Possible Email Notification Features

This area is for listing all possible "new message" notification features. Eventually, OSAF will use this list to determine which release (if any) each feature should go into.

Ways to notify user of new mail:

• Pop-up message, possibly with action buttons
• Audio alert ("with sound _sound_")
• Open message in its own window
• Visual notification (static or animated)
  • by displaying animated/flashing icon (e.g., in System tray)
  • by displaying static icon (e.g. "tray icon")
• Instant message (with brief summary)
• Send page to user
• Wake up screensaver

External resources:

• a review of a radar-scope-like alert system from Microsoft Research (pointed out by cobaco in a mailing list message )

Mailing list messages:

• request for fine control over new-mail alerts by DuckySherwood
• photos as notifications by DuckySherwood
• PetiteAbeille^? changing the tray icon based on age, contents, etc

Contributors

• DuckySherwood - 24 Jan 2003
• BruceDykes
• GregNoel

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A single poll cycle shouldn't generate more than one alert. The best way to deal with this may be to add an attribute to a message that specifies the type of alert that is pending for it. At the end of each poll cycle, the most urgent alert is identified, translated into the alert type, and generated. Note that if the alert is already active (a pop-up message, for example) Chandler should either update that alert in place or cancel the prior alert before generating the new one. This will avoid overwhelming the user with multiple alerts.

-- Greg Noel - 3 Mar 2003

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