GMail Compose

[imoldernu]

For those who use GMail as your primary source...

Wondering what you think of the new mandatory "Compose" version of Gmail.
Since changing an email address involves so many notifications, I hate to do it, but neither I nor DW feel comfortable with the new format, even with the larger page format.

Recommendations for a different Email client?

 

[rbmrtn]

You can use most any client you want. Outlook express can retrieve your gmail account for example. MS has an online version of outlook now like gmail. And you can always forward your gmail to a new account till things get swapped over https://support.google.com/mail/answer/10957?hl=en

 

[imoldernu]

You can use most any client you want. Outlook express can retrieve your gmail account for example. MS has an online version of outlook now like gmail. And you can always forward your gmail to a new account till things get swapped over https://support.google.com/mail/answer/10957?hl=en

Thanks... am getting too old to jump through the hoops, and am not happy with Google for it's arrogance in making a change that is so unpopular... Checking out Google Compose Sucks brings up more than a million pages, and unlike usual Google searches that refer to other subjects too, almost all of the links point to the negative responses to the new format. After looking at the lnk you provided, I found this changeover page for Outlook. Outlook Blog - Over 25 million active Outlook.com users, and today we

Looks like the battle beteen Google and Microsoft is heating up in other areas too. The spat between Microsoft and Google is getting ugly – Quartz

Fortunately, unlike Comcast for the internet, we still have a choice of browsers and email, so I'm going to try going back to Microsoft or Firefox... Chrome and Gmail have so many hidden and dropdown menus that it's getting too hard to learn the changes.
Anyway, as I grow even older and grayer, I find it easier to change from being a fighter to being a lover...

 

[ERD50]

You can use most any client you want. ...

I use Thunderbird, a cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux) email client.

Mozilla Thunderbird - Reclaim Your Inbox

I never liked the web based email, other than for checking in away from my computer. The main thing I miss is just hitting a column and sorting (by date, sender, subject, etc). I know you can 'filter' those, but it's not the same.

Thanks... am getting too old to jump through the hoops, ...

Think of it this way - you are jumping through hoops with every change Google makes. Set up an email client, and you will probably have more control and fewer changes/hoops. It's easy.

-ERD50

 

[MichaelB]

Nothing generates more complaints than something that is free to use. Changing to a MS product may help, as they have demonstrated a strong commitment to continuity in the end user interface across their product lines.

Set up an email client, and you will probably have more control and fewer changes/hoops. It's easy.

-ERD50

+1

 

[JOHNNIE36]

I just changed from AIM mail (part of AOL) to Gmail. To date, I am still getting used to Gmail but like it so far. My daughter had Gmail and convinced me to use it also as AIM was causing me too many problems. My wife used Outlook Express until she was forced to change to Verizon. Something to do with her new computer software not able to support Outlook. Apparently we don't know what we're doing so I'm not going to recommend anything.

imoldernu, I'm not aware of any problem ref "mandatory compose". Explain?

 

[donheff]

If you are talking about the small pop-out window for composing messages, it irritates me. But not enough to drop Gmail. I dumped client programs like Eudora and Thunderbird as soon as browser based clients became reasonably effective and don't want to go back. Most people like Outlook because they got used to the interface at work. I always disliked it, probably based on outdated security and spam considerations from more than a decade ago. Nonetheless, I agree with others that if the Gmail (or other) browser interfaces leave you cold you should try something like Outlook. I have set it up for others and the automatic setup for major providers like Google seems almost idiot proof.

 

[scrinch]

If you are talking about the small pop-out window for composing messages, it irritates me. But not enough to drop Gmail. I dumped client programs like Eudora and Thunderbird as soon as browser based clients became reasonably effective and don't want to go back.

+1

After having to migrate all my locally stored emails from one computer to the next to the next using Thunderbird, I gave up and went to gmail (actually Google Apps) where they store all my emails for free and give me the tools to easily search them on their servers. I was a little irritated with the new Compose window, but not nearly as irritated as having to store and move emails because of limited server storage. You could decide to just use an email client like Outlook Express or Thunderbird with your gmail account, but you may find some new window that you don't like there also....especially if you upgrade the software every so often.

 

[donheff]

+1

After having to migrate all my locally stored emails from one computer to the next to the next using Thunderbird, I gave up and went to gmail (actually Google Apps) where they store all my emails for free and give me the tools to easily search them on their servers. I was a little irritated with the new Compose window, but not nearly as irritated as having to store and move emails because of limited server storage. You could decide to just use an email client like Outlook Express or Thunderbird with your gmail account, but you may find some new window that you don't like there also....especially if you upgrade the software every so often.

