Re: [Evolution] Multiple Identities

[Greg Tassone <greg tassone net>]

On Wed, 2005-08-03 at 15:26 -0400, Lee Revell wrote:
> I went to add a second POP account for my girlfriend to use the machine.
> I expected it to set up another set of folders, and ask me which
> identity to use on startup (I am pretty sure Outlook supports this).
>
> Instead, it just downloaded all her mail into my inbox.

Evo uses one default inbox for the "local" mail store.  Since POP3
accounts use a local mail store (as opposed to say an IMAP account), the
default local store is used unless you configure it otherwise.


> Does Evo support this type of identity management?  And no, I don't want
> to make a separate Unix account for her; we're able to share the same
> login for everything else so it seems like Evo should support this.

Evolution supports it just fine.  No separate Unix account is required.
You seem to be getting hung-up on the differences between Microsoft's
Outlook and Evolution.  They are different programs that have a
different way of doing things.  Keep reading...


> No real security is required between the accounts, it would just be nice to
> not have all the mail mixed up together.
>
> Filter on recipient is a workaround, but does not feel like the right
> solution.

The "right" solution is highly dependent on the individual.  I for one
despise the Outlook way of handling this -- it forces you to create an
entire profile within the application to separate identity stores
(although newer versions have gotten more flexible in this regard).
Evolution, on the other hand, lets you use multiple identities inline
without any fuss.

You have two main options to deal with this in Evolution:

1) A virtual folder ("vFolder")

2) A "filter" (which you already mentioned)


I generally prefer the vFolder option as this allows messages to belong
to multiple "folders" at the same time, allowing a great deal of
flexibility.  For example, let's say a mutual friend sends your
girlfriend a message.  You may also want to see that message in your
virtual "inbox", and your girlfriend would obviously want to see it in
hers.  vFolders let you do such a thing without having to sort through
the rest of your girlfriends personal messages to read messages from one
person.

Filters are very flexible in their own way, but their purpose is to act
on the message itself (as opposed to building views of messages like
vFolders).  Of course, the methods can be combined if necessary -- Evo
is very flexible.

Greg