browsing directories on other servers is super-unintuitive

[richvdh]

If you're not on matrix.org, you have to type into the dropdown which doesn't look like you should be able to type things into.

Apart from the utter lack of discoverability, you have to type! Words! with your fingers! The brutality!

[turt2live]

Related:

• The difference between the matrix.org and Matrix-native-on-matrix.org options in Room Directory is deeply confusing #3932
• Room Directory - add manually typed server to the list of servers #3770
• Room Directory 'all-network' never shows anything but the HS #3769
• [Room Directory] Need to clearly show that protocols are children of homeservers. #6260

[richvdh]

actually apparently you don't have to type it - you can add entries to the dropdown via the config.json for the riot-web instance as per https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/blob/2b7ee756f8945c933050b6c3a451340241c9bab2/config.sample.json#L9.

But if you want to use one that's not on the list, it's deeply undiscoverable.

[ara4n]

also related: #2054

[pafcu]

It would perhaps be more clear if the placeholder text was something other than "matrix.org". Perhaps "Type a remote server name here".

[richvdh]

@pafcu: to be honest, I don't think most people get as far as seeing that placeholder text, since you have to focus the dropdown to see it.

[pafcu]

@richvdh Certainly, but it is an easy step in the right direction.

[r3pek]

I would just remove it altogether. that combo box makes no sense at all. one would just type the domain and be done with it.

[Half-Shot]

Not sure how it was before, but now there is a blinking cursor in the combo box which seems like a good indicator to me that you can type in it.

@lampholder doesn't seem like a p1 to me, but idk.

[aaronraimist]

Related: #12495

[turt2live]

@vector-im/design this is your honorary comment asking to have this looked at (as I hear, you've been nudged elsewhere)