That was pretty much my reasoning at the time but now all of the programs use messaging protocols that allow you to keep messages,folders, etc., on the server (along with copies to read offline on your PC). No more migrating archives and other hassles. But many of the users I help don't understand the settings and fail to setup the client to retain copies of read messages on the server. When they lose their local hard drive they lose all of those read messages they were keeping in the inbox or folders. It is easier and more sensible for them to use a browser. But users who have a basic understanding of mail settings and like the interface do well on Outlook or other local clients.

 

[scrinch]

That was pretty much my reasoning at the time but now all of the programs use IMAP which allows you to keep messages on the server (along with copies to read offline on your PC).

That's true if you use a service that offers you all the storage you need. The big ones (gmail, yahoo, hotmail, etc) do, but many of the smaller ones only offer 100MB or so, which is easy to fill up in a year or two. Even so, the convenience of the web interface has won me over. Why monkey with the synchronizing and local storage of IMAP if you don't have to?

 

[marko]

I"m a huge Google fan and do (almost) everything via Google. The one peeve I have is that there is no auto Capitalize on " i " nor at the start of a sentence (Gmail or Gdocs).... otherwise, I love Google and have been 100% in the cloud for 10 months and counting!

 

[Janet H]

I'm a heavy gmail user and use the paid pro version. There are days when I field several hundred e-mails. I left Thunderbird behind once to move to gmail but am about to move back. Rant alert:

Google has forgotten its own "don't be evil' credo; ignored customer input, and increased Gmail users hassle factor. It's now a lot harder to use e-mail.

There are dozens of dis-improvements with the new "Compose Experience". Multitasking has been made more difficult as a click outside the compose box forces it to minimize. More clicks, more hunting for tools. more mousing around. Tools (once you find them) are located on all four corners of the message window instead grouped in one handy location. The full screen that Google touts as the solution those who want a larger interface is in reality only a half screen. You can see only 22 lines of text making composing or reading complex documents difficult. Even this forum software has an infinitely expandable reply editor (lower right corner - drag to open)

The biggest horror is changes to the To:, cc: and bcc: fields (they collapse once you begin composing) making mistakes in recipient lists likely. Sending sensitive mail to the wrong party because you can't easily see this info is unacceptable.

The dumbing-down of Gmail is shameful. The Facebook-like message interface seems better suited to sending short chat messages and is clearly not intended for serious use. Fail.

 

[rbmrtn]

My wife used Outlook Express until she was forced to change to Verizon. Something to do with her new computer software not able to support Outlook. Apparently we don't know what we're doing so I'm not going to recommend anything.

OE works fine with verizon just like it does with any email provider. Now if you got a new PC, MS stopped providing OE with Vista, W7 etc. As I recall Vista did not even ship with a mail client you had to install windows mail as an addon product.

Setting up your Verizon Online email with Outlook Express 5 - 6 on Windows | High Speed Internet | Residential Support | Verizon

 

[imoldernu]

Janet outlined my complaints much better than I could have.
Thanks!!!!

 

[Janet H]

Janet outlined my complaints much better than I could have.
Thanks!!!!

I've had some time to think about it - as I've been hunting for new tools on that dopey interface.

Interestingly, there are thousands of similar comments on Googles own support pages and little response from Google. Their support team gives the same lame canned responses over and over, saying things like "....but now there's a new full sized compose window if you don't like the handy and compact version". "Full sized" seems to have taken on the same meaning as a lb of coffee (now in a 12 oz can).

I'm so disappointed in Google; they've usually been smart and facile in their choices and changes. The Gmail "compose experience" seems like e-mail with training wheels; designed for those who've grown up using twiter as their main means of communication.

 

[rbmrtn]

The Gmail "compose experience" seems like e-mail with training wheels; designed for those who've grown up using twiter as their main means of communication.

That says a lot about technology today... mass marketed for the non-nerd

 

[imoldernu]

Happened across this really funny review. Worth a peek....Dear Google, About these recent changes to Gmail

A little off-topic, but did you know that there are 158 hedge funds, heavily into Google... per MSNBC. Google was offline for 9 minutes last night. Stock is up today

 

[ERD50]

That says a lot about technology today... mass marketed for the non-nerd

Actually - I like it when tech is designed to be used for the non-nerd. Most things should be simple. Just don't take away power from the nerds, if/when they need it.

A really good example from a few years ago (that might have changed by now) was emailing a photo on a Mac OSX. It wan't unusual for non-nerds to send a photo in an email that was a full 3-4 megapixel file, be larger than the screen on the receiving end, , when just a little snapshot would do. Nerds knew to re-size it first, but not non-nerds.

