Re: [Evolution] Reply for list messages should go back to the list

[Nick Jenkins <nickpj gmail com>]

> The real target of this automatic behaviour would be the clueless
> users who don't really think about what they're doing -- yes?

Plus more importantly the vast silent majority of people, who want their
email client to have sensible defaults, so they can just start using it
for its intended purpose, without having to tweak every available
knob/preference/gconf-setting for hours beforehand, in order to get it
into a vaguely sane configuration, that it should have shipped with in
the first place.

> > OK, let's summarize (RT = Reply-To address, LP = List-Post address,
> > SA = Sender or From Address, CC = CC addresses):
>
> This all far too complicated.

Agreed. If it's a user-facing change that too complicated to understand
easily or explain simply, and you need to refer to a table to work out
what the heck is going to happen, then I'm deeply opposed to it, on the
basis that most ordinary users won't understand it either.

This approach of making the proposal ever-more complex, only results in
reduced consensus, thus snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

> So my proposal is:

This earlier proposal sounds good to me, it makes good common sense. Can
we focus on salvaging the bits that are straightforward, unambiguous,
and we have consensus for, please?

That proposal, incorporating most consensus feedback, is something like
this:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
== Behaviours ==
Same as original, except the "Reply to Sender" munging was kept
separate, and the "Reply to List" action was updated to incorporate
further feedback:

   Reply            (Ctrl+R)       : Replies to sender on private emails,
                                     configurable for mailing list posts.
 
   Reply to Sender                 : Works like Reply currently does.
                                     Munging is left as a separate proposal.
 
   Reply to List    (Ctrl+L)       : No change for mailing list posts.
                                     For all other messages, does "reply to all".
 
   Reply to All     (Shift+Ctrl+R) : For mailing list posts, put list
                                     address in To:, sender in Cc:

== Preferences ==

A three-state radio button specifying how to handle replies to mailing
lists.
This probably goes under Edit -> Preferences -> Mail Preferences (or
Composer Preferences) -> General tab, although these tabs are getting
kind of crowded, so maybe it might have to go under a new "Mailing
lists" tab instead.
Defaults to "Ask me".

When replying to mailing list messages:
( ) Reply to the mailing list.
( ) Reply to the sender only.
(*) Ask me how to reply.

== Dialog boxes ==

One additional dialog box, which appears when the user replies to a
mailing list message, and has the "ask me" preference selected:

    ----------------------------------------------------------------
     Would you like to reply to the sender of the mailing list post

        Matthew Barnes <mbarnes redhat com>

     or to the mailing list itself?

        evolution-list gnome org

   [ ] Remember my choice for all mailing list replies

                [ Cancel ]  [ Reply to List ]  [ Reply to Sender ]
    ---------------------------------------------------------------

Checking "remember my choice" would move the preference out of the "ask
me" state, unless you click Cancel.

== Toolbar buttons ==

No change based on whether it's a list message, as modifying toolbar
buttons on the fly violates the Gnome UI guidelines.
-----------------------------------------------------------------


The result of the above is that we get smarter Ctrl-R behaviour for
mailing lists (with full user control), plus we gain a useful general
Ctrl-L shortcut.

Do we have general consensus on the above simplified list-replying
proposal?

Then the "Reply to Sender" munging can be handled separately, as a
distinct proposal, with a separate preference. As can the "Reply to
List" toolbar button.

-- All the best,
Nick.