Closed Bug 63900 Opened 24 years ago Closed 24 years ago

Add sidebar to message compose and make it hidden by default

Categories

(MailNews Core :: Composition, enhancement, P2)

Product:
MailNews Core
Component:
Composition
Type:
enhancement

Tracking

(Not tracked)

Status:
VERIFIED WONTFIX
Milestone:
Future

People

(Reporter: scottputterman, Assigned: vparthas)

Details

(Keywords: helpwanted)

We should add the sidebar to message compose to be consistent with other major windows but hide it by default since most people will probably not want to use it.
The compose window is not a major window, it is just a subwindow, like bookmarks, history, and so forth. We don't have the sidebar in any of those subwindows, and rightfully so. This one shouldn't either, especially because (as you admit) few people would want the sidebar taking up space when they're trying to type an e-mail.
The sidebar in the main messenger window can be hidden(without the thumb showing up)and people who dont need it can ignore it. Similarly the very few people who would want the sidebar when they're trying to type an e-mail can then view it there and the rest of the world can merely turn it off - as simple as that.
Status: NEW → ASSIGNED
Keywords: mail3, nsbeta1
Okay, but it doesn't make much sense to have it in the composition window, and not every other subwindow in Mozilla.
Well we have the solution right here in our hands - file a bug for each of the windows:-).
I have to aggree with blakross. Anyway, another concern I have with adding the sidebar (open or close) is the impact in the loading time for the message compose window which is already very slow. Can we get some numbers, and if possible on a slow machine, please? Thanks
How about this: we load sidebar only if it's showed when loading compose-window? That would get rid of the unwanted loading, if it's hidden.
It's an overlay, so it's loaded anyways. This is a bad idea. Someone that opens a composition window has a specific intent in mind, namely writing a letter. Same with other subwindows and dialogs in Mozilla. The user typically doesn't want to check out his town's weather or the latest stock quotes when he's writing a letter. I can only see this being useful when you have, for example, a dictionary or thesaurus panel, but I still don't think we should do this.
-Message Reply Speed- Click Reply All to a 2kb HTML message sent to 5 recipients 23.59 seconds on a P133 with 64 megs of RAM.
Some people have asked for this in the message compose window. Nobody that I know will actually ever use this with the current selection of tab :) However, one could imagine various addressing tabs that could be created to make this more useful. I don't think there's anything wrong giving people the choice. As noted this is off by default. It's pretty important that we do performance testing with it hidden to see how much of a difference it makes. If it makes a large difference than I'm in favor of not including it.
QA Contact: esther → pmock
Adding the sidebar to the message composition window seems to make about as much sense as (for example) adding it to the Open File dialog. If you've got a message composition window open, you've got it open for a reason, not because you're looking for something to do (which is what the sidebar offers you).
I totally agree with the previous post. In my opinion, usability has higher priority than consistency.
marking nsbeta1+ and moving to mozilla0.8. We should try to get this in pretty quickly so we can see what it's like and do the perf testing.
Priority: -- → P2
Whiteboard: [nsbeta1+]
Target Milestone: --- → mozilla0.8
How about doing perf testing before checking it in? Why are we going ahead with this idea when there's many reasons in this bug why we shouldn't, and no one seems to have asked for it?
I would really just like to try this out. I know that there are many reasons not to include it. However, the reason to check it in (vs just having Varada test it on his machine) is so that other people can see it. I'd personally like to see it so I can evaluate whether it's worthwhile to do. We've had some requests for it. If it's truly awful it'll get taken out.
I'm also still waiting for this to land so I can do the performance timings.
If we do this, we should at least have a sidebar for templates, form letters and other silly mail composition things.
I think the current sidebar choices that I know about are probably not too compelling for message compose. As has been pointed out, people probably aren't going to want to check their stocks (though I could imagine wanting to have bookmarks for easily attaching links and the Buddy List in NS6. But I think as timeless mentions, there could be interesting things done. We could have a contact list that could be used to easily add addresses. We could have a Templates list that could be easily used to change the template. We could have a spellchecker/dictionary panel that could be used while composing. I'm sure others can think of more interesting uses.
I will try to check this in by tomorrow so that stephen can have a chance to test the performance implications.
Blocks: 63455
No longer blocks: 63455
Do we have engineers assigned to producing /genuinely useful/ mailcompose specific tabs for the sidebar for 6.5? In other words, are we turning this on 'because we can' or because there is something of value to add? I tend to agree with the others who have voiced their opinions here. Sidebar and other browsing services are not relevant to mailcomposition. What is relevant to mail composition is the speedy display time of this window. Currently the display performance is just tolerable, bordering on sucky. Let's not make it worse.
On my PII/366, this window takes ~7 seconds to appear and finish its little focus dance. I don't consider that remotely tolerable. In most popular MUAs, this operation appears instantaneous, as it should when you have a thought ready to type. Adding even a hidden sidebar can only slow this further, not to mention adding further complexity to an overly-busy window. Couldn't the engineering time be better spent *improving* this window, rather than just adding more questionable bells & whistles?
Forgot to mention that I measured this on Win98. One more point: the very fact that everyone wants this off by default should be a clue that it doesn't belong.
I'd say adding this feature without actually providing useful message compose related sidebar panels is counter-active, since it will actually slow the user down without providing anything "in return". Making it hidden by default is even worse. If you actually have something useful, you want it there where everyone can see it first time they start up message compose, not something they have to go search for. Varada, I don't think you need to check this in yet just so stephen can test it. I'm sure stephen can work from patches / zipped up files to test.
Renominating for beta1, however you do that these days...
Whiteboard: [nsbeta1+]
Nooooo! When will the insanity stop? It will start with this window. Then everyone will be asking for a sidebar in every window in Mozilla. Pretty soon prefs will have a sidebar. It will be like an addiction. Lets cut it in the buds. Besides - The comp window should be small enough that a sidebar won't even fit.
it takes me ~2s to open or close an empty message in nc4.76messenger. for now a package that someone could install to test would be fine, however we certainly shouldn't release with this until we can at least approach nc4's speed. [i'd accept 3s]
I'm marking this bug nsbeta1- due to the fact that the only way we could get the sidebar in the window made it look too small and therefore not useable.
Keywords: nsbeta1 → nsbeta1-
Moving to future.
Target Milestone: mozilla0.8 → Future
*** Bug 67609 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Blocks: 66475
For the record: I vote for WONTFIX.
Severity: normal → enhancement
OS: Windows 98 → All
Hardware: PC → All
Agreed. Why don't we mark WONTFIX? I don't think most people are in favor of this right now. If someone can come up with a good reason and a good implementation some time in the future then we can begin the debate again. For now, let's just say it's not going to show up in the message compose window and that there are no plans to make it show up.
Status: ASSIGNED → RESOLVED
Closed: 24 years ago
Resolution: --- → WONTFIX
V-E-R-I-F-I-E-D :-)
Status: RESOLVED → VERIFIED
No longer blocks: 66475
OOOOOH I love you guys. Finally! See also: bug 61846, bug 61847 for a less obtrusive way you can still have your sidebar while you are editing mail.
Keywords: helpwanted
Product: MailNews → Core
Product: Core → MailNews Core
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