One thing to note is that the bookmark manager the article describes is Chrome's bookmark manager rather than Google Bookmarks, which, remarkably, is still around given Google's penchant for killing products that don't work out. It looks almost the same as when it launched in 2005. The "Gooooogle" links at the bottom, for example, still use the old serif logo.
Why Google's bookmark manager and Docs have purposefully bad UI
41–50 of 137 posts
Re: Why Google's bookmark manager and Docs have purposefully bad UI
#42Could we use this as a place to suggest alternatives to Google Maps? I have tried OpenStreetMaps (albeit 5+years ago) and couldn't search for an address. So if that's improved I'd like to know. I don't need/want "find X near me" or fluff like "what restaurant's are open right now?". All I want is navigation between current location and target address.
I use Google maps for navigation between locations and it works great, not sure what your problem with it is, but if you want an alternate Waze works better imo.
Re: Why Google's bookmark manager and Docs have purposefully bad UI
#43Earlier quoted context omitted.
> it very nearly caused 2 accidents for me this weekend This wouldn't have been accidental, it would have been fully your own fault for negligence. I'll fully admit this is a pedantic tangent but it's been long acknowledged that "accident" is a problematic word to describe vehicle crashes because it minimizes the agency of a driver and intentional decision making processes that lead up to a crash (for instance, using…
This comment is not the way to win that culture war. Agree that using phones while driving is generally bad, but implying that it is irresponsible to use turn-by-turn (and suggesting the alternative of just knowing where you are) is just more likely to make people ignore the problem all together.
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Re: Why Google's bookmark manager and Docs have purposefully bad UI
#44I'm not a fan of Google, or their UIs, but describing this as a "dark pattern" is ridiculous.
Re: Why Google's bookmark manager and Docs have purposefully bad UI
#45Could we use this as a place to suggest alternatives to Google Maps? I have tried OpenStreetMaps (albeit 5+years ago) and couldn't search for an address. So if that's improved I'd like to know. I don't need/want "find X near me" or fluff like "what restaurant's are open right now?". All I want is navigation between current location and target address.
OSM coverage can be very good, but quality varies by location. People have to be interested enough to put in the detail and keep it up to date.
As far as I know, it doesn't do pathfinding either. A client will have to take the data from OSM and use its own algorithms to navigate.
Re: Why Google's bookmark manager and Docs have purposefully bad UI
#46Google also debuted a new Driving Mode on Google Maps that... entirely changes the UI of of the app and several parts of the phone interface itself. I have never had to look at my phone while driving more in my entire life. It's my fault for using the phone, but it very nearly caused 2 accidents for me this weekend as I tried to get google maps to update or display a particular UI. I truly wonder what is going on ove…
> it very nearly caused 2 accidents for me this weekend This wouldn't have been accidental, it would have been fully your own fault for negligence. I'll fully admit this is a pedantic tangent but it's been long acknowledged that "accident" is a problematic word to describe vehicle crashes because it minimizes the agency of a driver and intentional decision making processes that lead up to a crash (for instance, using…
Not sure why this was downvoted. It is my responsibility as a driver to not be distracted. If I am, I just stop at the next possibility - what's stopping me (pun intended)?
I'd rather not be responsible for any accident related to google maps, because ultimately, it'd be my fault, and I'd not feel relieved just because google changed its layout.
This is not about excusing the bad pattern of modernizing UI just for the sake of it, just about not relieving myself out of responsibility.
Re: Why Google's bookmark manager and Docs have purposefully bad UI
#47The person writing this is confusing their personal opinion for objective UX fact. It is commonly accepted that only highly organized users use features like tags. The vast majority of people simply don't. Rather than jumping to the conclusion that this is hostile it's possible Chrome and Docs just have a wider user-base than this particular author.
Re: Why Google's bookmark manager and Docs have purposefully bad UI
#48Could we use this as a place to suggest alternatives to Google Maps? I have tried OpenStreetMaps (albeit 5+years ago) and couldn't search for an address. So if that's improved I'd like to know. I don't need/want "find X near me" or fluff like "what restaurant's are open right now?". All I want is navigation between current location and target address.
I use Google maps for navigation between locations and it works great, not sure what your problem with it is, but if you want an alternate Waze works better imo.
I like Waze too, but just wanted to point out that they are also owned by Ggogle.
Re: Why Google's bookmark manager and Docs have purposefully bad UI
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not to mention Google Maps gives you about 1/2" x 1/2" of actual map - the rest of your screen is full of other junk.
And two of the streets on the screen are named!
>And two of the streets on the screen are named!
Man, I thought I was going nuts. For a pretty long time now I've just been dumbfounded when no or seemingly arbitrary street names are rendered (usually when I zoom in; when it counts). This happens for all sorts of streets, regardless of their significance. It's slightly insane this still occurs.
Re: Why Google's bookmark manager and Docs have purposefully bad UI
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not to mention Google Maps gives you about 1/2" x 1/2" of actual map - the rest of your screen is full of other junk.
And two of the streets on the screen are named!
And they don't give you the street name until your 3 miles or less. Its the dumbest thing ever. The numbers are so small on the actual exits and if your in HOV lane it doesn't say exit for exit # 118. It says exit for sunset blvd.