[mew-int 00526] Re: mew-pop message wording inquiry

[sen_ml at example.com]

From: Tak Ota <Takaaki.Ota at example.com>
Subject: [mew-int 00521] mew-pop message wording inquiry
Date: Sun, 28 Oct 2001 22:03:29 -0800 (PST)

> "5 messages have been received (17 messages are left)"

...

> I understand that the meaning of "17 messages are left" is that 17 old
> messages are still retained at the POP server.  However, the choice of
> the word "left" bothers me since it has some nuance of omission.  I
> wonder some novice may think that "I received 5 messages but 17 more
> messages are still left out".

I think this interpretation is not unlikely, but at the same time:

> I hope this concern is only my paranoia but if the word "left" is
> replaced with something like "preserved" or "retained" it may save
> some unnecessary novice questions.

I'm not sure these alternatives help significantly.  If I had to
choose between the two, I'd choosed the latter, but at the same time,
I'd want to know where the retaining was taking place...

Isn't it the case that the default behavior for Mew is that
'mew-pop-delete' is non-numeric?  As long as the documentation for
`mew-pop-delete' documents what:

  "5 messages have been received (17 messages are left)"

means, perhaps it's not such a problem.

Then there's the idea of having some kind of document which explains
the messages which Mew emits ;-)


P.S. On a slightly different note, I think "5 messages retrieved" is
     preferable to "5 messages have been received".