sensible defaults for mail folders (folder templates)

[grexe]

Now that I finally got around to fix GMail setup with app passwords and successfully downloaded my mail, I noticed again the missed opportunity, confusion and unnecessary burden for the user with the rather useless default layout for mail folders.

The mail window will only show Name, Size and Modified columns, instead of more appropriate and useful attributes from mails like Sender, Subject or Thread.

Also, displaying the (file!) Name is not really appropriate or useful when there is already a Name extracted from the mail message, which is much more readable and useful for the user. Also, we have a Subject which includes the address.

The file Modified date is not needed and just a technical information when there is a When attribute that reflects better what users need to know (when the mail was sent, not when it was written to disk).

This way, newcomers and average users may never realise the power of mail the way Haiku handles it. Even if they do, it is cumbersome and unnecessary forcing users having to rearrange the layout to include sensible default columns and getting rid of unecessary ones like Name or Modified.

Filing this under Preferences/E-Mail for lack of a better fit, I think the folders are created there.

[humdinger]

Generally agreed. The user may not use the default folders though. I have all my mails on a separate partition, for example.

The mail_daemon could check the destinations' folder layout, and if wasn't changed by the user, apply an "email attribute layout". There should be one for "sent" folders (e.g. with To, Subject, When) and one for "inbox" folders (eg. Status, From, Subject, When).

In any case, anyone using Mail for any strectch of time will probably only use queries to interface with their emails. Managing thousands of files in a folder isn't practical.
Providing a DefaultQueryTemplate for emails would be even more important, I suppose.

[grexe]

Inbox zero guys might disagree and keep their mail folders compact😏

I don't see a problem with custom folders though, since this is controlled by the amount settings. When I create an account and configure folders, these folders are created by the preferences app/mail daemon. This is the right occasion to configure a sensible default layout.

Anything that happens afterwards is up to the user.

I have to say it really feels refreshing to go back to simple file based mail handling. It always felt off to use a browser for that. Haiku makes mailing fun again🤩