I keep 1000's of emails, due to the fact that I often want or need to refer back to them. I have tried using rules to move messages to appropriate other folders (mailboxes) which works fairly well. The only problem is that the message is actually moved out of the inbox, so there are often times when a message may not have been moved to the folder at the time I am looking for it.
Typically, rules are set up so that messages don't get moved until after they've been read. This is double-edged sword though: if I have messages moved upon receipt, I may not see them for awhile, as they will never have been seen in the inbox. On the other hand, if I have them moved after they are read, it makes it difficult to search for messages since some would reside in dedicated mailboxes while others are still in the inbox.
What I would like is to have is a reference (or shortcut) to the message so that the original still exists in the inbox - at least until it is moved either manually or by an appropriate rule. Then, I would be able to go to one folder/mailbox and find all related messages without worrying if all they are all able to be found in one place.
It seemed, at first, that Smart Mailboxes would be the answer I'm looking for. However, Smart Mailboxes aren't quite as "smart" as they should be. What I mean by that is that while they DO only contain a "shortcut" to the actual message, they also only contain unread messages. Once you open a message, it no longer can be found in the Smart Mailbox. I think this should be an option: to be able to choose whether or not a specific Smart Mailbox will include read and/or unread messages.
The strange thing is that when setting the conditions for a Smart Mailbox, you are given the option to choose "Message is unread". This makes no sense on 2 levels:
Having the option to choose "Message is read" would solve all of my problems.
I suspect that the "Message is read" condition was mistakenly excluded.
What can we do to get Apple to make this simple change to the way Smart Mailboxes work?
Typically, rules are set up so that messages don't get moved until after they've been read. This is double-edged sword though: if I have messages moved upon receipt, I may not see them for awhile, as they will never have been seen in the inbox. On the other hand, if I have them moved after they are read, it makes it difficult to search for messages since some would reside in dedicated mailboxes while others are still in the inbox.
What I would like is to have is a reference (or shortcut) to the message so that the original still exists in the inbox - at least until it is moved either manually or by an appropriate rule. Then, I would be able to go to one folder/mailbox and find all related messages without worrying if all they are all able to be found in one place.
It seemed, at first, that Smart Mailboxes would be the answer I'm looking for. However, Smart Mailboxes aren't quite as "smart" as they should be. What I mean by that is that while they DO only contain a "shortcut" to the actual message, they also only contain unread messages. Once you open a message, it no longer can be found in the Smart Mailbox. I think this should be an option: to be able to choose whether or not a specific Smart Mailbox will include read and/or unread messages.
The strange thing is that when setting the conditions for a Smart Mailbox, you are given the option to choose "Message is unread". This makes no sense on 2 levels:
1) Smart Mailboxes, by design, ONLY contain unread messages. So this would be a redundant/unnecessary condition.
2) There is no option to choose "Message is read" - why have one without the other?
Having the option to choose "Message is read" would solve all of my problems.
I suspect that the "Message is read" condition was mistakenly excluded.
What can we do to get Apple to make this simple change to the way Smart Mailboxes work?
