In the new Mac osX CataIina I cannot find a way to change the columns viewed in Mail. You used to be able to change the field widths and add columns from the View/Columns menu. How can I accomplish this now?
Also, what does the black background TO next to the email title mean?
A Catalina update came out today. It still doesn't fix the problem. Please continue to take 40 seconds and report this:
Apple doesn't monitor this forum, so you have to submit your feedback at:
This is an official Apple.com discussion forum and although it is said Apple do not regard it as a vehicle to receive formal feedback it is constantly monitored and the contents must be noted. The Catalina upgrade, which resulted in a much valued aspect of the functionality of Apple Mail being removed, has now become the major post-release Catalina issue.
Whenever you update/upgrade an Operating System there will always be people you'll upset, but months later, twenty-five pages of consistently negative feedback, including much talk of people saying the change is intolerable and looking for alternatives, suggests that this a problem that people will not 'get-used to,' 'stop complaining about' or 'give-up on.'
For many people, it seems this aspect of basic functionality is a crucial deal-breaker for using Apple Mail in their professional life. Apple say that their '100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it'. They are release Big Sur next and we can only hope that they are true to there word, accept that the destruction of Mail was a mistake and will use the opportunity to put it right.
Juriaan Bosman - Apple
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Totally agree to this. Apple Mail has been the most solid part of the Mac OS experience. This numbs it down and is certainly something that is a waste of screen space and lack of customizing is so short sighted.
Apple has decided that they know what's best for you and how you read email.. Don't second guess them. Just get used to it. Really. They've studied this issue at length and have decided that "one size fits all" is best for everybody. Especially the numbnuts who thought this was a good idea.
C'mon Apple, this was a poorly thought out mistake. Fix it.
Apple may not monitor these discussion forums but they do on their official feedback channel.
So if you believe columns in your mail inbox is (1) A basic required element of functionality and it’s removal serves no conceivable purpose, (2) Was highly valued as crucial by you the user and (3) As a loyal user of Apple products DEMANDED back!
leave your feedback on the link below:
Someone suggested we should stop buying Apple products until they bring us back classic view and adjustable columns.
Some say that Apple don't read anything on this forum. In that case, a "lock-out" is of very little value.
A better idea would be that all of us write and complain to apple using this link https://www.apple.com/feedback/
That should give a reaction if we all did this!
Well, my original post was just deleted, so I'll edit it to say:
It's really distressing how often now a new release just means trouble. I used to hate the people who decried every change as ruining their life because for decades Apple has brought joy to my work. I'm for innovation, not against change. But so many changes of the last several years arbitrarily destroy meaningful and established functionality. With the original decimation of features in iWork, and the dilution of column views in Music, and this, and the rampant elimination of ports, as well as many other moves, it seems like Apple's actively trying to dissuade anybody even close to a power user.
The support pages aren't monitored for feedback, so mentioning it here won't do much good.
I sent something to this effect to Apple Feedback, and urge everyone else to do the same:
https://www.apple.com/feedback/mail.html
I just checked Outlook 365 for Mac and it does have the features (column sizing, column move and attachment icon) that have been omitted in the Catalina version of Mail. I hate to switch but if Apple middle managers don't fix this soon I will make the change. Actually this version of Outlook looks pretty good.
Outlook 365
Mac Mail Catalina version:
The direct suggestion page is https://www.apple.com/feedback/mail.html
If you have multiple email addresses, be sure to submit your complaint to multiple times and just word it differently.
Apple doesn't listen to customers; it only listens to algorithms that track complaint frequency.
Submitted to https://www.apple.com/feedback/mail.html
Over the years Apple has reduced the functionality of Mail.app on macOS.
Of late in Catalina you have removed the ability so reorder and resize columns in View -> Use Column Layout
Previously you ruined the "On <date> <so-and-so> wrote: header by quoting it in the reply. This is totally wrong because the sender did not write that, it was new in the reply.
Plus, the .signature belongs at the bottom, not above the quoted text.
And finally there is your broken concept of "Conversations" which is no substitute for proper threading, which Microsoft Outlook gets right. At least you know to include In-Reply-To: and References: headers so as not to break real mail applications who know how to thread.
Wintercyclone and AZSport115:
The correct place to report your frustration is: https://www.apple.com/feedback/mail.html
This is a Mail-specific feedbacvk box. I'm afraid if you report it to the macos box, it will get lost
Tech writers and reviewers should be contacted and made aware of this issue too. I've read a couple of Catalina focused articles that addressed some issues with Mail but that somehow *didn't* include the killing off of the column editing functionality that Apple imposed on us.
Some have considered this (inability to change column width in Mail) to be a bug, but it may have been intentional. If you eliminate the sidebar and stretch the horizontal view all the text is visible in each column. I'm not saying that's the way it should be, just that the engineers probably said, "looks ok to me" and left it at that. To take away this functionality is pure stupidity and shows typical Apple insensitivity to the ordinary user.
If you are referring to the MacWorld article, that tech writer included a link to this page for those who want to add their voice to the conversation.
I think it is a good idea to keep posting complaints about it, both here and on the feedback page. The developers & decision makers seem to be tone deaf on this issue and need to be communicated to loudly, and from many angles.
catalina mail column view
