Combined From/Recipient column ("Correspondents") in thread pane - What do you think?

[Jörg Knobloch]

Hi all,

thanks to Neil a long-standing (15 years!) enhancement request has 
finally been implemented in bug 36489.

A new column is available which combines the "From" and the "Recipient" 
columns.

This new column has become the default, so new folders (and therefore 
new users) get to see it. It is also used when resetting the columns to 
the default. We should publicise the feature in future release notes, 
most likely for TB 45.

My question is this:
As currently implemented, the new column automatically replaces "From" 
and "Recipient" columns for any existing folder when the user visits the 
folder in Thunderbird 39.

Personally, I find this "hard sell" of the new feature a little too 
aggressive. I would not upgrade existing folders to use the new column 
automatically. I would leave it to the users' choice whether or not they 
want to use the new column.

I was thinking of an article Kent mentioned recently 
(https://medium.com/@trog/forgetting-firefox-c04dba853263) where the 
following is said about Firefox (quote): "What random interface changes 
are they going to introduce?"
I'd just like to avoid the surprise that users will get after upgrading 
when their familiar columns suddenly change.

What's your opinion?

Jorg K.