Re: If I don't realize it is a thread with the messages hidden inside it, I might miss the messages on that thread, thinking it was only one message there
If this thread has just received messages, than those should be unread, and the thread itself should be showing at unread -- brighter text, different background...
I am talking about the following situation:
There are several, say 3, messages in the thread, all new and unread.
It is only the latest message's information that is seen. If I don't care for that sender at the moment, or if the preview shown has already given me all information I needed from it (e.g. it is a 1-word reply), I wouldn't realize that there are 2 more messages from somebody else.
This actually has happened to me today.
Or should I make the "thread count indicator" brighter (in the dark theme, I guess it's fine in the light themes).
That might be useful.
But even with that, that indicator is on the far right, where usually only unessential (less-essential) information is located: time, message size... That's not where I am looking while quickly checking for new messages.
I'd say that one of the following might work better:
1. some type of different background/fill pattern (shading?)
2. horizontal line along the top of the thread rectangle
3. line on the left (similar to that in the expanded view)
4. slight ofset of the sender line (I am not sure if that's a good idea)
And just in case, - I am not using the Gmail-like "chips" (is that what those are called?)
Re: thicker line on the side
Sure, let's try it and see how it works out.
Great!