers are. Is there a way that his can be fixed?
Sincerely Doonga
May 17th, 2006 at 2:49 pm
Would be nice to detatch the chat windows if we wanted to. Google Talk from within GMail can do this already. Would be a nice feature.
Great program, use it daily, even blogged it once. Very cool.
May 17th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
I love Meebo!! My dad loves it too beacause I don’t have to download it. That is what aol and aim does! Well Bye!
Kaiila
♥ ♥ ♥
May 17th, 2006 at 6:46 pm
You know what would be great?
Having the Windows possibly “cling” to each other, similar to how winamp does, or how linux distributions do.
And then perhaps add Xfire accessibilities. Thatd be great.
You know, Something that might not have been thought of before; Have a mini browser window in the page, so you dont have to continuously minimize the window/change tabs.
I love how you’ve done this. and all with Javascript I hear? Nice
May 17th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
instead of having windows ‘cling’ together a la winamp. how’s aboot some tabs for im windows? that’s all the rage these days.
meebo pwns
May 17th, 2006 at 9:02 pm
It would be nice if you are disconnect from one of your multiple messaging accounts, to have a “reconnect” to the specific provider that you got disconnected from.
May 17th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
I often you meebo at work, so I am regularly logged in using the secure (https) site. I have noticed that portions of the ‘Buddy list’ graphics do not load all the way, or appear peculiar. I can try to take a screen shot of it sometime if you’d like to see it.
Whoever asked you guys to include a sound for when you send or receive an IM was a genius.
Thanks,
John
May 17th, 2006 at 9:52 pm
Hey guys,
just some advice from a fellow web developer –
I was seriously considering getting a Meebo account today, but took a step back and said “…why?”
I think there are probably quite a few people out there who are saying the same thing.
Not that you haven’t all come to this conclusion as well, but I figured some friendly advice might put the final nail in the coffin and lead you to offer us 200 GB of free storage and golden cheese logs with our Meebo account.
btw – thanks for making Meebo – it’s a very commonsensical approach to an application I used throughout the day, every day. Now I have Meebo, and all is not only well, but effective and easy to use to boot.
May 17th, 2006 at 10:56 pm
hyu~
just wanna bug u… abt the logs… it seems that, it always displays “Chat with to start a chat log history!” every time i wanna chk my log …
[ Pref -> Chat logs : save my IM history to view later -> checked :\ ]
correct me if these’s any settings i missed.
I’d truly appreciate if the logs really works.. if the logs can be sent/save (daily/weekly basis) to user email.. BETTER!! (like google)
dunno abt anybodt else.. but for me… it IS a better option to save logs in plain unencrypted text, rather the “can-be-viewed-only-online” and encrypted logs that ym archive use… it makes the log files harder to view and CANNOT be search into. huh
(eih… reminds me of the plain,simple,straightfoward IRC.)
May 17th, 2006 at 11:14 pm
Hi Team,
The offline messages shows the current time.It does not show the actual timing when it was sent.Why does this so?
Thanks,
Dany
May 18th, 2006 at 12:11 am
that’s good, thinking about the clients, i mean…. that way, meebo will be more receptive to us and think about more features to place in the system…. uhmm, is it possible to have a BUZZ be sent in the future? thanks! keep it up.
May 18th, 2006 at 1:06 am
Hi
I am a regular use of meebo and I am programmer too (but not web programmer
). The problem my friends are facing is that when ever i use a customized which i normally use (eg.. I’m Tired.. I’m Bored, etc and hell lot others which are too funny) to inform my friends that i am free or what ever it is gives a busy icons in Yahoo as well MSN. And in yahoo it atleast displays the messages but in MSN it shows AWAY symbol. I would suggest you if that is the same case with other guys .. please have an option where i can select whether i am busy or not (some thing like yahoo provied .. Use busy Icon)
Rest its too good.. Congrats
Regards…………..(Dhanesh ,Banglore,India)
May 18th, 2006 at 1:37 am
I get too much Network Interruption when im on meebo on msn. Cud u do something about this please?
May 18th, 2006 at 1:46 am
Meebo – you guys rock my world!
May 18th, 2006 at 4:04 am
ok ummmm you should have a color thing that changes the backround when needed.
May 18th, 2006 at 4:33 am
Hi, u guys are doing great.
Really if the “Send” button is giving u guys trouble, u can remove it but u’ll have to send a notice to everyone, because some people are used to it. I think the “New user?” and “Forgot your password?” should be left.
Is it possible to do conference chatting with Meebo?
May 18th, 2006 at 5:07 am
Can you add a sign in invisible to the Meebo log in?
May 18th, 2006 at 6:53 am
But one thing I still can’t figure out…
How do I change my password for my Meebo account?
I mean the meebo one not the msn,icq account….>
May 18th, 2006 at 8:05 am
How many times has someone attempted to add a “soft” carriage return by pressing Ctrl+Enter, Alt+Enter, Meta+Enter, or OpenApple+Enter, and instead sent a message?
May 18th, 2006 at 8:39 am
hey guys. just wanted to say amazing job with meebo.
but a few comments….
1. i dont use the send button, but some people are accostomed to it. i think you should leave it. leave the links, too.
2. profiles? buddylist organization? come one. everyone’s asking….
3. i get the network interruption notice quite a lot, and also when i log on it takes around 2 minutes to get booted up…..it kinda crashes then comes back. thats the best way i can describe it.
