1777844 - Improve/optimize the buttons on the compose toolbar to minimize the current duplication. Encrypt and S/Mime. Both encrypt. Perhaps consider enabling more used option by default.

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(MailNews Core :: Security: OpenPGP, defect)

Description

[Matt]

Attachment: image.png

Release V102 introduced two default buttons on the compose toolbar that appear to perpetuate the myth that PGP is encryption and S/Mime is S/Mime.

This toolbar should show a single encrypt button, if displaying something so esoteric in a default install without any supporting configuration is really necessary at all.

Encryption is not just PGP or whatever library is used. It included s/mime.
If both PGP and S/Mime are configured, the button press should ask the user which they want to use, not clutter the toolbar with two items, generally only one of which will be used. I actually don't know of anyone that routinely uses s/mime encryption and PGP encryption for their mail. But perhaps my usage and that of those I know is just not common usage.

Overloading a user interface with toolbar options that are visible and enabled by default that are used by less than 1% of Thunderbirds users is probably not good UI design, but I will leave that to those paid to make such determinations. Personally I would prefer to see any of these toolbar options displayed by default as they would have a higher general user base; contacts, quote, copy, cut, paste, print, receipt or priority. Previous bugs have offered the explanation of simplifying the user interface for not displaying them, if that still holds true these encryption items should not be displayed by default and certainly not unless encryption of some sort is actually configured.

Comment 1

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

This is per design: the encrypt button needs to do only that, toggle encryption. The S/MIME button you see is normally showing only if you have both S/MIME and OpenPGP configured so you can choose.

I agree the number of buttons should be kept down. But having Encrypt is still reasonable, since otherwise people might not realize they can.