Discussing the new features

Locked
lwc
Posts: 518
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 5:46 am

Discussing the new features

Post by lwc »

First of all, it's great to see v5 in the horizon!

Secondly, Pop Peeper was always a freemium but I feel the new version is more "mium" oriented than before. Not saying it's necessarily a bad thing (for example, maybe it'll trigger constant updates and support because you'll actually get paid), just that we should face it.

With that in mind, I'd like to ask about some of the the new features:
  1. POP Peeper Pro (and/or the Plus Pack) can auto-update the main program and most plugins.
    The free version will auto-update certain plugins, such as SSL.
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but when a program has auto-update infrastructure, usually it's a free feature.
    It could be argued it's in your best interest to make sure everyone has the latest and greatest as it'll give you less headache with support plus it'll ensure PP will always be seen in its best state.
  2. Auto-update is also the one and only new Plus Pack feature. We've previously discussed this between us, but I hope at least IMAP upload will be given to Plus Pack users, joining its sister feature Remote folders. Yes, I remember that Remote Folders being a Plus Pack feature was a historic mistake. Nevertheless, PP has got me used for years that special folder features = Plus Pack. :D
  3. There will be an upgrade fee for v4 Pro licensees.
    What about new Plus Pack versions?
  4. The free version will occasionally display a banner for POP Peeper / Esumsoft products.
    Can you write there where will this banner be displayed? Hopefully not as a popup because this could be a (negative) game changer...
    But PP is a small program also in screen size, so it's hard to imagine where a non popup banner could fit.
  5. Independent view-message window (modeless)
    Wow, that was long coming! Any chance to tweak it into a "live preview" mode inside the main program? I'm so used to the preview mode from Gmail / Outlook.
    If not, maybe a way to auto close all open view-message windows?
  6. Just some of the things that caught my eyes:
    1. Retrieving 'Preview' for IMAP messages (the default retrieval option) now includes the HTML text in addition to Plain text.
    2. Attach images from the clipboard (e.g. paste after using Windows Snip & Sketch utility)
    3. OpenSSL v1.1
    4. Hundreds of other improvements, optimizations, minor changes and fixes
    Wow, wow and wow!
User avatar
mjs
Moderator
Posts: 2216
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:36 am

Re: Discussing the new features

Post by mjs »

lwc wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 5:36 pm ... maybe a way to auto close all open view-message windows?
That sounds like a good idea (something I think I've mentioned :wink: i.e. Claws-mail does this if the main [Inbox] window is closed -- not sure if it should necessarily function this way however -- but does sort of make sense) -- maybe a toggle option that can be set for either way (manual or automatic)... I sometimes might have several view-message windows open at the same time which is where this option could really come in handy. :mrgreen:
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
User avatar
Jeff
Admin / Developer
Posts: 9226
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2001 9:46 pm

Re: Discussing the new features

Post by Jeff »

lwc wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 5:36 pm Secondly, Pop Peeper was always a freemium but I feel the new version is more "mium" oriented than before. Not saying it's necessarily a bad thing (for example, maybe it'll trigger constant updates and support because you'll actually get paid), just that we should face it.
That's fair. Many of the spotlight features in v5 are Pro-only and I can tell you that this is something that I definitely struggled with. But, I don't restrict other aspects in regards to the main functionality of POP Peeper (e.g. limiting you to 2 accounts), so there needs to be more features in Pro to entice purchasing it.

when a program has auto-update infrastructure, usually it's a free feature.
Here's my logic -- I don't see auto-update as that "must have" feature that would push someone over the edge to purchase Pro. But, it does push people to the website and maybe they'll see something on the website that catches their eye (maybe another product or a sale, etc.) and they buy something. And the traffic can't hurt SEO, either.

Yes, I remember that Remote Folders being a Plus Pack feature was a historic mistake.
I'm not sure I would quite call it that :) The Plus Pack allowed me to fill a gap and throwing in remote folders at the time filled a very requested feature. Further, it can be argued that remote folders is a "notification"-related option because some people use server rules to move new messages into other folders (oh, I deleted a previous paragraph about how "notification" vs "client" features is something I use to distinguish Pro and non-Pro).

What about new Plus Pack versions? (upgrade fee)
When I first released the Plus Pack (or Premium Add-on Pack, as it was known back then), I touted it as "free for life" (maybe not those exact words, but that was the intent). In v4, I removed that statement, but I will always honor it for anyone that purchased the v3 product. If you purchased once v4 was released, then that's a decision I reserve to make; but I can tell you that the Plus Pack is a free upgrade for v5.

