Number: 1718

Date: 27-Jul-84 15':19':03

Submitter: Roach

Source: Roach

Subject: Persisting Lafite Message Editor Window

Assigned To: 

Attn: 

Status: Declined

In/By: 

Problem Type: Design - UI

Impact: Annoying

Difficulty: 

Frequency: Everytime

Priority: Perhaps

System: Text

Subsystem: Lafite

Machine: 1100

Disk: 

Lisp Version: 26-Jul-84 03':25':17

Source Files: 

Microcode Version: 5121

Memory Size: 2688

File Server: 

Server Software Version: 

Disposition: 

Description: When I button "Deliver" in a Lafite "Message Editor" window, why doesn''t this window just close immediately?  The "Abort" functionality seems to go nearly unused and doesn''t appear to be something that I couldn''t do for myself through already known manipulations with the Process Status Window.  Or Lafite could reopen its window with the Abort button if things do not appear to be going well after some time limit.  So I wind up pushing this obtrusive window off the edge of my screen.'
     Second, when the process behind the "Message Editor" finishes, it leaves an icon on my screen.  This would be fine if Interlisp used icons uniformly for all windows, but Interlisp doesn''t.  So not having <LISPUSERS>ICON loaded, the Lafite icons are rather exceptional and therefore unaesthetic.  I wind up closing them, why doesn''t Lafite?  If there is some point in recovering an old "Message Editor" window, why not let there just be a main "Message Editor" window. '
'
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Date': 31 Jul 84 16':50 PDT'
From': vanMelle.pa'
'
The popular use of "Abort" is not for when Lafite is having problems, but for when the user notices at the last minute that there is something wrong in the message, it is misaddressed, some final comments were forgotten, etc.  For this it is important to leave the message up on the screen.'
'
I wouldn''t even consider advertising abortability via the psw.  Besides being too slow, it is a hacker''s interface.'
'
So anyway, I decline that part of the AR.'
'
As for the silly little icon, I agree it is silly.  Ar #306 addresses this question.  An impressive number of users like the silly little icon, mostly as a way of telling them how many recipients (!).  My current plans are to replace the icon with some sort of status printing somewhere, along with a way to re-edit any of the last n messages sent (which is what one might think the icon is for in the first place, and be mistaken).'


Workaround: 

Test Case: 

Edit-By: vanMelle

Edit-Date: 31-Jul-84 21':17':53