Show account list on start

[ByteHamster]

I don't use the feature but there are many users asking for it on the forum.

@cketti How was the old setting called? Can the value be re-used?

[cketti]

I don't think there was a setting. The account list was displayed if there was more than one account set up.

I don't like making this a setting. I'd rather create a separate app that uses MessageProvider to display an account overview screen. Then someone who really wants this feature can maintain that app.

One thing I've learned is that there's always a group of users that will hate UI changes and complain loudly about it. But so far I haven't seen anyone make a good argument for why K-9 Mail needs to start with an account overview screen, especially one considering all available alternatives. It mostly boils down to "I don't want to change the way I use the app", which is fair. But to me that's not a good enough reason not to change the app.

[ByteHamster]

It mostly boils down to "I don't want to change the way I use the app", which is fair.

I think that's a rather important point. Many users don't like change - that's why I'm extremely careful about UI changes in AntennaPod, too :)

But to me that's not a good enough reason not to change the app.

I'm using the same blog post as you when users provide an argument like "just add a setting, it won't hurt". In this case I would still say that it is worth it. The account overview was a pretty "visible" feature of the app. So when comparing it with settings like "Font size", "name above subject" or "show animations", I think this one has a higher justification.

I'd rather create a separate app that uses MessageProvider to display an account overview screen.

Creating that separate app (even if you don't maintain it) will probably be more work than to maintain the rather small setting that has immediate effect on users, I think. Users might then also report bugs in that other app on the K-9 bug tracker.

I just thought that it might make quite a few users happy without having too many downsides.

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Anyway, I personally wouldn't use the setting, so I will stop arguing now (sorry - you currently have enough people arguing already). If you really don't want it, feel free to close :)

[cketti]

Creating that separate app (even if you don't maintain it) will probably be more work than to maintain the rather small setting that has immediate effect on users, I think. Users might then also report bugs in that other app on the K-9 bug tracker.

Your change doesn't reliably work for me. Most of the time the drawer is opened, but the folder list is displayed instead of the account list. Then the drawer is opened every time the activity is recreated (when settings change, orientation change).
So even getting the initial implementation right is non-trivial. And in my experience this is the kind of feature that easily breaks when someone touches the drawer code. So I'd say there's a non-negligible maintenance cost.

I'm not totally opposed to adding such a setting. But I'm fairly certain that even if we added it, people would complain that it's not exactly like it was in 5.600.

[ByteHamster]

But I'm fairly certain that even if we added it, people would complain that it's not exactly like it was in 5.600.

Yeah, probably... So, how do we continue? Should I try to make it more reliable?

[cketti]

No. I don't think it would help. People seem to like the overview screen because they can get to the Inbox of an account with one tap and then back to the overview screen using the back button. Opening the drawer and switching to the account list when pressing the back button in an Inbox feels super weird. I'd rather not add this.

Before making/proposing any changes let's first try to find out what exactly people are trying to accomplish. So far all I've learned is that K-9 Mail behaves differently now. And that's bad 🙄

[cketti]

Forum post asking people to explain how they use the account overview screen: https://forum.k9mail.app/t/why-was-the-account-overview-screen-useful/1573