Apple Mail view options (or lack of)

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From: Paul Mison
Subject: Apple Mail view options (or lack of)
Date: 10:44 on 03 Dec 2004
In iTunes and the Finder, you can determine which columns are being 
viewed by going to Edit > View Options (command J) and clicking the 
little boxes in the resulting View Options menu.

In iTunes, you can also get at this via a context-click. (You can't 
in the Finder, but I don't mind that too much. I suppose other people 
hate it.)

In Apple Mail, there is no view options setting. No. In Mail, you go 
the Columns  submenu of the View menu, and you check options there. 
Of course, once you've toggled one column, if you want to toggle 
another, that's another trip back to the the top level menu, then 
through the submenu. There's the same rigmarole with a context-click, 
but at least it saves a bit of mouse movement. Not enough, mind you. 
Not nearly enough.

I wouldn't mind so much, but occasionally the blasted thing goes 
batshit and forgets where I've put windows, and which columns I'm 
showing (no, I don't give a shit if a "buddy" is "available" in 
iChat, thank you). Cue fifteen minutes of messing with the view 
options. Such as they are.

Bonus rant: Apple Mail's nasty habit of showing 'relative dates'. 
Bonus bonus rant: apps that don't use the time format from System 
Preferences > International. No, I don't like seeing things like 
12/03/2004 10:33am, you hateful arse. Say hello, Panic's Unison.

While I'm in a good muttering mood, a mail application that put 
iTunes-esque arrows in the mailbox window would be nice. Want to see 
all emails with the subject "V1@GR4"? Just click here! Everything 
you've ever sent to bob@xxxxx.xxx? One click away. It'll never 
happen, I tell you. Too damned useful.

-- 
:: paul
:: historic light cone

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