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Apple Mail removed the columns!

Where did my columns go? Why does Apple think that I don't change the size, position, display of my columns in Mail? Why does Apple think that the programmer knows how it should be displayed? I want control over the way I use the columns! I want to be able to decide what is sorted when and to easily switch back and forth without the added drop down menu crap! Come on??? Really??? And "Trash" becomes "Bin?" I hope that justified some over paid, stock optioned, self-pat-on-the-back, manager a great deal of money. Don't you remember Window's 98 and the brouhaha over "Recycle Bin" versus Apple's "Trash."

Posted on Oct 12, 2019 5:53 AM

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Posted on Oct 13, 2019 1:00 AM

I feel there is no hope for Apple when I see phrases like "mission critical" in formal responses. Doing what's described above does not solve the problem, as Mail will be continually updated from the current 13.0, and each time one will have to "fix" the problem as leroydouglas describes. This is about being able to lay out the desktop in a way that is a pleasure to use; a small screen, like a laptop, requires narrower windows than a big desktop screen, in order to have the same look-and-feel ... this is not rocket-science. It's such a basic thing, I cannot understand the mentality of decision-makers at Apple who seem to think they know better than their customers. I'm all for change, but not change backwards. Listen to us, and remember Steve Jobs' ... "it just works".

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Oct 13, 2019 1:00 AM in response to leroydouglas

I feel there is no hope for Apple when I see phrases like "mission critical" in formal responses. Doing what's described above does not solve the problem, as Mail will be continually updated from the current 13.0, and each time one will have to "fix" the problem as leroydouglas describes. This is about being able to lay out the desktop in a way that is a pleasure to use; a small screen, like a laptop, requires narrower windows than a big desktop screen, in order to have the same look-and-feel ... this is not rocket-science. It's such a basic thing, I cannot understand the mentality of decision-makers at Apple who seem to think they know better than their customers. I'm all for change, but not change backwards. Listen to us, and remember Steve Jobs' ... "it just works".

Oct 12, 2019 3:51 PM in response to sushistar1

sushistar1 wrote:

Where did my columns go?


Catalina has done away with the classic view in preferences.


see: https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/welcome/mac


Mail - Official Apple Support

Use Mail on your Mac - Apple Support



You can restore/revert from a backup if it is mission critical to your workflow to have the classic view in your Mail.app

Recovery: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

restore your Mac: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250



Dec 15, 2019 7:08 AM in response to sushistar1

sushistar1 wrote:

So many useless changes for those that really "use" every portion of the software. All Apple does is review the metadata collected by the lemmings that opt into "sharing" to improve the product. And, for that, Apple removes functionality in the name of "progress." I cannot get over how hype at Apple has actually no merit. The "latest and greatest" is just loaded with "meh." How much spin was placed on "Dark Mode?" So bogus and unnecessary. The loss of functionality and simplicity is NOT progress. This is why I took the ridiculously challenging steps to revert my OS to Mojave. Catalina's features are dreadful.

So, did you let Apple know how you feel? They are not reading here for suggestions. Use the feedback page:


Product Feedback - Apple


Dark mode is very, very popular. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean that lots of people don't find it useful. The bottom line is that it's simply unreasonable to expect that Apple will please 100% of the people 100% of the time. Personally I fell that almost anything they could do to Mail would be an improvement as it has always been an awful program with an awful interface which I have refused to use for years. But, that's just my opinion.

Dec 16, 2019 6:34 AM in response to keeeet

keeeet wrote:

Why is Mail better without columns, but Finder is better with columns?
They can't both be better. One is better and one is worse. And the one that is worse is Mail. So why did they make it worse?

Because they are different programs that are used in different ways. My car is better with an engine but my bicycle is better without one.


You can let Apple know your thoughts here:


Product Feedback - Apple

Oct 12, 2019 5:57 AM in response to sushistar1

They got rid of the Classic View. You can get some semblance of columns in the View menu > Use Column Layout.

Why does Apple think that I don't change the size, position, display of my columns in Mail? Why does Apple think that the programmer knows how it should be displayed? I want control over the way I use the columns!

Find another email client to use. Mail is no longer suitable for your needs.

Oct 12, 2019 9:13 AM in response to Barney-15E

Sushistar1 has a valid point. Being unable to adjust column widths is a disaster, and the new layout uses up far too much screen width. Apple will change back eventually, but unfortunately we'll have to wait at least 6 months until the pressure builds up. This happened a few years ago when Finder windows suddenly had a (wide) minimum width in an update, only to be restored back to narrower options in a future update. Barney-15E, you are not very helpful, why do not support a valid point?

