Let me offer these observations.

First, I've talked to many security aware customers who did not know 
that Communicator supported S/MIME. These same customers knew that 
Outlook Express supported S/MIME.  Communicator did a great job of 
hiding the S/MIME controls so no one could find them.  Outlook Express 
has Sign and Encrypt icons in the mail compose toolbar. Given how 
important security  is these days I think it's important to improve the 
feature's discoverability.  I think we can do that in a way that works 
with the rest of the UI.

Second, users don't change priority settings often because doing so does 
not improve most communications.  In fact, the idea is somewhat silly. 
:-)  Almost all email marked HIGHEST priority in my mail is spam. So I 
would propose that security and priority are not similar in usage or 
importance.

Question: do you prefer option 1 to the original spec where Sign and 
Encrypt are controlled by the small icons next to the Online icon?

-Bob


Scott Putterman wrote:

> I prefer option 1.  Based on messages I receive and messages I expect 
> that most users will receive, most people aren't changing the priority 
> and security options on a regular basis. So I don't see any reason to 
> put those options in such a prominent spot (whether below the 
> attachments area or on the toolbar).  I think putting it in the options 
> menu in the main menu bar is where it should go and feedback should show 
> on the status bar where it shows for everything other window.
> 
> Scott
> 
> Jennifer Glick wrote:
> 
>> In response to the original posting,  Mail Security Spec 
>> <news://news.mozilla.org/3BE067D8.E521F3E9%40netscape.com>, some 
>> alternative ideas are posted here:
>> http://www.mozilla.org/mailnews/specs/security/Options.html
> 
> 
> 


-- 
Bob Lord
Director, Security Engineering
Netscape Communications Corp.
PKI Home Page: http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/pki/

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