Thread: New Gmail "compose" - a ridiculous, pointless joke

I'm not much into multi media presentation formats. I don't need interactive wallpaper and I'm pretty much happy with just typing text into an email and reading the text in a reply.

My default is set to basic html (for slow connections). Works a treat.

I never could figure out why I should use GMAIL in the first place. The only possible reason to use it is if you are forced to use multiple computers and even then there are ways around that.

I hear ya, Brett. I hate the Gmail+ with a passion... and am still using the old style. Ghu help me once that's no longer an option, as GMail handles the bulk of my daily emails.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I never could figure out why I should use GMAIL in the first place. The only possible reason to use it is if you are forced to use multiple computers and even then there are ways around that.

"Should?" No-one should use GMail. But if you travel a lot, it's certainly a convenience. I can log on via any 'puta with a net connection and keep up with my emails.

Nor is it "the only possible reason." I only give out my ISP assigned email address to people I know and trust. Never to a website. That way I'm not wading thru spam when I'm doing my 'social' emails.

Next, I have a hotmail account that's purely for spam. This is the one I give sites that insist on sending me catalogues & brochures (ie. unwanted spam) for years after I visit their site just once.

Then there's GMail. That's my working account for all the sundry emails that fall in-between the above two categories.

This system may not be for everyone, but it makes my life easier!

Wow, didn't realise there was so much hate around here for Gmail.

I have a couple of gmail accounts, my primary one that I use for 95% of my communication and another that I use anywhere I'm likely to receive spam. I like it, I have a hotmail account and I have a work account that I use through Apples mail program.

I don't have an issue with the new compose, it allows me to open up a compose window and still chat to friends, search my inbox, open up emails and copy and paste from those emails. I don't see why people are complaining so much, I haven't lost anything and I've gained the ability to do more, if you don't like it, switch to a mail program, or set up another email and redirect your old email to that.

Originally Posted by codeMunk3y

Wow, didn't realise there was so much hate around here for Gmail.

I have a couple of gmail accounts, my primary one that I use for 95% of my communication and another that I use anywhere I'm likely to receive spam. I like it, I have a hotmail account and I have a work account that I use through Apples mail program.

I don't have an issue with the new compose, it allows me to open up a compose window and still chat to friends, search my inbox, open up emails and copy and paste from those emails. I don't see why people are complaining so much, I haven't lost anything and I've gained the ability to do more, if you don't like it, switch to a mail program, or set up another email and redirect your old email to that.

I think you are missing several salient points:

• I haven't expressed a hatred for Gmail - in fact I like it very much - so much so that I don't want to see it degraded pointlessly.
• I've already addressed being able to open up new windows just as easily in the old version (a click is a click)
• If you haven't lost anything then you obviously don't use much formatting - that's ok - but I do to make the kind of messages that I send as clear and readable as possible (it's my graphics background). I don't think that's peculiar to me, but not everyone does this.
• Why should I have to switch to another mail program, with yet another email address, just to avoid being forced to go backwards. Doesn't make sense at all. I could use Outlook, which was pretty good in it's day (I have the 03 version) but I find Gmail better for my purposes. Couldn't be fagged upgrading from 03/XP when it does all I need it to do (Excel extensively, tiny bit of Word, that's it) and is super-reliable. Rather spend the money on tools and timber.

One of the last points that I made was: sure leave the new compose in, keep the old one and let people choose, and set a default style. That's got to be a really simple solution which will please all of the people all of the time, will it not?

No hate here. It's a free service and beats the pants off any other free offering that is as reliable and flexible and has been consistently available for as long. I've been forced to change ISP's more frequently than gmail accounts. If you really have an incurable dislike of the gmail web interface you can even just use it as a normal pop server and use the mail client of your choice free of any other google overhead.

If you've got an android device then you are going to be pretty much tied to having a gmail account, but you can easily just create another anonymous account for that and ignore it.

I took the same attitude to GMails' new "Compose" as I did to the recent Photobuket "upgrade". Used it for a couple of days, decided this is crap and went back to the old way.

