Suggest: Make archiving a two key process. I've never used archive, but today, I showed someone an email, and they vanished it, by hitting th A key in moving pc
[It's hard to find anywhere to make a suggestion!]
I know that a lot of key combinations are already assigned, but, if possible, I think it would be helpful to users not completely familiar with Thunderbird, if the hit 'A' to archive function was made more accident proof.
I had had no call to use the function, so was, until today, unaware of how easy it was to archive by mistake. I was showing an important message to an advisor, when he moved the notebook, and then said the email had disappeared. Not knowing about the 'A' key, I thought he must have double deleted it somehow, because Global Search did not find it.
Luckily, Windows 7's indexer must have picked the change up faster than Global Search's, and I discovered that a mystery new folder had been created, which turned out to be a new archive. So I was eventually relieved to be able to move the file back to the inbox.
I think that someone less computer savvy than myself would probably have just given the email up as lost. The guy who 'lost' it certainly would have, and he's a lawyer.
I think that a simple key, that is close to the edge of a portable computer, is not a very sensible choice for a function that can instantly 'vanish' messages (Although, to an experienced user this may be convenient.)
All Replies (3)
For future reference: If you accidentally move/delete an email, the quick method is to immediately use: Edit > Undo move message or Undo Delete message
Regarding accidentally hitting a key; any key can be accidentally pressed :)
This is a link to a page all about shortcuts.
To 'Customizing keyboard shortcuts' look for that section at above link.
Thanks Toad-Hall.
My point though, is that this was done while my back was turned and I had no idea what the other person had done. He hadn't pressed delete, and nothing was in the deleted folders. And, at the time I didn't know about the 'A' key, because, I just do a once yearly filter on my inboxes and sents, and combine them into one home made archive folder. That had seemed quite simple enough already :)
I thought he must have twisted the keyboard. These HP notebooks are quite flexible and the keys are a bit hit and miss too, so I thought an effective multi-key press must have happened when he moved the pc.
Now I know what the key does, I'll be ready when it happens again, but, this is the sort of thing that scares people off, when I'm trying to encourage them to change by telling them how simple Thunderbird is.
I'll have a look at what combinations of reassignment possibilities are left, but I was really thinking of other potential users rather than myself.
Cheers.
undo works regardless of if you know what has been done or not.