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| Chris 08/02/2006 5:31am | I like InScribe a lot and use it daily, normally on guest-computers like internet-cafes. So I much appreciate the portability of the program running off my USB-stick. I have been using it now heavily during two weeks and have a couple of questions / suggestions, which imho could make the program even better, without the need for drastic changes.
1 - Fetching mail There is one thing that could really improve the program for users depending on slow analog internet connections (I am currently living in a 3rd world country). When fetching mails, the program shows the mails only once all of them have been collected. You probably can't imagine how long that can take on an analog connection with speeds most often below 1 kb/s ... it would be great if those mails that have already been downloaded would show up immediately. So I could read the first mails while the others are still downloading. Of course I can manually cut the connection, and directtly start fetching mails again, which would allow me to read the mails from the first batch, but this is not very conveniant. The blinking envelope is certainly useful to notify of newly arrived mail. However, it is less conveniant to have it blink until the last newly fetched mail has been opened. Would be nice if there were an option to stop the blinking by, for example, clicking on the symbol. 2 - Filters Maybe I have not yet fully understood the logic of the filters, but I wonder why there are folders foreseen for filters (i.e. when you create a subfolder) if those can't be triggered in any way, except for the ones placed in /Filters. At least I haven't found out yet how to do it. It is certainly useful to have the possibility to filter incoming mail directly upon reception, but sometimes it would be nice to be able to determine the exact timing of the filtering action. In my case, I would like to receive all incoming mail into the Inbox, but eventually distribute them to the folders of correspondants that I have created. This can be done nicely with filters, but at this stage - if I place the filters in /Filters - the incoming mails are immediately moved to the assigned folders and I have to check everywhere whether new mails have arrived. I have tried to place the filters in a subfolder of Inbox, but as mentioned couldn't find a way to have the filters in that subfolder execute on Inbox. I could imagine two ways to overcome this. Either with an option upon filter creation whether the filter should execute upon reception or not. Or with a context menu (right click) in the folders, allowing to execute the filters saved in a folder against its parent folder. A nice feature could be to have an option of automated filter-creation associated with the contacts, which would place all mails (in or out) to a folder of choice for archivation. And then maybe a hotkey (like F5) to trigger the filter, and for sent mails the option of having them automatically archived upon quitting the program. Last not least it would be nice if the filters had absolute references to folders, so that if you change the location or hierarchy of a folder used in a filter, you won't need to edit the filter to reflect these changes. 3 - Folders It would be nice if each folder could remember its last state (columns and sorting order) between starts of the program. Some folders do, others don't - couldn't find out a systematic yet. 4 - Synchronization Finally another question: is it possible to synchronize two copies of the program? I am currently using the program as an interim, until I get my desktop computer with my "main mail program" (a German program called PostMe). However, I have come to like InScribe very much and could imagine to switch exclusively to it. It would be handy then to be able to synchronize with the desktop program, as I could delete the mails on the server and wouldn't need to downlod the mails a second time. Also, when going mobile, I could take all my correspondence with me, if needed. Greetings Chris |
| fret 08/02/2006 5:37am | The blinking envelope is certainly useful to notify of newly arrived mail. However, it is less conveniant to have it blink until the last newly fetched mail has been opened. Would be nice if there were an option to stop the blinking by, for example, clicking on the symbol. The left click could do that... I like that idea. 3 - Folders This should happen all the time... or at least that was my intention. Maybe it's a bug. 4 - Synchronization This is not possible, but I agree it's worth adding... It would be reasonably simple to code. |
| fret 26/03/2006 9:48am | Either with an option upon filter creation whether the filter should execute upon reception or not I've added this in v1.89. |
| Chris 26/03/2006 9:59am | Where can we get version 1.89? |
| fret 26/03/2006 10:56am | I'm still tying up some loose ends as I type this, I hope to release it in the next day or so. :) |
| Chris 30/03/2006 7:49pm | Concerning the new function for filtering in 1.89 beta
Fret, I'm glad you addressed the issue. What I had meant, however, was that *each* filter should have a tag whether to be executed upon reception or only upon command. In my opinion, there should be two types of filters: those that should *always* be used on reception (for example, to mark messages with colours, or whatever else the user decides to do on each and every incoming mail) and those that are executed on demand. The latter will be used for example to place read mails into given folder for archiving. I think this is a widespread use of filters, and the problems coming up with the automatic filter execution for archiving purposes have been raised here ( http://www.memecode.com/forums/view.php?id=5108 ). As it is now, I still have to "hide" my archive-filters (second category, that is) if I want to have the reception filters working. I would suggest, as an easy measure, to add a check-box into the filter-creation dialogue, whether it should be a permanent filter or an archiving one, and then add a function "run archive filters on the current folder". Sorry, I'm not too creative tonight, I'm a bit tired. But something in that sense. At your disposal for further explanations if I was not clear, cheers Chris |
| fret 12/04/2006 4:07am | Adding an enable flag to each filter isn't too hard. I'll try and get that added for the next test release. |
| Chris 12/04/2006 4:54am | Good news! :-)
While on it, could you also consider a hotkey to trigger filtering on an individual mail? That would be great! I suggest F8 for example ... Cheers Chris |
| fret 12/04/2006 11:35pm | I've half implemented the per filter switch. I went for a "Incoming Mail" and "Outgoing Mail" checkbox for each filter. So you can switch them on/off for either of those events. If they are off for both then they only get triggered with a manual "Filter this folder" command or "Filter the current selection", which is a new command I'll add for test2. |
| Chris 13/04/2006 4:49am | That sounds very promising and will offer a lot of flexibility in the use of filters! Very nice that you also thought about the outgoing mails.
What I meant in my previous post was actually a hotkey for this "Filter the current selection" command. It would allow, for example, to send a mail into the archiving folder directly after having read it. Although I'm a hardened Windows user, I often prefer to be able to do things from the keyboard and not by pushing around the mouse :-) Talking about mice, I have another very minor improvement suggestion for the filter creation process: when creating a new filter, the first thing in the natural course of events is to give a name to the filter. It would be nice if the cursor (focus) could go directly into the "Filter Name" field, without the need of mousing into it first, as it is now. Very much looking forward to the next test-version, keep up the good work! Chris |
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