Version:           1.9.6 (using KDE KDE 3.5.6)
Installed from:    Ubuntu Packages
OS:                Linux

The situation:
Often we need to know some details about our email before we open each message. Common details are Sender, Subject, Date, Spam/Ham, Attachment, and Size. Some people need additional details as well (I personally need the Recipient address displayed as well).


The problem:
All the details that one needs displayed in the message list form a single row that is too long for many computer monitors at a comfortable resolution and font size. The problem is magnified for users who need a large font due to poor eyesight, and those with small/low-res monitors. Thus, one must change the length of the individual columns often, to display the particular details one needs at the moment. The lengthening of one column often makes the entire row longer than the message list, thereby requiring a horizontal scrollbar. I could go on about why the horizontal scrollbar is unwanted, but I think that most of the reasons are already obvious to everyone here.


Possible solution:
Neighbor Resize On Column Resize: When a user legnthens one column, the neighboring column could automatically shorten itself. This is the current behaviour in Thunderbird and is very intuitive.


Another solution:
Auto Resize On Column Resize: When a user lengthens one column, the rest could proportionally shorten themselves. I think that one of my old mail clients did this, maybe The Bat or Endura. Opera, possibly.


Another solution:
Auto Resize When Sorting: When sorting by one field, it could automatically widen itself, with the other feilds shortening themselves proportionally. I would personally love this, but I don't think that it should be the default behaviour as it could be annoying to some people.


Another solution:
Mouse Over Column: When mousing over a field, it could automatically widen itself, with the other feilds shortening themselves proportionally. I would personally love this, but I don't think that it should be the default behaviour as it could be annoying to some people.


Another solution:
Multiple Rows: I think that The Bat had this. Instead of each mail having one line in the message pane, each mail would have two lines on the message pane. Sender and Subject on one line, for instance, and Size, Spam/Ham, Attachments, Recipient, Date, etc on the second line.


Other people who want the same thing:
Bug 125403 was marked a dupe of Bug 74619:
Bug 74619 refers only to Kmail window resizing, not to column resizing.
Bug 65124 seems to want something similar, yet proposes a complex clicking solution to the problem.
Bug 93300 was filed for Amarok, and the fix made it's way into the program.
Bug 64744 requested this and definable columns. As the definable columns feature was a dupe, the whole bug was closed as a dupe.