On Wed, Mar 12, 2008 at 2:18 PM, Glenn Lagasse <Glenn.Lagasse at sun.com> wrote:
> * Shawn Walker (swalker at opensolaris.org) wrote:
>  > On Wed, Mar 12, 2008 at 1:09 PM, Mark Phalan <mbp at opensolaris.org> 
> wrote:
>  > >
>  > >  On Wed, 2008-03-12 at 16:16 +0000, Calum Benson wrote:
>  > >  > We're starting to document what the default desktop configuration for
>  > >  > the Indiana 1.0 release should be, and naturally we'd like your
>  > >  > feedback.
>  > >  >
>  > >  > 
> http://www.opensolaris.org/os/community/desktop/uispecs/indiana-uispec/
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Right now it only covers panel and menu layout; more sections will be
>  > >  > added over the next couple of days.  However, I'm sure there's plenty
>  > >  > for you to get your teeth into already, e.g.:
>  > >  >
>  > >  > - One panel or two?
>  > >  > - Launch menu or Apps/Places/System menu?
>  > >  > - What applets/launchers on panels by default?
>  > >
>  > >  This may have been brought up before...
>  > >
>  > >  Why is thunderbird given higher visibility (by being in the panel) over
>  > >  evolution - the default gnome mail app?
>  > >
>  > >  Why do we ship two mail clients which cover basically the same
>  > >  functionality? I'd draw the parallel here between epiphany - the default
>  > >  gnome web browser and firefox.
>  >
>  > That has always flabbergasted me as well.
>  >
>  > Most users are going to be more familiar with Evolution (since it is
>  > "like MS Outlook") than Thunderbird.
>
>  Except:
>
>  a) Thunderbird is more widely available on other platforms (windows/OS
>  X) and so I would say it's got a far greater following.

>  b) Evolution isn't the most solid of applications (in both my experience
>  and anecdotal evidence gained from many a weblog).

Please don't take this as directed at you:

Bugs should never be a reason to excuse promoting an application. The
point is that GNOME as a platform has chosen Evolution.

I have used Evolution for years; since the early days when Ximian
GNOME was popular.

To me, this is about the platform.

If you choose the GNOME platform, you get everything that is part of it.

If part of the platform is deficient, either ship it, or don't.

I remember all too well the stability problems that Mozilla and
Thunderbird had for a long time, but that never stopped folks from
shipping it.

Either way, the current choice is something that might be considered
offensive to many developers that contribute to Evolution and is
contrary, in my view, to embracing a platform of choice.

Evolution has many advantages beyond a mail client due to its data
server and integration with the entire platform.

Pushing users towards Thunderbird is pushing them towards an inferior
experience integration-wise.

-- 
Shawn Walker, Software and Systems Analyst
http://binarycrusader.blogspot.com/

"To err is human -- and to blame it on a computer is even more so." -
Robert Orben

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