In the case of Photobucket they have made some changes from the original release in response to a lot of complaints, although I still use it I have since changed to Picasa Web Albums which ties in much better with my photo organiser/editor of choice, Picasa. Point is I wouldn't have gone to look for a change if Photobucket hadn't made those totally unnecessary "upgrades".

In the case of GMail, went back to the original way of doing things and dread the day the new way becomes the only way.

I have several GMail addresses for different purposes and reckon GMail is the best thing since sliced bread, but the new Compose is awful, takes away stuff I use all the time and gives me nothing useful in return.

Another "upgrade" for upgrades sake, save us from computer geeks.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

I think you are missing several salient points:

That wasn't solely aimed at you

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

• If you haven't lost anything then you obviously don't use much formatting - that's ok - but I do to make the kind of messages that I send as clear and readable as possible (it's my graphics background). I don't think that's peculiar to me, but not everyone does this.

I use quite a lot of the formatting, but I haven't lost it a) because it's still all there and b) because I mainly use keyboard shortcuts

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

• Why should I have to switch to another mail program, with yet another email address, just to avoid being forced to go backwards. Doesn't make sense at all. I could use Outlook, which was pretty good in it's day (I have the 03 version) but I find Gmail better for my purposes. Couldn't be fagged upgrading from 03/XP when it does all I need it to do (Excel extensively, tiny bit of Word, that's it) and is super-reliable. Rather spend the money on tools and timber.

My point there is like any service, you have the option which one you use, if this new workflow is not to your liking then you have the option to move to one that you do like

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

One of the last points that I made was: sure leave the new compose in, keep the old one and let people choose, and set a default style. That's got to be a really simple solution which will please all of the people all of the time, will it not?

It might, but maintaining two bits of code is an issue, takes time and resources. It's up to Google what they do.

Count your blessings - at least it's not Lotus Notes!

Originally Posted by codeMunk3y

a) because it's still all there yes, but more work to get to

and b) because I mainly use keyboard shortcuts yes, I do too, but when you are doing multiple formats to the one piece of text then clicks are the way to go, esp for the non-shortcut stuff

My point there is like any service, you have the option which one you use, if this new workflow is not to your liking then you have the option to move to one that you do like I chose Gmail after pretty thorough research and opinion seeking - don't want to unecessarily go through all the buggerising around again - got things to do in the shed mate!

It might, but maintaining two bits of code is an issue, takes time and resources. If it ain't broke....it doesn't need much/any maintaining. The new version might, but it would anyway

It's up to Google what they do. Hmmm, not the best way to win people over (on their part) which is what it's all about

You see my whole platform is that I can't see that someone such as yourself has gained anything they didn't already have easy access to - just pop it out and you can have as many things going as you can stay sane with. But someone such as myself has lost plenty or had it made more difficult/more steps to go through on a very regular basis (every email).

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I never could figure out why I should use GMAIL in the first place. The only possible reason to use it is if you are forced to use multiple computers and even then there are ways around that.

i started using gmail after a couple of isp breakdowns ... as we choose to live where we do , we have very poor and unreliable internet services here .. we had a satellite service which was ok, then they changed from panasat to optus c and then stopped the service altogether ...

i had isdn which was basically inadequate but better than nothing ...

then a company offered a directed wireless service (not mobile phone style) from a node serviced by microwave which was reasonable but very unreliable ... eventually they closed that service as well ...

this left us with mobile phone technology wireless technology which is extremely unreliable (we have a telstra service and an optus backup to cope with theat unreliability ... i would guess that we have email accounts attached to both mobile services but for consistency and also constancy we use a gmail account which is of course isp independent

to try to stay a bit on topic ... the new compose? have used it a couple of times without paying any particular attention to it .... it works so i guess i will cope with it

regards david

Originally Posted by robbygard

... as we choose to live where we do

Sheesh, well that's where you went wrong. Not supposed to choose anymore, supposed to fit in with what giant multi-nationals want you to do. Get it right David.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Sheesh, well that's where you went wrong. Not supposed to choose anymore, supposed to fit in with what giant multi-nationals want you to do. Get it right David.

Yha the Government winges that 70% of us live around the coast and then they treat any one who does otherwise like second class nit wits.
Regards