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[SM16 UI] Window Panes & Feedback
Idea shared by kevind - 3/25/2017 at 10:05 AM
Completed
One nice thing in SM15, Thunderbird, Outlook, etc. is the ability to resize the window panes (folder, inbox, & preview) so that you can maximize what you see in your browser. That doesn't work in SM16.
 
If it can't be fixed, I propose reducing the width % of the folder pane and increase the width % of the preview pane. Many messages are not responsive and it's a pain to scroll right/left to read them in the preview window. It's especially bothersome when there's a lot of empty space in the folder pane.
 
Thanks.

37 Replies

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0
Employee Replied
3/28/2017 at 9:11 AM
Employee Post
Thank you for the feedback, Kevin!
0
Tim Uzzanti Replied
3/28/2017 at 10:49 AM
Employee Post
This is by design because elements that move don't work well in VERY responsive interfaces.  The primary focus is to scale the interface based on your screen size (desktop, tablet, mobile etc.) while also adapting for input methods for that screen.
Tim Uzzanti CEO SmarterTools Inc. www.smartertools.com
6
Tim, thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, this is a step backward.
 
Here's an example of the problem. There's plenty of unused space in the folder pane, but the preview pane is too small. I can't see the entire message. Furthermore, there are no scroll bars in the preview pane to go left/right or up/down.
 
0
Tim Uzzanti Replied
3/29/2017 at 9:57 AM
Employee Post
I'm not sure what size you have made your window.  But, SmarterMail is sized to work with 1366x768 minimum with the left panel expanded.  Here is a chart of most common screen sizes: http://www.rapidtables.com/web/dev/screen-resolution-statistics.htm
 
For people that use smaller screens on a desktop or tablet, it is intended that the left panel be closed.
 
Also, as you can see there are some things not aligned properly on the left panel which will be resolved in an upcoming version.
Tim Uzzanti CEO SmarterTools Inc. www.smartertools.com
7
OK, just providing feedback. The new interface in SM16 is just not that appealing. It's not user-friendly and does't have the flexibility of the SM15 interface.
 
Ideally, our users/customers would like a powerful, browser-based desktop interface that does everything an email client like Outlook can do. You don't need the responsive stuff for smartphones and tablets because 98% of those users will just use the device's built-in email app.
 
Thanks.
1
Maybe you should automatically close the left panel for smaller screens?
0
Tim Uzzanti Replied
3/30/2017 at 9:47 AM
Employee Post
We are. You will notice the interface is responsive when resizing your browser. Where this occurs is based based on most common monitor sizes, tablet sizes and phone sizes etc.
Tim Uzzanti CEO SmarterTools Inc. www.smartertools.com
0
Tim Uzzanti Replied
3/30/2017 at 10:05 AM
Employee Post
Kevin, As soon as something doesn't apply to you its not important and shouldn't be important to others...and then you degrade the product and us....

Honestly, this makes us ignore your posts and your requests and focus on other customers who understand how hard we are working to make a product that goes beyond anything our competitors offer.

And the request for SmarterMail to become responsive and work across all Desktops, Laptops, Tablets, and Mobile is one of the most requested features spanning across ISP, Hosting Companies, Enterprises and Users.

I also use a mail apps on Tablets and Mobile devices for email.

But the requests are by:

Users who want to manage their content filters or use their file storage without going to a computer.

Domain Administrators who want to create/delete users or manage every aspect of their domain without going to a computer.

Mail Administrators who want to add domains, manage the spool, block intrusions or do any mail administrator task without going to a computer.

What we have done in SmarterMail 16.x is built a more powerful Web Application for EVERYONE at EVERY level whether on a Desktop, Tablet or Mobile device.

Tim Uzzanti
CEO
Tim Uzzanti CEO SmarterTools Inc. www.smartertools.com
1
Really? Are you confusing me with someone else? If you read my posts, I'm just trying to provide constructive feedback. I don't degrade you or your employees.

We have huge investment in SmarterMail and I would like to see it succeed as much as anyone else.

And for the record, I do like the mobile capabilities for admins -- totally makes sense. But it seems to detract from the desktop version.
7
I'm beginning to think that SM is suffering from "feature-creep," especially with regard to V16. What we admins (and users) want is a fast, responsive, reliable and user-friendly product, that also works very well with Outlook, with all of Outlook's features intact (the same features and general reliability that Exchange+Outlook users have come to expect).
0
Tim Uzzanti Replied
3/31/2017 at 12:53 PM
Employee Post
Happend to be reading this article and rememberd your comment.
These are relatively new services with Microsoft's being the newest.
http://www.windowscentral.com/how-does-microsoft-teams-compare-slack
Tim Uzzanti CEO SmarterTools Inc. www.smartertools.com
0
With all due respect.... this new interface can be very UNresponsive at times. It's painfully slow without an i7 7700K computer with a $1000 graphics card.

I don't even want the preview pane. Why are we now forced to have the preview pane?
5
Derek Curtis Replied
6/15/2017 at 9:50 AM
Employee Post
Adding in the ability to change the position of the preview pane, or remove it completely, are part of the roadmap for the .1 release as it will take some time to implement. 
Derek Curtis COO SmarterTools Inc. www.smartertools.com
0
Good to know this is being worked on and not grossly rejected as a feature in the name of "responsiveness". Personally won't be upgrading to 16 until this feature is implemented.
6
Saw that this thread got marked as completed, but changing the position (horizontal/vertical) of the preview pane was not my original request.
 
