I’ve been using DC for several years now with two different accounts that I generally import and export, and after an initial period where I tried the various options (all mails, accepted contacts, and chat only) I used it most of the time just for chats. Since the option to check only the DeltaChat folder was added I started using the app checking all mails but only the DC folder, this way I use it in a similar way to checking only accepted contacts using filters I set on the provider’s server (using DC on different devices this saves me the tedium of having to accept/block contacts on each device). I understand that this is a rather advanced configuration so not acceptable by default, however out of curiosity I wanted to try starting from scratch with a new pre-existing account and I am not sure if making the option to check all emails default was the best choice.
As I said, I’ve been using a configuration I’m very comfortable with for some time now, and trying out the various options for checking email took me a while to get the hang of it again.
The experience of setting up a new account on DC with a pre-existing account anyway has not been the best, I attempt to explain myself better, and if I have misunderstood anything about how the various options work please correct me:
when all mails are managed you will receive all mails on delta chat, but only the mails received from another DC user, will be moved to the DeltaChat folder (and that makes sense), the problem with it being set as the default option, in my opinion, is that if you log in with a pre-existing account that you want to use in either of the other two modes, however, it will load all pre-existing mails on the first log in and then you will have to delete a lot of chat, since even if you change the option the chats from previous mails will remain visible.
When you manage the accepted contact mails, you will receive the mails of those who at least once responded to a message sent from delta chat with a different client. Messages received from DC will be moved to the dedicated folder, as will mails received from accepted contacts (regardless of whether they are in response to a DC message or a “new” mail).
Only chat will receive only messages sent by other DC users that are moved to the dedicated folder.
I suppose the choice to set up checking all mails was made to avoid the problem of people complaining about not receiving replies on DC since when a new chat is opened it is said to be usable even with non-DC users, but it creates quite a mess for those who want to use DC in one of the other modes with a pre-existing account.
The solution of accepted contacts, in my opinion, would definitely be better as a default setting being a middle ground that would eventually allow to switch modes without too many problems, there remains the problem of making it clear that in order to accept contacts these contacts must respond to a message we sent with DC, it would probably suffice to make this concept more explicit in the text present when starting a new chat.
The old default setting “chat only” actually could be misleading when the text is displayed when starting a new chat.
That said perhaps the best solution would be to have some introductory screen, when first logging in, that well explains the three options and allows one to select the preferred one before all the emails are eventually downloaded, or simply use the “contacts accepted” option as the default and just have the introductory screen explaining how the various options work without necessarily allowing one to be set.
Another doubt I had is about the option to delete messages from the server: I assume that it only deletes messages moved to the DC folder, whether or not you check the DC folder exclusively. However, I know that this could also depend on the provider.