Oct 13, 2019 5:12 AM in response to leroydouglas

A cold, dismissive, corporate speak response. This is something I would not have expected from a company founded on the principles of the user experience. The "Classic" view is simple, familiar, and incredibly quick to use. The columns offer instant information processing without additional drop down menu use. It's akin to "keyboard shortcuts" offering powerful and quick task management. The folks responsible for Apple Mail made some interesting visual changes with fonts, bold, etc. But that's not what mail is about. Mail is communication, finding correspondence, and filing correspondence. It is a tool. Taking away the "Classic View," even the name indicates a lack of understanding what a Mail Client is, has removed a significant way a user can customise THEIR tool for the way THEY process THEIR information. We are NOT homogeneous users so don't treat us as such.

Nov 11, 2019 10:41 AM in response to chrisdgalway

 It's such a basic thing, I cannot understand the mentality of decision-makers
 at Apple who seem to think they know better than their customers.


Maybe they are more aware of their customers than you think.


You know when Apple asks if they can have anonymous information about how you use your Mac, usually just after an update? A lot of people say yes and and the information is uploaded to Apple. That tracks things like... how many people adjust the column width in Mail and other such preferences. While you may enjoy or need this feature, it may well, turn out that you're one of a small cohort of users, and consequently Apple removes options that do not have a critical mass of users. You think they removed the Dashboard because they were bored with it? Or maybe it was, again, that the feature did not have a critical mass of users.


Your options? Offer feedback to Apple explaining that you need the removed feature. Or get another Mail client. But don't assume that it's just done haphazardly.

Dec 14, 2019 2:49 AM in response to sushistar1

I have started to use MS Outlook again. For the first time since about 2007.


It is a bit cluttered of course. But it is so much easier, more intuitive and faster to use than Apple Mail in Catalina.


Apple Mail makes it so slow to find the mail you are looking for using that drop down box to sort by. And so much harder to see the mails without column view that is configurable by the user.


Actually, its a surprisingly nice and easy experience to use Outlook after the pain in the *** new Apple mail.

Dec 15, 2019 6:29 AM in response to keeeet

So many useless changes for those that really "use" every portion of the software. All Apple does is review the metadata collected by the lemmings that opt into "sharing" to improve the product. And, for that, Apple removes functionality in the name of "progress." I cannot get over how hype at Apple has actually no merit. The "latest and greatest" is just loaded with "meh." How much spin was placed on "Dark Mode?" So bogus and unnecessary. The loss of functionality and simplicity is NOT progress. This is why I took the ridiculously challenging steps to revert my OS to Mojave. Catalina's features are dreadful.

Dec 16, 2019 4:18 AM in response to sushistar1

Why is Mail better without columns, but Finder is better with columns?


They can't both be better. One is better and one is worse. And the one that is worse is Mail. So why did they make it worse?


If they remove columns from Finder I will go back to Microsoft... after 12 years with Apple. Because it will be a sign that at Apple, the principle of Simplicity has begun to dominate over the principle of Ease of Use. When originally Simplicity was a lever that was used to improve Ease of Use it is now and end in itself... and it is destroying ease of use.


Windows is becoming easier to use than OSX because OSX is getting hollowed out.

Dec 16, 2019 4:53 AM in response to Yer_Man

I offered an apology to those offended by "lemmings." Here is the rationale for the use of the term: The cliche use of "lemmings" describes the challenge of critical thinking. In this instance the "only" options are to choose to share or not share the way the "user" uses the software. The issue is that the choice to allow Apple to collect usage "data," could very well go beyond the collection of usage statistics etc. However, the metadata collected/registered could very well be used to understand the individual to a point where the user's expectation of anonymity, could indeed be used to generate profiles very similar to what Cambridge Analytica accomplished. As a result of countless apps that share and collect information, the user has little knowledge of what is collected, shared, and analysed.

Dec 16, 2019 6:52 AM in response to sushistar1

sushistar1 wrote:

I offered an apology to those offended by "lemmings." Here is the rationale for the use of the term: The cliche use of "lemmings" describes the challenge of critical thinking. In this instance the "only" options are to choose to share or not share the way the "user" uses the software. The issue is that the choice to allow Apple to collect usage "data," could very well go beyond the collection of usage statistics etc. However, the metadata collected/registered could very well be used to understand the individual to a point where the user's expectation of anonymity, could indeed be used to generate profiles very similar to what Cambridge Analytica accomplished. As a result of countless apps that share and collect information, the user has little knowledge of what is collected, shared, and analysed.


Oh I see. So you apologised but then take it back saying the term is justified.

Apple Mail removed the columns!

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