Communication Tools we use for Development

(”How we talk” 2 of 3)


Before beginning with Psi, it's good to remind everyone about our first article in the series which introduced us to Google Talk ("How we talk" 1 of 3). Google Talk provides three important attributes (+ others of course) that benefit us:

1. Presence - we know who is online at any time
2. Communication is instant - we can ask questions and get answers in real time
3. Transcripts - every communication is saved at Google and is "searchable"

PSI

PSI and GroupChat @ jabber.org

Jabber.org runs a GroupChat server that is "open"... "OPEN" as in we can use any "open source" based XMPP transport to login and communicate inside the groups at jabber.org. The namespace at Jabber for Jabber's "open" groupchat is this URI:

conference.jabber.org

There are a couple of requirements to enable "Jabber Groupchat with Psi for GroupJive"

1. Psi - you must download and install the Psi Client
   
2. Google Talk - you must set up the Psi client to use talk.google.com as your transport and Gmail as your User/Pass

EXPLANATION: We rely on our Google Talk Gmail credentials to act as the transport for Psi . To repeat this essential point: Google Talk is the Transport for Psi (i.e. the means and functionality on which Psi arrives at conference.jabber.org). There are good reasons to use Google Talk as the transport (more in a moment) ... as there are good reasons to use GroupChat over XMPP for GroupJive Development.

To use Psi/Google Talk at conference.jabber.org the following list must be true:

• You must have a Gmail account = TRUE (not just a Google Account - but a Gmail Email)
• You must login using an XMPP client that is Gmail/GoogleTalk capable = TRUE (for us Psi)
• Your XMPP Transport must be talk.google.com for Psi = TRUE (note that the settings for Google Talk are entered into the Psi Client)

1st HALF OF SETUP - Psi

• Download the Psi Client here http://psi-im.org/download - and install Psi
• Go to the instructions for setting up PSI using Google Talk here http://psi-im.org/wiki/Google_Talk_HowTo and complete the setup as instructed.
• (save to your bookmarks) http://psi-im.org/  (save to your bookmarks)
• (save to your bookmarks) http://psi-im.org/wiki/Main_Page  (save to your bookmarks)

1. Please confirm that you have completed installation of Psi ... and ... set it up for Google Talk as described above in GETTING STARTED WITH Psi. Instructions again are here if you need them.
2. Launch Psi
3. Click (Online Status) drop down menu at lower right (may say "Offline") and select "Online" (star should turn yellow)
4. Click PSI Settings drop down menu at lower left and select "Join Groupchat" (this will open a new window)
5. The fields needed are -
   • Identity:
   • Host:
   • Room:
   • Nickname:
6. Please enter these values - (reminder for Identity drop down to appear - you must be Online  - Star turns YELLOW!)
   • Identity: from drop-down-list (Select the Google Talk identity you created according to GETTING STARTED WITH PSI)
   • Host: conference.jabber.org
   • Room: groupjive
   • Nickname: GmailUser (this is your Gmail Username without "@gmail.com")
7. Click Join

That's it!!

You should be in this room: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
If you ever need to re-enter the settings just remember your Room: groupgive and your Host: conference.jabber.org ?

- - - - - - -

HOW THIS HELPS - "The Drive to 1.5"

Earlier in the article we were promised to outline the "benefits for GroupJive Development" that using conference.jabber.org + Google Talk will provide our Development Team. Here are they are in my estimation:

• Faster Development
  • The number one request from the Development Team (other than moving forward on 1.5 stable) has been Features - - What are the features going to be? What exactly are we going to be developing first? How do we go about deciding that?
  • Using Google Talk and GroupChat at Jabber we can consider these thoughts as a group, do so quickly and hopefully agree "clearly" and "decisively" on our GOALS. We have to talk together to achieve that. IN CONTRAST: Consider the other option(s) people use... 1. email and 2. discussion boards 3. conference calls?
  • Email and Discussion boards are inherently slow - - requiring post, wait, notification, wait reply, wait some more.... not ideal! Conference calls (even Skype) can be beyond some developers budgets.
  • GroupChat enables us to "gather" and "be productive" quickly on any subject that relates to GroupJive development and do so in "real time". And... it's cheap (as in free). Using GroupChat we can discuss what issues are at hand, resolve them and move forward quickly!
• Transcripts of our Communication
  • An extraordinary benefit of using Google as our XMPP transport into conference.jabber.org is that "every Gmail based login that arrives at jabber.org for GroupChat gets transcribed". That's right, we will have a record at Google of all communications that take place in GroupChat if we use Google Talk to and Google's XMPP transport to login. This is one of the things possible with XMPP. (This of course requires enabling the Chat recording feature with GMail and Google Talk)
  • Every transcription recorded during these online meetings is "searchable"
  • We can cut and paste transcripts back to the GroupJive Forums as threads. In essence... that's what Forum Posts are anyway. They are threads of conversation. We are achieving them in "real time" (without the wait associated with Forum posting)
• Gather us into one room when needed
  • "We don't need slow, we need go!" - - and that means we need to be together at times to work things out and sometimes do so instantly. GroupChat provides us that.
  • Gathering together in GroupChat can remove the "drag" associated with only two people (DevA and DevB) talking at a time... who then may forward the conversation to "DevC" who might "not agree" and as a result then asks to be put in touch with "coder XYZ" and so on and so forth. GroupChat and Google Talk can eliminate that manner of communication so we can come to agreement and move on now!

1. Enter all our contact information into your Gmail Contacts: Our team roster is contained in a spreadsheet at (joomlacode.org / Project: GroupJive).
2. Please follow up with everyone on the team: Using the Team Roster (excel spreadsheet at joomlacode.org) - please [+Add] everyone with a gmail or googlemail address to your Google Talk (Invite them!). They will respond... maybe sooner than you think!