Responses of api/v1/user/$username

[jheubuch]

The default response of api/v1/user/$username contains following state information:

• privateProfile
• likes_enabled (weird naming scheme but thats not the topic here)
• muted
• following
• followPending

I like those different states because they allow you to create a profile UI for each state you're currently having with that user. But this only works, if the user either has a public profile or you're following them. If this is not the case, an error is received.

My question(s?) would be:

• Why do we have upper states if they aren't displayed in other states than if you're following a user and so the states are always the same and can't be used?
• Would it be useful to have at least those state information in an error response so that you can enable something like "A follow request is already pending" or "You have muted them" on a UI?

In my opinion those states in the user object are only useful, if they are always delivered, even if you're not allowed to see ones profile.

What do you think? Do you understand the topic?