So the Apple mail program, when you attached a photo, would ask "small, medium, large, or full size?", with simple descriptions. Fine for the non-nerd. But the important thing - they didn't 'blow it' for nerds. You just selected 'options', and you had access to every geeky compression type, setting, color profile, pixel count and everything. EZ for non-nerds, and it didn't get in the way of nerds.

That's how just about everything should be, IMO.


-ERD50

 

[donheff]

Actually - I like it when tech is designed to be used for the non-nerd. Most things should be simple. Just don't take away power from the nerds, if/when they need it.

A really good example from a few years ago (that might have changed by now) was emailing a photo on a Mac OSX. It wan't unusual for non-nerds to send a photo in an email that was a full 3-4 megapixel file, be larger than the screen on the receiving end, , when just a little snapshot would do. Nerds knew to re-size it first, but not non-nerds.

So the Apple mail program, when you attached a photo, would ask "small, medium, large, or full size?", with simple descriptions. Fine for the non-nerd. But the important thing - they didn't 'blow it' for nerds. You just selected 'options', and you had access to every geeky compression type, setting, color profile, pixel count and everything. EZ for non-nerds, and it didn't get in the way of nerds.

That's how just about everything should be, IMO.


-ERD50

+1 That feature is present in the iPhone and iPad mail apps and it is great. I suspect patents interfere with widespread adoption of features like this that are obvious to everyone once someone else implements them. But the mess with technology patents is another discussion.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

OE works fine with verizon just like it does with any email provider. Now if you got a new PC, MS stopped providing OE with Vista, W7 etc. As I recall Vista did not even ship with a mail client you had to install windows mail as an addon product.

Setting up your Verizon Online email with Outlook Express 5 - 6 on Windows | High Speed Internet | Residential Support | Verizon

That is the exact problem with wife's email service. She got a new tablet which screwed things up. I'm just talking because she can handle about anything on the computer. She has two laptops and the tablet. Couple different systems going there. One laptop just holds her sewing designs and mail with the sewing groups, another is just a regular computer while the tablet is what she uses the most these days.

 

[donheff]

It seems to me that relying on MS mail clients other that Outlook is a losing proposition, They are all over the place with Express, MS Mail, Live Mail... Sounds like a lost cause trying to keep up with what works where. Better to switch to a browser interface and take what comes when it comes or adopt one of the client apps that at least seem to continue to be supported on OS after OS like Outlook or Thunderbird.

 

[Lsbcal]

Don and others, you've lost me. I must be into the email dark ages ... for me it's just Yahoo and my computer's Outlook for secure type email. It took me awhile to realize I needed a Yahoo email app on my first generation Kindle Fire.

I'm just guessing but are the email interface changes being driven by small screen usage nowadays (smartphones and tablets)?

BTW, I read that Samsung has come out with a mega screen smartphone (6.3 inches). So maybe tablets and smartphones will be a continuum?

 

[donheff]

Don and others, you've lost me. I must be into the email dark ages ... for me it's just Yahoo and my computer's Outlook for secure type email. It took me awhile to realize I needed a Yahoo email app on my first generation Kindle Fire.

I'm just guessing but are the email interface changes being driven by small screen usage nowadays (smartphones and tablets)?

BTW, I read that Samsung has come out with a mega screen smartphone (6.3 inches). So maybe tablets and smartphones will be a continuum?

Smart phones and tablets have mail apps that are optimized for the small screens. The few I have used seem pretty nice. But email clients for the desktop are a different story. There doesn't seem to be any need to drastically change them - just evolve them as technology improves. Microsoft has done that with Outlook but not with its "lite" mail client(s). FOr quite a while they bundled Outlook Express (different code base from Outlook) with Internet Explorer. It was the go to home mail client for lots of folks. But then for some reason they dropped it and came out with MS Mail. Then they dumped that and came out with Live Mail. A lot of home users are baffled to buy a new PC and find out they no longer have the MS mail client they got used to over the years. Seems counterproductive to me. I don't much care since I don't use the programs but I have listened to a lot of people who are frustrated by it when I fix their PCs. Could be there is a sensible MS glide path through all this that I am just not aware of.

 

[GrayHare]

One of the problems with cloud-based apps is usually the host/developer can change the UI with little notice to you. Once I've found an app that operates as I like, I prefer to stick with it as it rather than use something new that means I need to (re)learn the tricks to accomplish the same ol' task.

 

[Lsbcal]

Interesting thoughts Don.

When I bought my latest desktop PC in 2009 I installed MS Outlook which I purchased separately. Just wanted the funtionality I was familiar with, especially with the calendar feature. I'm sure there are free versions of this on the web but I wanted it to be just easy and familiar.