Re: [Evolution] Non-intuitive design POP/On this computer User Interface

[Patrick O'Callaghan <poc usb ve>]

On Sun, 2018-11-18 at 12:38 +0100, Chide wrote:
> And as a follow-up to my previous question, a feature request based on
> it at the end of this post. It may save other users  quite some time if
> they end up in the same "corner" of evolution as I did... 
>
> (Note that I'm a fan of evolution, already been happily using it for
> years, hence this is no critique, but a tip to make it even better ;-))
>
> On Sat, 2018-11-17 at 19:21 +0100, Andre Klapper wrote:
> > On Sat, 2018-11-17 at 14:03 +0100, Chide wrote:
> > > Version Evolution: 3.28.5-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 
> > > I created a new POP account. It worked.
> > > Then I switched it off (Edit -> Accounts -> Mail Accounts). It
> > > disappeared from the Mail overview.
> > I don't see a bug. As far as I know, POP accounts do not have and
> > never had a separate node in the folder pane in Evolution's mail view
> > (contrary to IMAP accounts).
> > All mail of any POP accounts ends up under "On this Computer".
>
> I must say that this is a quite confusing, and non-intuitive user-
> interface design decision within evolution.

"Intuitive", like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. What you mean
is "other email clients I've used don't work this way". There are many
differences between Evo and other MUAs and this is one of them. Evo was
designed as an IMAP client and that's where it takes its design cues
from. It supports POP of course, but there's no question that for most
people POP is a protocol of last resort. If you want to organise your
POP mail into folders, use Search folders. There are several
discussions of this on the list archives. In fact it's even in the
Help, under the heading "Separating POP mail for more than one
account".

> One would expect that switching on the POP account (in the Mail
> Accounts preferences) itself should show it in the mail-client. But it
> does not. I think it would be a more consistent design decision to, for
> example, warn the user that he or she should also switch on "On this
> computer" once he or she checks the box next to a POP account. Or even
> switch it on automatically. 
>
> After all, for what reason would someone check a POP box, and not want
> to see it? 

It's on by default. In fact I didn't even know it was possible to
switch it off (not that I've ever looked). If someone does switch it
off, presumably they know what they're doing. I guess Evo could offer
to turn it back on if a POP account is created, but it seems like a
minor issue. Feel free to file a Request For Enhancement.

poc