On Monday, November 29, 1999, Douglas Hinds wrote:
> Is that "my" confusion or is that simply an option not explained in
> the TB help file? ...
OK, your confusion stems from filtering being inadequately explained in
the Help file. You won't get an argument from me about the Help file,
but it is what it is for now. There's alot any new user has to discover
on their own at this point. Either they like the program enough to
bother or not. BTW: If you read German, there is nice site for help on
the Web, but I don't have the URL, as I don't.
> This problem could have been avoided simply by making the manual only
> option contingent on selecting active first, a very common button
> implementation (it would be grayed out until selecting active).
Yes, could be done for sure and leave the check mark on the manual only
option when deactivating, but grey it out.
PF>> Right, thus the option on the re-filter dialog for "Manual filters
PF>> only". Re-filtering without checking that option will invoke all
PF>> active filters, regardless of whether or not the "Manual only"
PF>> option is checked for the filter.
> The funky part is that the re-filtering menu asks for this, uselessly.
Not really. There are situations where a user wants to invoke only the
manual filters. I have filters that I use that way.
PF>> There is nothing in the Help file about this recently added feature
PF>> [regular expressions] and no one here is sure how to use it, but
PF>> you don't really need it for most filtering you normally want to
PF>> do.
> How do you know if you don't know what it does? You are being
> protective, perhaps.
I don't think so. I don't tend to be protective of software. :) There
was some discussion of the uses of regular expressions on the list and I
think most users will find little need for the feature.
>>> , although there *is* something on "Special syntax", "used for
>>> signal strings", which I assume is what that refers to.
PF>> No, this doesn't refer to Regular Expression. It refers to syntax that
PF>> may used in conditions in any case.
> Are you sure?
Yes, read the section in the Help file.
> What's a Regular Expression, then?
Check the list archives. I think the discussion is in there.
> If it was possible to set the ticker for just arrived messages, and
> the ticker showed the folder the message was in, this would be less
> necessary. I could filter more things automatically. Also, while the
> ticker can be turned on with a keystroke set, to turn it off you have
> to go into a menu.
Well, I would personally be opposed to attaching a lot of filtering
functionality to the ticker, since filtering can be accomplished in the
program itself.
> You are right as things stand, but this also implies a need for an
> accessible filter manager ...
Has been suggested by others.
PF>> I don't use the ticker.
> That is understandable, in terms of the present implementation. But
> the concept is good, and could b useful if taken further.
I can't imagine ever using it. To me, it's akin to having a cell phone
constantly stuck in your ear.
> Even Netscape Messenger lets you both flag and establish a 5 tiered
> priority.
There are several things I like about Messenger better than TB, as well
as every other mailer I've used or tried, which is probably about all of
them not branded MS.
> What do you think about having filters implemented for user set flags?
> That's a damn good idea, even if I had to think of it and say so
> myself.
Has been suggested by others. I agree that it would be nice, as would
flags of some sort. Most people want color coding, but I don't prefer it
myself.
PF>> Many things can be accomplished with TB once you start thinking
PF>> like it does. :)
> OK, but I also want it (and the developers) to think like I do. (You
> and I are coming at this from a somewhat different genetic perspective
> here, in terms of x's & y's - and no offense meant - after all, I'm
> part x myself, and some of my favorite people are totally x people).
I going to ignore that.
--
Paula Ford
The Bat! 1.36 (reg)
Windows 95 4.0 Build 950
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