Would like to resize the folder, message, and preview panes like you can in SM15.
 
Requesting this thread get changed to Under Consideration. Thanks!
0
Indeed, we would also like to be able to resize the panes.
0
couldn't have agreed more with with him. Yes it's responsive, but at the same time it's not accommodating to people who could hardly see their emails properly because they can't resize the interface
4
Politely requesting the "Completed" status be removed from this thread. Would still like the ability to resize window panes like in 15.x. It would allow users to take advantage of all the extra space on a desktop screen.
 
Others have posted messages asking for the same thing, maybe because this post was marked as Completed.
THANKS!
0
This is why I stick with Outlook :)
0
IE for Outlook, I hide the folder window completely, when I need it, I hover / click and it slides out and I select the folder. We have had numerous customers ask for the ability to hide the folder list completely (as they only use the Inbox). I would love to be able to hide it and then just have a little tab or carrot you hover / click and the folder list slides out.
0
We've also had MANY requests to allow sorting the email list pane by date or by sender name, flagged etc. Other products we've checked out allow sorting by date, sender, size, subject, attachments, flags, priority etc.
0
Employee Replied
12/14/2017 at 3:08 PM
Employee Post
Hello echoDreamz, You can hide the folder list by clicking the hamburger icon in the top left above the folders. You can also sort the mail list by various things by going to the dropdown to the right of the reply button. When you hover over it you should see a tooltip that says sorting.
0
Well shit. Thanks Matthew!
0
One little request, could the hamburger have a hover event on it that displays the folder list as a "slide out" if it the pane is hidden? Doesnt move the content etc. just slides out, saves a click of having to close it again and if you want it perm, just click again.
3
Can we mark this thread as under consideration or something other than Completed. Continue to see similar requests in the forum:
 
Thanks.
3

Time for me to add my 2 cents.  My ISP 'upgraded' last night from v15 to v16 without warning. My users were just a wee bit on the shocked side when everything changed. And by everything, I mean...
 
v16 is slower.
Being 'responsive' does not translate into faster.
 
No support for older browsers.
Again, most likely the result of becoming 'responsive'. What about those individuals that can't run the lastest whiz-bang browser, even on their mobile device.
 
Too much screen real estate wasted.
You state that it is sized for screens 1366x768. With that in mind, it should be painfully obvious that vertical space is scarce and wasted space should be kept to a minimum
 
No mulit-column format option
Enough said
 
No confirmation of delete when selecting multiple messages
Not only is there no 'do you really want to' prompt, there is also no indication that it's being done.
 
A message must be clicked to open instead of the simple press of the 'Enter' key.
 
Who cares about a pretty picture on the login screen?
It adds nothing to functionality, but DOES consume data on mobile devices.
 
The message date is way more important than the message size.
While I do use the message size on occasion, I would much rather have the message DATE on the left instead of all the way to the right margin of the window. Then again, there's also no valid reason why the both couldn't be on the left, as in    
 
(date)  (size)  (attachments)  (flags)
 
There is less wasted space and the important stuff is all together and it isn't missed by being thrown to the edge of the window.
 
0
Matt Petty Replied
12/19/2017 at 3:05 PM
Employee Post
Are you using Preview pane on the right? I feel like it might help with
-No mulit-column format option (assuming this is what your talking about)
and
-The message date is way more important than the message size.
Matt Petty Senior Software Developer SmarterTools Inc. www.smartertools.com
1
Matt, can you change the status of this thread so it's not marked as Completed and still an idea?

Thanks,
Kevin
3
I must say it really is a step back not to be able to resize the window panes.
 
For instance: when naming folders and/or when having subfolders you very quickly run into the problem that the complete foldername can't be displayed....which is very annoying!
 
Can you at least bring the resizing of the folder-pane back!?
3
Employee Replied
1/12/2018 at 10:14 AM
Employee Post
Being able to adjust the folder-pane is being brought back in SmarterMail 17.
0
Thank goodness. This will please quite a few of our customers.
0
I completely agree with the cute image wallpaper junk. When we upgraded that was the 1st thing I went scrambling for to "fix". Then of course there was a bug that prevented the settings from taking effect :(
0
I will also note that the system has progressed nicely. UI improvements, better performance, they are knocking out the bugs we keep reporting quickly. So props to that.

Still though, I miss the good ol' days of SM 15 :)
1
Employee Replied
1/17/2018 at 4:57 PM
Employee Post
I'm pleased to announce that we will be adding the adjustable folder panes into SM 16 in the next minor release! It was easier to facilitate other SM 16.x changes now rather than waiting until SM 17.
0
Great news! Things jumping around on the screen because it doesn't fit is making me nauseous.

Now, about bringing back the single-line format...
3
Derek Curtis Replied
1/19/2018 at 7:56 AM
Employee Post
FYI: the adjustable panes is in the release we put out last night: 16.3.6592
Derek Curtis COO SmarterTools Inc. www.smartertools.com
0
Derek Curtis Replied
1/19/2018 at 8:48 AM
Employee Post
As an aside, we just published a blog post with an overview of what's being worked on for SmarterMail 17: What's on the Horizon -- https://www.smartertools.com/blog/2018/01/18-SmarterMail-17-Introduction
Derek Curtis COO SmarterTools Inc. www.smartertools.com
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