Can you write there where will this banner be displayed? Hopefully not as a popup because this could be a (negative) game changer...
But PP is a small program also in screen size, so it's hard to imagine where a non popup banner could fit.
"IT'S NOT A POPUP!"
(it's probably only in my own head that that's being said by Arnold Schwarzenegger)

I'll probably post a screenshot of it at some point, but basically it's in that blank space above the message list -- to the right of the view-account dropdown and read/delete buttons. And, I have to admit that I've always tried to keep "free things free" but this change did require me to make a change to an existing feature -- which was the ability to remove that area completely. I would call that a minor feature, but I guess that depends on whether you actually used it or not.
lwc wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 5:36 pm Any chance to tweak it into a "live preview" mode inside the main program?
I'd like to add that eventually.

If not, maybe a way to auto close all open view-message windows?
Auto-close...? How so? If you mean, as an example, when you minimize PP, I'm just not sure that's ideal. You may *think* that's what you'd want, but then you accidentally minimize PP and you'd regret it...

Right now, there's a "close all windows" under the main 'Messages' menu.

(I wrote that before reading lakrsrool's response. I think he probably had mentioned that idea to me.)

Attach images from the clipboard (e.g. paste after using Windows Snip & Sketch utility)
This is probably my most favorite "minor" feature of all time. It's incredibly convenient. I just hope Windows adds the ability to add text with Snip&Sketch someday; but even if I have to go through a paint program, it still shaves off time for having to save and attach a temporary file.

Hundreds of other improvements, optimizations, minor changes and fixes
If you're ever really bored, you can read my "developer notes" off the beta page:
https://www.esumsoft.com/pop-peeper-beta/ (click on the "v5 changes" link)
Note that the notes start at alpha 03, at which point I already had most of the major features out of the way and probably a slug of other changes.

My goal for v6 is to not over-stuff it with features. But I said that after v4, too. And lots of other developers have said it before me and since. But it's like Columbo said...
User avatar
mjs
Moderator
Posts: 2216
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:36 am

Re: Discussing the new features

Post by mjs »

Jeff wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:02 pm Right now, there's a "close all windows" under the main 'Messages' menu.
(I wrote that before reading lakrsrool's response. I think he probably had mentioned that idea to me.)
Cool =D> Tried it out - very handy!
Jeff wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:02 pm But it's like Columbo said...
... I give -- so what did he say?
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
Relentence
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 1:31 am

Re: Discussing the new features

Post by Relentence »

Jeff wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:02 pm "IT'S NOT A POPUP!"
(it's probably only in my own head that that's being said by Arnold Schwarzenegger)
No, that's how I read it. :)
User avatar
mjs
Moderator
Posts: 2216
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:36 am

Re: Discussing the new features

Post by mjs »

^ It was "It's not a tumor" --- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb5IZ8Mni3I
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
lwc
Posts: 518
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 5:46 am

Re: Discussing the new features

Post by lwc »

Thank you for the quick and detailed answers!

Is there a place for registered users to see for which version they bought Pro and/or Plus Pack?

I have to admit my main selling point for v5 is IMAP Upload, which is something I need only maybe once every few months at best.
v5 is still not here, but I struggle with myself whether to buy a whole program just for that.
I usually use free apps, so for me buying a software is a big thing, and I already have Plus Pack. =D>

So far I've been using IMAPSize but it's so old that it doesn't even support OAuth! It's open source in theory, but in practice no one cares enough to take over this program. So usually I enable Gmail's support for non safe e-mail apps just for the 5 minutes in which I use the program. But with time Gmail will probably cancel support for that feature for free users, like it already announced it will for G Suite users.
Last edited by lwc on Fri May 01, 2020 8:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Jeff
Admin / Developer
Posts: 9226
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2001 9:46 pm

Re: Discussing the new features

Post by Jeff »

lwc wrote: Thu Apr 30, 2020 2:26 am Is there a place for registered users to see for which version they bought Pro and/or Plus Pack?
Well, not really, though I could look it up for you. Or if you have the receipt, you could find where your date of purchase falls into the Version history.

lwc wrote: Thu Apr 30, 2020 2:26 am I have to admit my main selling point for v5 is IMAP Upload, which is something I need only maybe once every few months at best.
v5 is still not here, but I struggle with myself whether to buy a whole program just for that.
I usually use free apps, so for me buying a software is a big thing, and I already have Plus Pack.
I get that. And I definitely appreciate you having bought the Plus Pack; it's hard for me to try to make the "hard sell" because that's not the kind of person I am, but maybe consider how long you've been using POP Peeper and evaluate if you've gotten $30 (or $40, including your Previous Plus Pack Purchase) worth of value out of it.


lakrsrool wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:58 pm ... I give -- so what did he say?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg5RgI2GeKk
User avatar
mjs
Moderator
Posts: 2216
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:36 am

Re: Discussing the new features

Post by mjs »

Jeff wrote: Thu Apr 30, 2020 3:01 pm
lakrsrool wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:58 pm ... I give -- so what did he say?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg5RgI2GeKk
Oh yea!!! -- I remember that well (how could I forget)... :lol:... He would typically repeat that phrase several times per episode as I recall. #-o

Great show however. Image
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
Locked