[Simon]

OK, as far as I understand and from the screen shots I've seen from Panther's Mail.app the mailbox drawer is still a drawer like in Jaguar.

But why?

In Panther's Finder, iTunes, iPhoto or in Safari's bookmark view Apple has introduced this left window pane UI element. It is beeing used throughout the system for various apps and it works. Most people enjoy it, especially since those that don't want it can hide it. Everybody's happy.

What is the reason that Mail.app is still using the drawer instead of this window pane?

I think consistency is a big advantage of Mac OS X. Wouldn't it be nice to see Apple use the same elements throughout the system for similar things than (randomly) switching between different concepts?

[eevyl]

I really prefer the drawer in Mail. The change to a window pane would also mean turning it brushed metal, for sure, and that is one thing I really really hope don't happen in the future.

Just tired of broken UI with all the brushed metal anywhere.

[biscuit]

Yeah, drawers are funny things aren't they. Seems like a lot of people around here don't like them and Apple seems to use them very, very sparsely. I always thought they were a good UI idea and was surprised there weren't more in 10.1 (my first OSX experience).

Yep, they're a real puzzler them drawers...

biscuit

[maxintosh]

Actually, iCal 1.5 in Panther replaces the Inspector with a drawer. I don't mind the drawer in Mail, and the rest of Panther mail is pretty sick

[monkeybrain]

In panther mail does the window resize to accomodate the drawer if the window is maximised? It doesn't in jag, to new users it would appear like the mailbox drawer button does nothing at all.

[Developer]

Originally posted by monkeybrain:
In panther mail does the window resize to accomodate the drawer if the window is maximised?

Yes, I hate that.

[cybergoober]

Originally posted by monkeybrain:
In panther mail does the window resize to accomodate the drawer if the window is maximised?

No. At least not on my systems...

[clarkgoble]

The bigger issue is if the drawer is resizable. i.e. can you control how far out the drawer pulls. Right now you end up with all this empty space that is unnecessary. I wouldn't mind the drawer so much if you had more control over its real estate.

[eevyl]

You can resize the drawer in Mail.

[aaanorton]

The drawer in Mail just doesn't do the job well. Increasingly, more and more people will find it impossible to use Mail with the drawer closed, which begs questioning why it's a drawer in the first place. Once you assign anything other than the "In" box as a receive folder, the drawer must be open or you'll never know that you've received any mail. The Dock icon does not report received mail in other boxes; and even novice users are using this feature. If the drawer were resizable, everything in it would need to re-justify as well, so the bolded text (indicating new msgs) could be seen.
A left-hand pane seems to make more sense here. While it could be closed entirely, it seems more permanent. And resizing it would simply cut text off from the right as desired: no re-justifying messiness.

[Simon]

Originally posted by aaanorton:
The drawer in Mail just doesn't do the job well. Increasingly, more and more people will find it impossible to use Mail with the drawer closed, which begs questioning why it's a drawer in the first place. Once you assign anything other than the "In" box as a receive folder, the drawer must be open or you'll never know that you've received any mail. The Dock icon does not report received mail in other boxes; and even novice users are using this feature. If the drawer were resizable, everything in it would need to re-justify as well, so the bolded text (indicating new msgs) could be seen.
A left-hand pane seems to make more sense here. While it could be closed entirely, it seems more permanent. And resizing it would simply cut text off from the right as desired: no re-justifying messiness.

Aaanorton, thanks! I couldn't have said it better. A permanent content should not be in a drawer. Left-pane makes more sense.

[- - e r i k - -]

Indeed. I think this is what should separate drawer from panes: In panes you put permanent, important information. In drawers you put things like the thumbnails in Preview.

In fact, preview is one of the few apps where the drawer makes sense.

[Some Guy []]

who cares, metal is ugly and mail.app is the best mail client ever.


-justin

[Simon]

Originally posted by Some Guy []:
who cares

We do.

It's about consistency and logic, not about BM vs. Aqua.

You, of course, don't have to care. You are free to leave.