Replies: 1 comment

1) Floating PIM pane
3) Built-in instant messaging
11) Peer-to-peer document sharing

These are feature creep. In my kitchen, my toaster is easy to use. If you combine my toaster with my bread maker you confuse me. If you combine my toaster and bread maker with my toaster oven, you confound me. Simple tasks become complex when inundating users with configuration options and multiple functions.

2) Split-view in-box - I suspect most employees use a web-based interface from their ISP (or Yahoo.com, Eudoramail.com, etc.) for personal e-mail. There are too many privacy issues with combing work and personal e-mail. As for me, I manage 10+ work accounts and run separate sessions of my e-mail client to manage them all. I would never want all of my e-mail mixed up together in the same interface.

4) Calendar-linked autoresponse - This is wrong in two ways. If you have access to my schedule, and it shows I'm away, you do not need an e-mail telling you what you already know.

If you do not have access to my schedule, do you really want my scheduler to e-mail you? Think about it. How many times have you posted to a mailing list and gotten back a dozen auto-responses from people on vacation? Do you want e-mails every time you contact someone who is not in front of their computer at that moment? If you want that level of assurance, use the telephone.

5) Integrated PGP encryption - Yes. This should be standard in all e-mail clients.

6) Spam autoreporting - Easy auto-complaining would deluge overburdened ISPs, and nothing would change. Instead, make spam filtering better, and beef up anti-spam laws.

Better yet, after the user identifies a spam, have it autoforwarded to a global repository. This repository would then rank a spam's evilness by how many times it has been reported. Your e-mail client would download a definitions list (similar to virus definitions) so it can more effectively filter future spam. Harness the power of millions of victims and put spammers out of business.

7) Mouseover contact information - Leave contact information to a double-click or right-click. I want the contact information immediately, not by hovering over a person's name until the hover kicks in.

8) Smart e-mail notification - Provide this feature, but disable it by default. It's for savvy users.

9) All-powerful right-clicking - Fine, but don't make right-clicking necessary. Too many users never right-click for anything anywhere. Right-clicking remains a hidden function.

10) Easy-access message templates - Hmm, is CNET promoting form letters? Every person or company who has sent me a canned response has made me think less of them.