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Old 5 Mar 2017, 11:36 AM   #1
ellentk
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view messages as text by default

On 3/3/16, smartguy wrote, "The feature of the classic interface that I like best is the ability to view messages in text format by default, but then change to html view when needed. If this feature was added to regular interface, I might be convinced to use it."

ITA. This feature protects fastmail users. As of today, I see it has not been added to the new interface. Are there any plans to do so?
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Old 5 Mar 2017, 04:46 PM   #2
FredOnline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ellentk View Post
As of today, I see it has not been added to the new interface. Are there any plans to do so?
Settings/Mail/Preferences/Reading
View HTML: Always display messages in plain text

Is that not what you're wanting?
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Old 5 Mar 2017, 04:57 PM   #3
BritTim
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FredOnline View Post
Settings/Mail/Preferences/Reading
View HTML: Always display messages in plain text

Is that not what you're wanting?
Only partly. He wants plain text as the default, with a quick easy way to switch between plain text and HTML for individual messages without leaving the page he is on. Most are not that concerned about such a feature, but for some it is absolutely the way they want to work.
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Old 6 Mar 2017, 05:45 AM   #4
ellentk
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In testing this I found another problem or area of my ignorance. In the new interface, I clicked this setting: Mail/Reading/Load remote images/Ask before loading any external content. I logged out and logged in again after not being prompted to load images and not finding a button I could click that would do so.

Am I missing something?
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Old 6 Mar 2017, 05:51 AM   #5
FredOnline
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I just tried this myself, and in the e-mail (in a pale blue bar across the e-mail) I get:

Remote images blocked to protect your privacy. Load images.

Are you not seeing this?
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Old 6 Mar 2017, 06:33 AM   #6
n5bb
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ellentk View Post
...This feature protects fastmail users...?
Why is this, Ellen? If you are worried about loading remote images (which in some cases allows the sender to know you read their message), that can be disabled in Settings>Mail>Preferences>Reading>Load remote images for some or all messages.
  • This feature adds the warning message described by FredOnline at the very top of messages you open, immediately below the headers and the Reply to All & More buttons. You click the Load images link in that warning to load the remote images so you can view them.
If you want to read all messages in plain text first (such as to ignore embedded images), then optionally read or reply or forward them in HTML, you can do this as follows:
  • Set Settings>Mail>Preferences>Reading>View HTML to Always display messages in plain text.
  • Set Settings>Mail>Preferences>Writing>Message format to the desired format (Rich text, Plain text, or When replying, use the same format as the original message).
  • If the writing message format is set to Rich text while reading is set to plain text, you can read all messages in plain text, then start to reply or forward a message to read it in HTML format. You can then either send the reply or forward, or you can click Discard to send nothing.
Bill
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Old 6 Mar 2017, 09:13 AM   #7
ellentk
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Here's a link to a screenshot of what I see after changing the setting in reading preferences to ask before showing images as well as a screenshot of my settings page. There's no message about loading images and no images are displayed.

www.panix.com/~etk/fastmail/fastmail-images.html

I'm not sure why the setting doesn't work.

In case it's related, I have classic set to View/Web bug protection/Disable Images.

Thanks for your help, guys.

Ellen
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Old 6 Mar 2017, 09:43 AM   #8
n5bb
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You have to change the settings to allow viewing of HTML messages to be viewed to see the message with the link allowing you to view remote images. Your current settings only allow plaintext display, so there is no ability to see any images (embedded or remote).

Bill
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Old 6 Mar 2017, 04:40 PM   #9
NumberSix
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Originally Posted by BritTim View Post
Only partly. He wants plain text as the default, with a quick easy way to switch between plain text and HTML for individual messages without leaving the page he is on. Most are not that concerned about such a feature, but for some it is absolutely the way they want to work.
It certainly used to be the way I preferred to read email, but after switching to the current web client, I just gave up on this

I suppose the lack of this feature (while permitting the user to block the autoloading of images) is FM's way of telling us: "HTML by itself is not going to hurt you (at least within the web browser), so you might as well see it by default whenever it's available."
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Old 7 Mar 2017, 12:25 AM   #10
minimalist
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Originally Posted by NumberSix View Post
It certainly used to be the way I preferred to read email, but after switching to the current web client, I just gave up on this
Same here, but fastmail gave up on me instead.

Quote:
Originally Posted by NumberSix View Post
I suppose the lack of this feature (while permitting the user to block the autoloading of images) is FM's way of telling us: "HTML by itself is not going to hurt you (at least within the web browser), so you might as well see it by default whenever it's available."
Yes, but plain text is prettier(possibly minority opinion it is true) and easier to read.
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Old 7 Mar 2017, 08:31 AM   #11
ellentk
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Thanks, Bill. I got it. Thought I was missing something.
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Old 7 Mar 2017, 09:31 AM   #12
NumberSix
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Yes, but plain text is prettier(possibly minority opinion it is true) and easier to read.
The world is leaving some of us old-timers behind... the vast majority of people have no idea there is such a thing as "plain text" (ie. unstyled), because they never use software that treats text as plain. Maybe they've never seen Notepad. Tell them that when I started using email, it wasn't even possible to attach files, and see what kind of reaction you get
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Old 7 Mar 2017, 11:06 AM   #13
ellentk
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I wonder how many FM users remember DOS and the net before the web. It was hard for me to migrate from XyWrite to Word, because XyWrite's command only interface was so much faster, but my clients used Word and it did have some pluses.

Not sure if I should sign this Ellen or Grandma.
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Old 7 Mar 2017, 12:11 PM   #14
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Ellen, I used several different small and big computer operating systems and text/programming editors before the IBM PC was introduced in August, 1981. These include Teletype Model 33 acoustic coupler 110 baud modem access to large computers with single line text editors in 1971, HDOS/ZDOS Edit19, CP/M, and early MS-DOS text editors such as WatchWord popular before the IBM PC and PC-DOS was introduced. It seemed like a very long time before Windows was introduced. Edit19 and WatchWord were written in the late 70's and early 80's by Steven Robbins in San Antonio, who I think may still be at UTSA.

Bill
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Old 7 Mar 2017, 05:22 PM   #15
BritTim
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Originally Posted by n5bb View Post
Ellen, I used several different small and big computer operating systems and text/programming editors before the IBM PC was introduced in August, 1981. These include Teletype Model 33 acoustic coupler 110 baud modem access to large computers with single line text editors in 1971, HDOS/ZDOS Edit19, CP/M, and early MS-DOS text editors such as WatchWord popular before the IBM PC and PC-DOS was introduced. It seemed like a very long time before Windows was introduced. Edit19 and WatchWord were written in the late 70's and early 80's by Steven Robbins in San Antonio, who I think may still be at UTSA.

Bill
Acoustic coupler with 110 baud? Blanche! I thought I was suffering communicating between Germany and the US at 300 baud. It could have interesting benefits, however. When your 3270 datastream is misbehaving, and you have problems understanding the behavior, using 3270 emulation across a 300 baud connection can be very helpful. Slowing the screen display way down allows you to easily see when the screen corruption is introduced!

The first computer I used was an Elliott 803 in 1968. Having to load the compiler from paper tape into a computer with extremely limited memory, and no operating system, makes a typical early CP/M based machine seem like a luxury.
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