Comment 2 for bug 1084387

One contact is online (a cousin on mom's side). She is not at the top of the list. The list is alphabetical.

As I recall, icons representing people who sent messages used to flash and move to the top of the list until I read them.
I'd like this behavior restored. I didn't see anything in the preferences-configuration to make such a setting obvious.

We use instant messaging to communicate at work (I'm a work-from-home consultant). I maintain a sliver of empathy contact list mapped to all my screens (sticky) and on-top of other windows. That's a lot of screen space to allocate for a program that's not working as I hope. I often must mute my speakers, I don't always watch my screen for visual notification. (I sometimes sleep.)

Whereas the notifications used to be passive---I'd peripherally see flashing, the notifications are active. Now I have to actively search the list. Also, you might say that the little green light flashes by unread messages. But with a only a sliver of screen space I like to see the names of people. Their icons, not the little exes and ohs and question marks.

Thank you.

(It occurs to me I could install an old version of empathy. Maybe.)