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I feel like Gmail went from being Photoshop to Draw Something

taigeair.com

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

#301

Post by duaneb »

Fuzzwah wrote: post #15

I'm torn between strongly agreeing with these points and wanting to comment pointing out that none of them matter..... I hate change for change's sake, but the new gmail compose window has made me more efficient. It took some getting used to however. Responses to the points made in the article: 1) I can’t easily delete my signatures. Forget about deleting your sig and generally cleaning up email threads. Decent email…

Thank you for showing me the error of my ways! Clearly google understands my needs better than I do myself.

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

#302

Post by GhotiFish »

esalman wrote: post #270
missing_cipher wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The default behavior for "Tab" on the web is to move to the next element on the Tab order.

The Send button is located above/before the email body. One would not expect that focus is moved to one of the previous elements instead of the immediate next element.

Actually. If tabs are set up properly, then when you press tab you should move to the next relevant field.

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

#303

Post by GhotiFish »

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…

I'm with you. Asthetics actually have improved with many google services, quiet alot actually.

You hear complaints about Youtube's design evolution. They've improved much more than they've missed.

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

#304

Post by GhotiFish »

snaky wrote: post #300
Numberwang wrote: post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What a horribly misleading graph.

What exactly is misleading in that graph?

That graph is misleading, if they were honest their scale would be 0%...100%

not 0%...50%

That's what disingenuous presentations do when they want to make a graph scary, they cut the axis to scale the data and ditch the sense of perspective.

Made worse by the fact that the author didn't need to do that at all. Going from 10% -> 40% is a hell of a jump, even in perspective that's impressive.

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

#305

Post by GhotiFish »

WildUtah wrote: post #175
tomkarlo wrote: post #70

Does anyone really think Photoshop is a good UX for mass consumption (which is obviously the target for Gmail)? I've been using it since version 2, and I think it's a great product, but for new users it's a miserably difficult product to learn, especially for any kind of casual use. There's a reason why users love apps like Draw Something or (more relevantly) Instagram or Paper. They're able to easily achieve the res…

Does anyone really think Photoshop is a good UX for mass consumption Obviously not. I just wish Gmail would work more like The GIMP.

I have gimp love, I really do.

but I do not agree with your statement.

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

#306

Post by emp_zealoth »

GhotiFish wrote: post #303
shrikant wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

I'm with you. Asthetics actually have improved with many google services, quiet alot actually. You hear complaints about Youtube's design evolution. They've improved much more than they've missed.

The latest YouTube itrration is just god awful for me. Title should be above the thing I'm watching, not below. Because of that, the video sits in the top corner of my screen. And. I. Hate. It. Maybe there is a way to fix that, but guess what. I can't be arsed to look for it. It's nice to have an overhaul of your UI every now and then, but screwing it upside down every other day just makes me stop using it. Facebook is so retarded now that every time I have to use it I want to scream in agony.

Gnome is a nice example. They did a dramatic change, but it was long overdue. I hated it at the start, thankfully Unity was such a pos that I gave it a shot and came about. Now I'm having trouble with Windows, since it feels clunky and inefficient now. But gnome did the change once. With some websites it feels like they just like to horse around making me guess and study their new gimmicky fud.

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

#307

Post by emp_zealoth »

taigeair wrote: post #188
shrikant wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

I love trying new things and I love learning new software but I've learned the new gmail UI and I don't like clicking 2-3X more for things I do pretty regularly. Like getting someone's email address.

Revolutionary idea! Why not use Thunderbird?

Or any other mail client?

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

#308

Post by gallinaponedora »

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.

Oh I know this one: when they let you ungroup an email exchange into separate emails.

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

#309

Post by gallinaponedora »

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.

The irony of discussing good UI in hacker news

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

#310

Post by dwb »

nsns wrote: post #255

How can this - http://i.imgur.com/0mTa36W.png be better than this - http://i.imgur.com/FvnkaWX.png ?!? There should be some serious psychological research into the possible causes for such glitches of common sense.

FWIW, I very much prefer the new version. I never use formatting controls, and to be fair you have cut off the lower toolbar from the new screenshot. If they want to make email more regular (keeping subject line structure, less formatting, more immediate and less long-form), I'm all for that.
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