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Show HN: Gmail Thread Splitting

streak.com

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Re: Show HN: Gmail Thread Splitting

#2
We started playing with the new Gmail API (https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/) and created this fun little feature.

Ever notice Gmail sometimes gmail threads things it shouldn't? (i.e. when you bcc a lot of people). We built a way for you to break of a subset of the messages into their own thread.

Re: Show HN: Gmail Thread Splitting

#3
I haven't tried it yet, but oh my I've been waiting ages for you guys to add this feature! I'm sure it wasn't easy.

For context, the merging of emails threads in Gmail would at times make Streak unusable. This should be a big boost to Streak usability!

I also notice you guys added a "reminder" feature - effectively putting you head-on with Boomerang (which I currently pay for).

I have Streak, YesWare and Boomerang installed in my Gmail. It's too many add-ons for my liking. Boomerang, although the only one I currently pay for, seems to be the one that will have to go.

Re: Show HN: Gmail Thread Splitting

#4
I have never understood gmails features. They consitantly do not work for me, maybe the way i use email is too old school or something.

Threads are consistently broken, the messages are in the wrong order and are almost never grouped logically with seemingly random emails getting placed in same thread.

The new tab system seems to only be right about 30% of the time, I constantly have extreamly important emails going to the promotions and updates tab even after I have seemingly said all further emails of this type should go to primary.

I'm genuinely curious do these features work well for others? Am I alone in finding that these things just don't work?

Re: Show HN: Gmail Thread Splitting

#5
post #4

I have never understood gmails features. They consitantly do not work for me, maybe the way i use email is too old school or something. Threads are consistently broken, the messages are in the wrong order and are almost never grouped logically with seemingly random emails getting placed in same thread. The new tab system seems to only be right about 30% of the time, I constantly have extreamly important emails going…

Works near-perfect for me. The tabs work, the threads work. Happy gmailer right here! :)

I do everything from gmail, it's pretty much my life. I receive about 50 mails a day. I have important logs and reports from my servers come into gmail. I hardly ever have to re-organize.

Now, how do we find out the difference between how you and I use gmail?

Re: Show HN: Gmail Thread Splitting

#6
post #4

I have never understood gmails features. They consitantly do not work for me, maybe the way i use email is too old school or something. Threads are consistently broken, the messages are in the wrong order and are almost never grouped logically with seemingly random emails getting placed in same thread. The new tab system seems to only be right about 30% of the time, I constantly have extreamly important emails going…

The only issue I personally ever had was gmail tagging almost anything as spam after I initially imported all my old email. It would even tag mails from my contacts as spam, but this stopped after a week or so. I've never encountered anything like what you describe.

Re: Show HN: Gmail Thread Splitting

#8
I don't see anything in your privacy policy about email handling, but maybe I'm just skimming too fast.

When I click on install on the extension, it says that it requires access to *.mailfoogae.appspot.com; do you route my mail through your app in order to add this feature to gmail, or is it done completely locally within the sandbox of my account/browser?

Re: Show HN: Gmail Thread Splitting

#9
post #8

I don't see anything in your privacy policy about email handling, but maybe I'm just skimming too fast. When I click on install on the extension, it says that it requires access to *.mailfoogae.appspot.com; do you route my mail through your app in order to add this feature to gmail, or is it done completely locally within the sandbox of my account/browser?

In order to make this particular feature work, we hit the Gmail API with your Oauth credentials (which you can revoke at anytime). The actual process of splitting up the thread requires us to download some of your inbox content, modify it, then upload it. We do not store a copy of your mail ever.

Re: Show HN: Gmail Thread Splitting

#10
I have very rarely run into misbehaved threading. Even so, for me personally it's not enough to warrant the effort of doing a manual split. Threads are ephemeral and it's fairly trivial to change the subject and fork the thread.

However, I would really love to see thread merging or some kind of grouping into a master thread which can track all the sub-threads. I am fairly certain this would have very high utility for a lot of other people here especially if its dead simple to do (group > search thread > select thread > ok). I could easily use this to merge a bug report email thread with the internal bug tracking thread, etc. Or a candidate's job application with his interview feedback, etc.

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