[Users] Suggestion: Automatically activate privacy system

[Christoph Klassen]

On 07.11.21 12:56, Paul wrote:
> I think that could be problematic. There are 2 other privacy plugins. The
> user might want to load all 3, and they each have to be loaded one at a time,
> so it's more or less random what your automatic default would be. Unless of
> course the user somehow knows beforehand that the first will become the
> default. Also, there are multiple accounts in Claws Mail, and the user could
> have different preferences regarding this for difference accounts. Etc., etc.

Okay, I understand. What about this: Enable the checkbox "Encrypt" in 
the menu "Options" of the compose window, even if no privacy system was 
selected. When the user activates the checkbox a message appears, which 
tells, that no privacy system has been selected, but which also gives 
the possibility to do so in this window. One window with an error 
message appears, if the options "Always sign messages when replying to a 
signed message" and "Always encrypt messages when replying to an 
encrypted message" are activated and the user tries to reply to such an 
email, but hasn't selected a privacy system yet. That window says: "You 
have opted to sign and/or encrypt this message but have not selected a 
privacy system." Such a windows could be used when the user tries to 
enable encryption and hasn't selected a privacy system yet. But, as I 
said, it would be helpful, if the user could do this selection just in 
that window.

Jakob Nielsen, an expert in usability, developed ten heuristics to 
improve usability and one of them tells to not only show an error 
message, but also demonstrate how to solve that error.

> Yes, literally "one" step less, as this needs to be done only once per
> account and not each time the user wants to encrypt. So that would be a very
> small increase indeed.

There is a book called "Don't make me think" written by Steve Krug. As 
the title implies it is important to create such an interface that users 
have to think as less as possible. Apple did that and was very 
successful, when releasing the iPhone. One step sounds like a small 
increase, but maybe it can decide, if a user uses encryption and it 
definitely reduces the things users have to think about ;-)

And I want to add something to let you know what's the reason why I 
tested your application and made some suggestions: I write a bachelor 
thesis and my goal is to find out how to increase the usage of WKD. One 
measure is to increase the usability in different products. And if the 
usability will be increased, it will also be a benefit for you.


Greetings,

Christoph