1313365 - Modify preference setting "Allow immediate server notifications when new messages arrive" to include the word IDLE

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(MailNews Core :: Account Manager, defect)

Description

[Charles]

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:49.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/49.0
Build ID: 20161019084923

Steps to reproduce:

Noticed that the IDLE preference was moved to main Account Settings screen (good!).




Actual results:

Also noticed that the word 'IDLE' was removed from the preference setting description (bad!).


Expected results:

The word 'IDLE' should be included in the preference description, since this is exactly what this setting is used for. Not including this word creates confusion for those who know what IDLE is.

I have no problem with using terminology that makes it easier to understand, but the proper technical terms should still be used whenever possible.

I propose that the description be changed to:

"Allow instant server notification of new messages (IDLE support)"

This is only 3 additional characters (5 if you keep the word 'immediate' instead of 'instant'), and eliminates the question mark for those who know what IDLE is. I myself was not completely sure that this is precisely what this setting was for without a lot of googling and stumbling on bug 449021.

Comment 1

[rsx11m]

If this is changed, please modify the label for Thunderbird only.
SeaMonkey has the benefit of a built-in help which explains "IDLE."

Comment 2

[Charles]

In my opinion, you should not have to go through additional steps (open Help, find it) for something like this.

This pref is for enabling/disabling IDLE support. What is the problem with making that clear?

Comment 3

[rsx11m]

We don't have the additions for "Use HTML" and other items in the Account Settings either, no need to clutter the pane if we have the Help button just there to guide people with what they need (and which is more detailed than the label can be anyway).

Comment 4

[Charles]

Don't get me wrong, I don't use SeaMonkey. so am unconcerned with pushing this to it.

But if a Pref is there, it should be properly labeled. Not mentioning 'IDLE' when the pref is for enabling/disabling IDLE support just creates confusion.

Comment 5

[Kent James (:rkent)]

In general, I agree that it would be best if UI included some path for people with clue to figure out that "oh, that is the IDLE setting!" without having to find the code that implements the pref. But I have not looked at this particular UI change.

Comment 6

[Charles]

Attachment: This is what the old UI Pref looked like

Thanks Kent...

This is a screenshot of what the old UI looked like.

It was accessed by going to Tools > Account Settings > Server Settings then clicking the Advanced button.

Comment 7

[Charles]

Attachment: This is what the new UI Pref looks like

and this is the new one, moved to the main Server Settings window (so, no more clicking the Advanced button), with the new text label with no more mention of IDLE.

Comment 8

[Charles]

Attachment: Old_IDLE_UI_Pref.png

Sorry, dunno how that got cropped like that...

Comment 9

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

I don't think we want to do this, it's very tech jargon.