4. meebo password change? ive been searching but cant figure out how to do it.
5. sometimes my friends on meebo dont show up on my buddylist and try to IM me but i dont receive the messages. whats up with that?
MEEBO IS AMAZING! i love how i can use it at school and it’s all contained in one window. these are all minor things…..but any positive changes are always nice. kudos on the chat logs and pretty meebo sound!
May 18th, 2006 at 8:43 am
I have no suggestions for Meebo, other than getting sounds to work in IE. (A problem that I guess is isolated to my family -weird)
Anyway, I’m pleasantly surprised at how well the Meebo blog is written. It’s exceedingly rare for programmers to be able to write with such felicity of language. Not because programmers are unintelligent – it’s just that those skills are not prioritized in programming education, and programmers are not typically drawn to writing as a discipline.
So kudos on your writing. I really enjoy the blog.
May 18th, 2006 at 8:56 am
i was reading dan’s comment (http://blog.meebo.com/?p=139#comment-22408)
and i have to say i agree with him.
May 18th, 2006 at 11:48 am
Hello,
Is there any way to clear our chat history???
Thank you!
yolinh
yolinh@gmail.com
May 18th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
ii thiink iit’d be really cool iif we could actually have chats on meebo, and better fonts. me and my friiends all agreed that meebo iis defiiniitely more conveniient, but iit doesnt have chats, so we can only have one on one convos. and some of the fonts meebo does have are pretty basiic.
thanx♥
CiiNDY
May 18th, 2006 at 3:18 pm
You are the best! Now I know beacause i am in Michagen! And i have signal! So I love it and i have cats! 2 and their names were something like that well Bye! ♥ ♥ ♥
Kaiila
Love ya!
May 18th, 2006 at 3:19 pm
I think that meebo is safer than myspace so keep up the good work.
May 18th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Does anybody go to Cave Spring High School? I so ready to get out of school only like two more weeks. I’m so happy
May 18th, 2006 at 3:36 pm
Hi,
It’d be cool if you could integrate the display pictures from MSN into meebo. Also, being able to make new folders with friends (e.g. making a folder called “friends”) that you could drag e-mail adresses in. That way, when people logged on they would be put directly into friends. That way you could have several folders with different contacts in them. It would also be cool if you could switch contacts from one folder to another. Thanks
May 18th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Just joined meebo – great!
A point on the suppression of the Enter button: I think it’s important to allow for line breaks. If Enter sends the string, it won’t be possible to have line breaks, thus making messages not as well formatted as they could be.
The multiprotocol client I use (Miranda) sends on Ctrl-Enter and inserts a line break on Enter – I find this to be an important feature.
May 18th, 2006 at 5:29 pm
Sharad they made the name brainstorming trying to think of the name, sorry no ayntonyms though, just plain old/good ol’ meebo! I also agree with the preferences idea where people can pick what they want to show up on the page. I think that meebo users should be able to pick off anything/put back on whatever they want on the meebo page. Would make the experience a whole lot better!
May 18th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
How about adding support for ICQ?
May 18th, 2006 at 7:11 pm
It would be nice if there was some sort of a ‘flip’ button, that would allow me to have my buddy list on the lefthand side of the page without having all the popup info off the page and meebo links covered. I’d settle for just having the options ot have the popups appear on the right side of the page. =)
Oh, and that spam blocker on this comments page is just about illegible. I’m a human and it tricks me most of the time. =P
May 18th, 2006 at 7:11 pm
Ill just have to use following key strokes [ALT]+[0]+[1]+[3] to send my messages when you remove the send button because my enter button doesnt work on my keyboard.
ok, maybe im just being cheeky.
hehe
May 19th, 2006 at 12:25 am
Hi,
You stated that you have many MSN users. Im one of these users and i have been very frustrated at not being able to use the conference chat functionality ( I can be invited into a conference chat, and can see my freinds chatting but cant reply….is it technically impossible to fix this?
Otherwise Meebo is great!
cheers,
Greg
June 9th, 2006 at 6:07 pm
hi im jazza who r u?lol jk hi 2 all mi budz k lov u hafiz bi
June 14th, 2006 at 10:37 am
that si aful i hate the idea and how you guys explain it. i wish i never even read it so i might puplish this to the news papers cuz i work for theme and you could get fired so i would make it better befor i show it to my bose witch is the mr. ganine t if you dont know him then i will be on your case so please fix it befor i show it to my bose he will not be happy! trust me! also i am notpaying for the cost of what we do!
love, jacklyn
June 14th, 2006 at 10:44 am
hey i love meebo i think it is the best you can ever have and that was my cusion who sent the bad comment! i think it is a good way to talk to people and i think it is soo safe!! alsom i like it because you dont have to dowload anything and you can go on it for your email and websights i just commpletly love it!!
p.s i wish i had my own labtop because my sis is always on mebbe that is how much my family loves it!!
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ALWAYS JACKLYN AND MY FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 25th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Dont remove the “Send” button please!
August 4th, 2006 at 5:46 am
Meebo is really great
but trouble wuth answering in chat its very bad
you can fix that?
October 31st, 2006 at 11:02 am
find my password
September 24th, 2007 at 10:18 am
Yes, Meebo is cool. Recommended to a few friends of mine
August 18th, 2008 at 11:15 am
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