[Pan-users] Recent vs. New headers ?

[crglur]

The book which I [mostly, because I had to return it before
finishing] read, on 'user interface design', must have been good
because I can now see clearly the faults in pan's interface.

We've got:
 Download New headers
 Download All headers
 Download Recent headers  <set counter: default=150>

Which apparently/unwisely defaults to:
   Download New headers.
So the new user who naturally focuses on setting the counter,
{especially any body not brainwashed by Micro$loth}
doesn't realise that the counter-setting is disabled for the 
default: 'Download New headers'.

The result apparently being, that if the Group is newly subscribed
and the NewsServer has a million articles dating back 5 years, these
are all 'New' headers, and thus downloaded !!

Apparently [after some annoying pondering]:
'New headers' are headers which are on the server but not on the client ?
'Recent headers' are the same 'New headers', where the number to be
downloaded is set by the counter.

A better user interface would have the counter unshown, or at least
disabled, for the 2 'inapplicable radio button settings' ?

Alternatively the UI could reflect the reality that there are in fact only
2 options:
1. Download All headers
2. Download New headers: All or the 'non-all' number selected.

And even then options 1 & 2 seem to merge ?
I'm guessing that provision has to be made for when the server 
updated/renews it's artcile numbering ? Or the client uses a new
server ?

== Chris Glur.

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