Closed Bug 634831 Opened 14 years ago Closed 4 years ago

Include Compact header functionality into core application.

Categories

(Thunderbird :: Message Reader UI, enhancement)

Product:
Thunderbird
Component:
Message Reader UI
Type:
enhancement
Priority:
Not set
Severity:
normal

Tracking

(Not tracked)

Status:
RESOLVED WONTFIX

People

(Reporter: unicorn.consulting, Unassigned)

References

(
URL
)

Details

(Whiteboard: [gs])

After more than 1.3 million downloads, it is apparent that not everyone likes the large header view introduced in Thunderbird 3. With that many motivated to download it there must be many more who dislike it but can not be bothered. With the advent of smaller screen again(Ipad netbooks etc), wasting space on a header of about 5 lines is a serious design flaw, particularly for those of us that use the preview pane as out main mail reader.
Version: 3.1 → Trunk
Blocks: msgreadertracker
Whiteboard: [gs]
can we reach out to the author to see whether he is interested in having the functionality integrated into tb core? I would volunteer to supervise integration as I allay.did a psych for the author (fixing DispMUA integration) if it comes to fruition. it is a complex piece of code so it would have to land in 24.
@Herb, as the developer of the CompactHeader add-on do you have any suggestions on this bug?
Given the time frame for this bug, I think it would be a much better use of resources to get seamless iframes into core, and then just make the message headers scroll along with the message. That *should* satisfy everyone's needs without adding more options that complicate testing and support.
Well, whether or not the message-header pane is supposed to scroll with the message is a matter of opinion and covered by a variety of other bugs already with various reasons against it, so let's not dilute this bug with that topic. As pointed out by Alex above, TB 17.0 is in aurora stage already and thus feature frozen. With the uncertainty for versions 17.0+ it may be that new features have to wait until the next ESR branch opens with 24.0, but it is my understanding that it's not set in stone yet. Given the continuing popularity of the add-on, if herb want's to come up with a patch and associated tests, I'd be all for it.
In principle I willing to provide a patch to implement CompactHeader (again) in the core of Thunderbird. But I would like to know before how the UI showed look like: Only one/two-line mode or both? Also include the side toolbars? The linkification of RSS headers? I have already mozmill tests which check the functionality of the addon, so this would also not be a big problem. The current source code of the addon can be found here: https://hg.mozilla.org/users/Joachim.Herb_gmx.de/compactheader
It is years since this bug saw any activity. In the hope of reviving it, could we just implement the add-on as is, I would suggest bundling the add-on, but are we sufficiently on top of that process to do that?

Just to let you know: Currently, I am not planning to update CompactHeader for Thunderbird 78. See https://github.com/jmozmoz/compactheader/issues/42

xref bug 9942 - scrolling header

Any updates to get this moving? Can it be a part of a school project?

(In reply to Joachim Herb from comment #5)

In principle I willing to provide a patch to implement CompactHeader (again)
in the core of Thunderbird.

But I would like to know before how the UI showed look like:
Only one/two-line mode or both?
Also include the side toolbars?
The linkification of RSS headers?

I have already mozmill tests which check the functionality of the addon, so
this would also not be a big problem.

The current source code of the addon can be found here:
https://hg.mozilla.org/users/Joachim.Herb_gmx.de/compactheader

How difficult would it be for someone to make this into a patch?

The very first thing before proceeding here would be a commitment by the Thunderbird core developers, that they would accept a patch for this at all and then, that somebody will do the review of such a patch in a timely manner.

Sorry but I'm going to mark this WONTFIX. The maintenance burden of supporting this is very large, which is why it was removed back around Thunderbird 3.

Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 4 years ago
Resolution: --- → WONTFIX

No, it was removed in TB3 because the developers were so busy playing catchup and had a grand vision for a user interface that has failed completely to materialize.

Given we have had the time and have accepted the non-trivial burden of building and maintaining a PGP implementation in the core product, have made addons second class citizens and now you demonstrate the desire to continue to stick to an outdated dream of a user interfacer I really think I will just vote with my feet and start the process of locating a mail client that is going in a direction I can accept. Thunderbird is not meeting my needs or expectations at this time. I had a mail client to make managing my mail easier. Thunderbird is not doing that for me and has not for some time.

https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/compact-headers/ does the trick for me. Perhaps far less intrusive, with a much longer future.

(In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk) from comment #14)

https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/compact-headers/ does the trick for me. Perhaps far less intrusive, with a much longer future.

OK, so the old compact headers extension is out, and this one is in (ie: "accepted"). NOW can this code be put into the core application? Just use the extension as the patch, then test it, and if it works, then use it. Everyone benefits, no extra work to make this work for all going forward, forever.

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