Re: [boost] [Report] 20 regressions on RC_1_34_0

From: Braden McDaniel (braden_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-01-12 11:03:15

On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 21:08:16 -0800, Thomas Witt wrote:

> Braden,
> 
> Braden McDaniel wrote:
>> On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:58:46 -0800, Thomas Witt wrote:
>> 
>> I see you're using Thunderbird. You can configure it to thread properly by
>> setting these options in user.js:
>> 
>>   user_pref("mail.thread_without_re", false);
>>   user_pref("mail.strict_threading", true);
>> 
>> You will need to delete your *.msf files so that Thunderbird can
>> regenerate them.
> 
> Thanks for the info. I was not aware of that.
> 
>> 
>> The unfortunate fact of the matter is that, by and large, this behavior is
>> deliberate. Apparently the perception on the part of the developers of
>> mail clients that group unrelated messages with matching subjects is that
>> their users demand this functionality.
>> 
>> The solution, then, is for users who find this functionality objectionable
>> either to change it or to use a different mail reader that functions as
>> desired. The solution is not for persons to start adding arbitrary noise
>> to the subjects of their e-mail.
> 
> Frankly, you are missing the point. These messages are important (at 
> least I think so). I don't want them to be lost in a random thread. I.e. 
> I want a subject line that avoids threading whatever client or default 
> configuration is used. More important I want it now and I don't want to 
> educate otherwise busy people about their client/configuration choice to 
> get there.

Note your repeated use of "I" above. "You" have the tools to fix this
for "you".

As indicated, there apparently exists a significant number of users who
*want* otherwise unrelated messages with the same subject to be grouped
together. I don't understand this desire; but I can't deny that it exists.
As such, I find dubious the suggestion that, for such users, messages so
grouped become "lost in a random thread". You and I might see it that way;
but I think if they saw it that way, they wouldn't really like this
behavior.

-- 
Braden McDaniel                           e-mail: <braden_at_[hidden]>
<http://endoframe.com>                    Jabber: <braden_at_[hidden]>