[Bug 310919] New: Improve and simplify Grouping and Threading UI

[Bernd Oliver Sünderhauf]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=310919

            Bug ID: 310919
          Severity: wishlist
           Version: 4.10 pre
          Priority: NOR
          Assignee: kdepim-bugs at kde.org
           Summary: Improve and simplify Grouping and Threading UI
    Classification: Unclassified
                OS: Linux
          Reporter: pancho.mz at riseup.net
          Hardware: Ubuntu Packages
            Status: UNCONFIRMED
         Component: UI
           Product: kmail2

The list of Message Aggregating Modes in the main menu is rather long and hard
to grasp.
Many people will regularly switch the modes back and forth, between threaded
and flat view. This is why Thunderbird even has a prominent switch for this in
the header of the messagelist.

Solution 1:
So for power users, it would be good to allow reducing the long and complex
list to the most important ones. Deleting any default modes is not possible
neither would it be a good idea, given the complex configuration of the modes,
so it would be the best solution to allow disabling and reordering it in the
configuration dialog.

Solution 2:
For out-of-the-box users the whole concept of Aggregation modes still is too
complicated. They want to be able to switch grouping on and off, and they want
to be able to switch threading on and off.
So while preserving the flexibility for power users, I'd propose to completely
drop the concept of Aggregation Modes, rather to couple grouping with sorting
and to make threading a separate, orthogonal concept with a separate advanced
UI. This behaviour will in most cases be easier to use.

Now, if someone is willing to implement the first solution as a
stop-gap-measure, that's fine. However, I think that is not really worth
putting much work into, as it doesn't simplify the out-of-the-box usability.

I'm aware that the second solution would be a rather complex change and needs
to be carefully designed and implemented, taking care of most if not all use
cases. So this would be a major project for 4.11.
I'm ready and willing to look into this more closely and, if coming up with a
convincing solution, to announce it with
http://techbase.kde.org/Schedules/KDE4/4.11_Feature_Plan .
In the meantime, please assign this issue to me.

Reproducible: Always

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