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I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

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Re: I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

#101

Post by richardjs »

cmircea wrote: post #77
mixmax wrote: post #74

Here's another total usability fail: Tab sends the e-mail you're currently writing instead of indenting text. Everywhere else tab indents text, and when you write an e-mail in gmail you'd expect it to act consistently with how it's used everywhere else. Start writing in gmail, hit tab to indent some text. Congratulations you've now sent half an e-mail to you boss.... I can't fathom who thought this was a good idea.

Nitpicker's corner: it doesn't actually send the email, it focuses the send button.

I don't think it's nitpicking. It's the difference between the standard way web forms work and Gmail overriding a known behavior to do something else.

That said, after you hit tab, you'll probably type a word and hit space, which will then click the button and send off the message.

Re: I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

#102

Post by ebbv »

shrikant wrote: post #100
ebbv wrote: post #67

I can't remember the last Gmail change that was actually an improvement. In general Google's changes since the Google+ rollout have been 90% terrible. There's been a couple of changes to Youtube that are better (like the really big mode), but overall changes to all Google services have been bad. I feel like they've really lost the plot.

I may be in the minority here, but I actually think most changes to the Gmail interface have been improvements. My biggest gripe was when they did the overall visual refresh, which reduced the information density on my small laptop screen. Then they added a "Density" switcher, which made things alright again. I actually like it when interfaces change. Even when I was super busy I wouldn't mind learning and adapting t…

You are definitely in the minority liking change for its own sake.

I enjoy change if it's at worst neutral in impacting functionality but when it makes the application/system/whatever harder to use then it's obviously bad.

New Compose is terrible and they're saying they'll get rid of old compose soon.

The new reply interface is terrible.

The new interface doesn't play well with the GChat boxes either. It used to be that the reply box was small enough that it was trivial to have it on the page at the same time as your GChat, but now the chat boxes will overlay the replay area if you have more than 1. They do this because they want us to be chatting via Google+. But nobody uses Google+. And rather than convincing me to start using Google+ what they're doing is convincing me to ditch GChat and GMail.

Re: I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

#103

Post by rza »

mixmax wrote: post #74

Here's another total usability fail: Tab sends the e-mail you're currently writing instead of indenting text. Everywhere else tab indents text, and when you write an e-mail in gmail you'd expect it to act consistently with how it's used everywhere else. Start writing in gmail, hit tab to indent some text. Congratulations you've now sent half an e-mail to you boss.... I can't fathom who thought this was a good idea.

I wouldn't call it a total fail. Tab moves focus to the next input element on almost all web forms, in this case the send button. It allows you to send the message without moving your mouse in a fashion consistent with how we use web forms, much like how I can submit this comment with tab+enter.

Re: I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

#105

Post by tomkarlo »

ebbv wrote: post #97
tomkarlo wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but Photoshop has a totally different target market from Gmail, which is why the article's comparison is nonsensical if not entirely wrong. Gmail is designed for everyone and has to support the full spectrum of users, in particular the new ones (because they're the ones picking new email accounts - consider that they're partially trying to target people who still don't have email). Photoshop is designed for a ve…

If your point is that his analogy wasn't great, I think we'll all concede that point.

Well, my point was that the analogy shows the problem with the rest of the post - he's applying a faulty standard to judging if the changes are good ones or not.

If it's just griping that he doesn't like the changes, fine, but if his point is that these are bad changes that don't make sense for the product, then he needs to pick a better analogy.

Everyone wants simpler, more intuitive products, unless it disrupts their particular workflow. http://xkcd.com/1172/

Re: I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

#106

Post by kevinpet »

richardjs wrote: post #101
cmircea wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nitpicker's corner: it doesn't actually send the email, it focuses the send button.

I don't think it's nitpicking. It's the difference between the standard way web forms work and Gmail overriding a known behavior to do something else. That said, after you hit tab, you'll probably type a word and hit space, which will then click the button and send off the message.

I had no idea what he was talking about until the replies. You and grandparent are wrong. Standard behavior on web forms is tab moves you to the next element.

You are expecting gmail to act like a desktop app, and maybe you could make the argument that it should, but that's a different issue.

Re: I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

#107

Post by ebbv »

tomkarlo wrote: post #105
ebbv wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If your point is that his analogy wasn't great, I think we'll all concede that point.

Well, my point was that the analogy shows the problem with the rest of the post - he's applying a faulty standard to judging if the changes are good ones or not. If it's just griping that he doesn't like the changes, fine, but if his point is that these are bad changes that don't make sense for the product, then he needs to pick a better analogy. Everyone wants simpler, more intuitive products, unless it disrupts the…

I think despite the weak analogy, his point is obviously valid and solid. Gmail has gotten shittier for everyone.

Re: I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

#108

Post by 0bit »

wkral wrote: post #46

I don't know if anyone else has this problem but since I use VI for code editing I have a twitch reaction to hit escape a lot when I'm editing text. This actually closes the compose window now. Which is incredibly frustrating. I know it's not a mainstream user problem just something that effect my perception of Gmail on a daily basis.

if you are on a Mac you can use QuickCursor and edit your mail in vi :) it works in any application that uses a standard Cocoa text box. http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/products/quickcursor

Re: I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

#109

Post by therandomguy »

bornhuetter wrote: post #22
msrpotus wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have a link? Curious to see what kind of user I am (I also generally like the new interface; seems perfectly fine for me).

I'm pretty sure I'm not on that list. I've never liked the way the gmail web client works. * I've always disliked conversation view, and I keep ending up turning it off whenever I try it * The lack of ability to sort emails is really annoying * The layout of emails, particularly when trying to reply to an email, I find confusing - in particular it would make far more sense to have the text box at the top of the page…

* I've always disliked conversation view, and I keep ending up turning it off whenever I try it

>>I hated it deeply, thoroughly till I used it for a while. Now I can't live without it.

* The lack of ability to sort emails is really annoying

>>It took me some time to rely on search.

* The layout of emails, particularly when trying to reply to an email, I find confusing - in particular it would make far more sense to have the text box at the top of the page

>>Neutral on this.

Re: I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

#110

Post by wtvanhest »

"I can’t easily change my email subject." This is so crucial since threads are created using the subject. Easily the most frustrating thing about Gmail.

SHOW THE SUBJECT! I have sent 3 emails before which all said "TIME SENSITIVE" only to find out later, that only the first was really time sensitive. For non-gmail users getting those emails, this is terrible.

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