scode · May 13, 2023 21:26
diff --git a/protonmail-gmail-shortcuts-feedback.txt b/protonmail-gmail-shortcuts-feedback.txt
 Hi, you asked me (https://twitter.com/ProtonSupport/status/1652993236695150593) to DM further information about the gmail shortcut feature I was Tweeting about.

 First, there are two aspects to it. One is just the barrier of learning new shortcuts; that's an adoption disincentive - though I think I can make it over that.

 The second is just how efficiently the shortcuts can be used. The key is that gmail shortcuts can be used *extremely quickly*. I go through a *lot* of email in just a few seconds using these shortcuts, and I basically don't have to move my hand at all.

 The key shortcuts are:

 * j, k for moving down/up the list of threads in a folder/label
 * o to open the thread
 * n, p to navigate down/up between messages in a thread
 * u when viewing a message to go back to conversation view leaving the conversation READ
 * U when viewing a message to go back to conversation view leaving the conversion UNREAD
 * x to select message
 * e to "archive" away from my inbox
 * g + i to move to inbox 
 * o to open an individual message in the conversation when my cursor is on a collapsed message

 These are the bread and butter and serve for really efficient inbox management. Also at not time does keyboard focus shift away; there is never a need to switch to the mouse or use tab to fix keyboard focus issues.

 Comparing with Proton:

 * When you load the proton mail page, keyboard focus is "somewhere else". You have to use the tab key or the mouse multiple times before keyboard shortcuts to navigate through the list of email start working.
 * Keyboard shortcuts that are arrow keys require you to move your hand to the arrow keys.
 * Other shortcuts like "escape" to get back to the mailbox view are much "further away" physically on the keyboard. Depending on the keyboard, "enter" to open a conversation is also not right next to the navigation keys (arrow keys).
 * There is something inconsistent about the "escape" key now that I'm trying it. Sometimes when I've clicked open a message I can use it to escape all the way out to the list of messages, other times I get stuck after it collapses the message and no matter how many times i keep clicking escape I never get back to the full list and I have to use the mouse/touchpad.
 * Arrows keys+enter for navigating messages in a conversation work similarly to gmail but again things are too far away and require moving my hand constantly.
 * g + i when viewing a message appears to move the message to inbox not move my view to inbox. g is ignored, and then i is the move-to-inbox shortcut. Not sure how to move to inbox immediately from anywhere in any message in any folder.
 * a for archive works fine (the only barrier is that it's different coming from gmail, works just as well though)
 * something is inconsistent about arrow keys when viewing a conversation. earlier as I was typing the above bullets I was able to move between messages using arrow keys and hit enter to expand. now i'm not able to reproduce, and arrows keys instead are just scrolling my view instead of jumping between messages in the conversation. not sure how to do it anymore w/o mouse. (EDIT: using tab to change keyboard focus made a difference, not sure what the focusing rules are)
 * Looks like u to "mark unread" only works in the list, and only on selected messages (not the message currently under cursor when nothing is selected, and not when viewing the conversation content).
 * interestingly hitting u *twice* when viewing a conversation seems to get back back to the inbox AND mark the conversation unread

 I think that's it. I spent some trying trying to feel out the full extent of it.

 I know this may read like a list of nit picks, but it all adds up. And someone who's used to dealing with hundreds of emails every time I check my inbox and quickly triaging them either by subject, sometimes by jumping into the thread to see content, etc and archiving most without action - the smoothness with which all this works makes a big difference.
	Hi, you asked me (https://twitter.com/ProtonSupport/status/1652993236695150593) to DM further information about the gmail shortcut feature I was Tweeting about.

	First, there are two aspects to it. One is just the barrier of learning new shortcuts; that's an adoption disincentive - though I think I can make it over that.

	The second is just how efficiently the shortcuts can be used. The key is that gmail shortcuts can be used extremely quickly. I go through a lot of email in just a few seconds using these shortcuts, and I basically don't have to move my hand at all.

	The key shortcuts are:

	* j, k for moving down/up the list of threads in a folder/label
	* o to open the thread
	* n, p to navigate down/up between messages in a thread
	* u when viewing a message to go back to conversation view leaving the conversation READ
	* U when viewing a message to go back to conversation view leaving the conversion UNREAD
	* x to select message
	* e to "archive" away from my inbox
	* g + i to move to inbox
	* o to open an individual message in the conversation when my cursor is on a collapsed message

	These are the bread and butter and serve for really efficient inbox management. Also at not time does keyboard focus shift away; there is never a need to switch to the mouse or use tab to fix keyboard focus issues.

	Comparing with Proton:

	* When you load the proton mail page, keyboard focus is "somewhere else". You have to use the tab key or the mouse multiple times before keyboard shortcuts to navigate through the list of email start working.
	* Keyboard shortcuts that are arrow keys require you to move your hand to the arrow keys.
	* Other shortcuts like "escape" to get back to the mailbox view are much "further away" physically on the keyboard. Depending on the keyboard, "enter" to open a conversation is also not right next to the navigation keys (arrow keys).
	* There is something inconsistent about the "escape" key now that I'm trying it. Sometimes when I've clicked open a message I can use it to escape all the way out to the list of messages, other times I get stuck after it collapses the message and no matter how many times i keep clicking escape I never get back to the full list and I have to use the mouse/touchpad.
	* Arrows keys+enter for navigating messages in a conversation work similarly to gmail but again things are too far away and require moving my hand constantly.
	* g + i when viewing a message appears to move the message to inbox not move my view to inbox. g is ignored, and then i is the move-to-inbox shortcut. Not sure how to move to inbox immediately from anywhere in any message in any folder.
	* a for archive works fine (the only barrier is that it's different coming from gmail, works just as well though)
	* something is inconsistent about arrow keys when viewing a conversation. earlier as I was typing the above bullets I was able to move between messages using arrow keys and hit enter to expand. now i'm not able to reproduce, and arrows keys instead are just scrolling my view instead of jumping between messages in the conversation. not sure how to do it anymore w/o mouse. (EDIT: using tab to change keyboard focus made a difference, not sure what the focusing rules are)
	* Looks like u to "mark unread" only works in the list, and only on selected messages (not the message currently under cursor when nothing is selected, and not when viewing the conversation content).
	* interestingly hitting u twice when viewing a conversation seems to get back back to the inbox AND mark the conversation unread

	I think that's it. I spent some trying trying to feel out the full extent of it.

	I know this may read like a list of nit picks, but it all adds up. And someone who's used to dealing with hundreds of emails every time I check my inbox and quickly triaging them either by subject, sometimes by jumping into the thread to see content, etc and archiving most without action - the smoothness with which all this works makes a big difference.