OE-StyleButtons (A Work in Progress) for Thunderbird
1.5+
Why 2-click through a
context-menu, when 1-click
on a toolbar button can accomplish the
same?
Outlook Express users
will recognize and appreciate the usefulness of these 5
OE-style toolbar buttons, previously 'missing' from
Thunderbird. And others will no doubt find that once they've
used these buttons, they'll wonder how they ever lived
without them!
Additionally, 'OE-StyleButtons'
adds the following BONUS 'TB-only' functions:
Refresh and Fetch (refreshes the Unread view AND also checks for
new messages at the same time!)
un-Mark All
Update the current new-server's new message
counts for all subscribed newsgroups
open the RSS Feed
Subscriptions dialog (if in RSS-mode)
OE-StyleButtons includes
the following 1-click toolbar
buttons:
Clears away recently Read messages and/or messages
marked as Junk in the 'Unread' message. (without
OE-StyleButtons, you'd have to exit and return to the
folder or newsgroup to do
this)
Middle-click to
'Refresh-and-Fetch', saving you even more
button-clicks! (not yet
functional)
Mark All
messages in the folder/newsgroup as Read.
(This previously
required at least 2-clicks to accomplish, using
either the 'Mark' dropdown menu-item, or by clicking
on the newsgroup/folder and choosing 'Mark
Folder'/'Mark Newsgroup Read'.)
Middle-click to un-Mark All messages in the group! (partially functional)
Get the Next
[n] Newgroup Message Headers from the news server
('n' is the #
of message headers chosen in the standard popup that
appears when you first enter the
newsgroup) (Same as
'File->Get Next [n] News
Messages')
Middle-click to check for new messages in other
newsgroups (not yet functional)
Mark all messages in the current
Thread as Read and skip to the Next Unread
Thread. (Without
OE-StyleButtons, you'd have to go into the sub-menu
of 'Go->Next')
Direct access
to the default news-server 'Subscribe' dialog, or 'RSS
Subscriptions' dialog. (Without
OE-StyleButtons, you'd have to either go through the
File menu, or right-click in
the Folder Pane and click the Subscribe context-menu
item) (RSS detection not yet
functional)
..
and YES, I know ~some~ of the above
functions have keyboard shortcuts -
but some of us like to use our mice!!
I'd used Outlook Express for newsgroup reading
since it came out. I'd tried lots of other newsreaders, but
for text-based groups, OE suited my needs. Then when
Thunderbird v1.0 was released, I gave it a shot, but was so
frustrated and disappointed by its obtuse way of doing things
and numerous 'missing' features that it didn't last more than
a week on my system. So I returned to Outlook Express, which
despite its age the incredible popular backlash against it,
at least provides an intuitive and efficient way to perform
manner common tasks, unlike what I found with Thunderbird.
Almost a year later, I gave Thunderbird another look.
Thanks to the power of the user-community and the many
extensions available for TB, most of the features &
functions found in Outlook Express can now be replicated.
However, one crucial area has still not been addressed
adequately: toolbar buttons, or more accurately - the lack
of toolbar buttons. Moz-devs seem to have a 2-click
fetish!! I was about ready to dump Thunderbird once more, but
came across an existing extension called
Customizable Toolbar Buttons, which after a bit of work,
enabled me to replicate the features I missed so badly.
However, I realized that there are many other ex-OE users
out there, and equally I'm sure, as many would-be
users of Thunderbird who are reluctant to make the switch due
to the present Thunderbird interface - and who would
appreciate the improved functionality of my toolbar
buttons.
Note:This project (and mozdev site) is
currently under development.
As this is my first extension, I will likely need some help
getting this to v1.0. Testing help,
code improvements, and suggestions are welcome!
Email me at
contribute@oestylebuttons.cjb.net if you can help
out!
OE-StyleButtons 
Outlook Express users
will recognize and appreciate the usefulness of these 5
OE-style toolbar buttons, previously 'missing' from
Thunderbird. And others will no doubt find that once they've
used these buttons, they'll wonder how they ever lived
without them!
