I've been converted -- and can't switch spacing

[APB]

At least one of my Gmail accounts -- the one I use the most, unfortunately -- seems to have been switched over permanently to the new look.  I had had to force-quit my browser, and when I logged back into Gmail, it was into the new look.

 

I think it must be a permanent change for that account, because there is no option under the gear icon to revert to the old look.

 

Well, I knew it was coming sooner or later, and that I'd have to get used to it, BUT ...

 

... there's also no option to make that change between "cozy", "comfortable", and "compact".

 

I've logged into the account from two different browsers, and on one, the spacing is narrow (compact, I think), but in the other browser, the spacing is the wider Gmail new default.

 

I'm curious to know if other listees have had this experience, and if some of the more knowledgeable folks can tell me where the spacing option is hiding.

 

Thanks, APB

[RebootAgain]

Arrrrrrrrggggghhh, I really wish they weren't doing this! (Google, are you reading this group???)  The last time I signed in I was switched to the new look, but was still thankfully able to revert. 

I have yet to hear a reason for the change, although I assume it's somehow for the benefit of mobile devices?

I have tried the new look with different themes and settings, and still very much prefer the "old look."  The text labeled buttons are quicker to read than icon buttons, I like the blue shading and 3D tick boxes better, and don't care for the new filters interface AT ALL.

Please, Google, don't force the new look on us!

RebootAgain

[Zack (Doc)]

> reading this group?

Officially, no.  It's just a user's group put together by a few people to discuss GMail.  In the many years I've been a part of this group, I've seen one official Google person reply, and that was in response to one of their TCs posting in this group (too much information I suspect).

If you haven't heard a reason for the change, it's cause you haven't read the help file they presented when you switched, and/or the official GMail blog. However, your guess is at least partially correct.

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[Andy]

In the "new" Gmail, there are now two "gear" icons. To be fair, the
newer one probably isn't supposed to be a gear, on my screen it
actually looks a little more like a rounded Star of David. Or perhaps
a 6-pointed gear (versus the 8-pointed gear that we already have).
Look for it near the upper right corner but further in from the corner
than the normal gear icon.

This new icon has the options to change the spacing, and it may still
give you the option to "temporarily" revert to the old Gmail look.

My account was also mysteriously switched over to the "new" look
yesterday, but I was able to change it back.

And that's a good thing, because I really wanted to Archive some
messages and change the Labels on others, and neither of those buttons
appear to be available anymore!

Boy, do I not look forward to this being a permanent change! Why on
earth would someone want to inflict that on all their customers, who
have become accustomed to the idea of using Labels, and of Archiving
their messages after they read them?

It just boggles the mind.

Andy

[Zack (Doc)]

I've been using the new look since it became available as "an option" as I felt it good to "get used to" since it will become permanent.

I have Archive and Label buttons, though they are now icons instead of words.  Mousing over them, shows Alt-Text to be clear.

The buttons are selection sensitive, meaning, rather than just grayed out, they disappear when not appropriate to the selection.  I haven't decided yet exactly how I feel about that, but if you select something that can be archived, the button will appear (or at least it should, and does with my view).

[Andy]

> I have Archive and Label buttons, though they are now icons instead of
> words.  Mousing over them, shows Alt-Text to be clear.

I didn't have either. I tried the More button too, but not there either.

> The buttons are selection sensitive, meaning, rather than just grayed out,
> they disappear when not appropriate to the selection.

Hmm, I wonder if that was the problem? But what do you need to do now
to select messages? The check boxes next to the messages are gone
too! I clicked on what I thought were check boxes, but they only
Starred those messages.

Arrgh, it makes no sense to FORCE people to completely and totally
change how they use the program, especially when the new way is so
counter-intuitive like this.

(Personally, I think that Google has lost their way. Google + (or
whatever it is called) is little more than a new way to SPAM us. And
Google is making a huge deal out of pushing it on everyone. No
thanks!)

Andy

[Zack (Doc)]

In list view, I have check boxes to the left of the star.  The amount of real-estate to the left of that (where I used to grab groups of messages to drag to a label) is shrunk, but I have the boxes, you do not?  I use GMail exclusively in Chrome, are you in a different browser?

Andy

[Nick Chirchirillo]

Have you tried clearing your cache?  It sounds like Gmail is just not fully loaded on your computer. 

As for Google+, no one is forcing you to use it.  I haven't signed up for it, and I have no intention of ever doing so.  And nothing has changed by means of how to use Gmail, it just looks different.  

--
Nick Chirchirillo
nickchich.com

Andy

[Andy]

On Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 08:57, Zack (Doc) <za...@tnan.net> wrote:
> If you haven't heard a reason for the change, it's cause you haven't read
> the help file they presented when you switched

I think that's a little unfair. He didn't switch. Google switched him.

If it was like what happened to me, we were not presented with any
help file when we logged in.

Not everyone wants to read the official Gmail blog either. I only
have 24 hours in each of my days, and if I tried to keep up to date
with the blogs for each of the dozens or hundreds of programs I use, I
wouldn't be alive anymore.

Andy

[Andy]

On Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 09:24, Zack (Doc) <za...@tnan.net> wrote:
> In list view, I have check boxes to the left of the star.  The amount of
> real-estate to the left of that (where I used to grab groups of messages to
> drag to a label) is shrunk, but I have the boxes, you do not?

I do not. The star was the leftmost thing next to each conversation
in list view.

> are you in a different browser?

I use Chrome.

> Have you tried clearing your cache?

I do it several times daily.

> As for Google+, no one is forcing you to use it.

No, but Google makes it easy for others to sign me up for their lists
(or whatever). I have never done anything with Google+, yet I am
apparently on a few lists. It's a great way to send spam.

> And nothing has changed by means of how to use Gmail, it just looks different.

That is a huge understatement/misstatement. How you use the new Gmail
is indeed VERY different. It is hardly a cosmetic change.

Andy

[Nick Chirchirillo]

Explain how it's different.  Nothing about how I use Gmail has changed.  My keyboard shortcuts still work, the buttons (should) still be in the same place.  Labels still work as they always have.  All my filters still work.  The only change I can see is literally the changes that I see cosmetically.

Have you tried submitting a bug report to Google?

--
Nick Chirchirillo
nickchich.com

Andy

[JohnW]

The "Density Settings" for  "cozy", "comfortable", and "compact" are all to be found under Settings (the Gmail Gear icon, as opposed to the wrench of the Chrome browser).

 

as is the Revert option.

 

The Google position on this new layout (which has already been revised slightly with the loss of the Black bar across the top!) is that it "unifies the look across all their remaining applications".

 

Sadly, whether you like it or loathe it, the new look is what we users are to be given, and there won't be a choice! The only alternative will be the 'basic html' version.

 

[Jeff Grossman]

On Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 6:20 AM, Andy <AI.e...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I have Archive and Label buttons, though they are now icons instead of
> words.  Mousing over them, shows Alt-Text to be clear.

I didn't have either.  I tried the More button too, but not there either.

The button to the left of More is the label drop down list.  You can add or delete any labels from there.  You can also remove any label while viewing the message by clicking of the "x" on the label that is shown to the right of the subject.

 

> The buttons are selection sensitive, meaning, rather than just grayed out,
> they disappear when not appropriate to the selection.

Hmm, I wonder if that was the problem?  But what do you need to do now
to select messages?  The check boxes next to the messages are gone
too!  I clicked on what I thought were check boxes, but they only
Starred those messages.

The box directly to the left of the star in the list view is the checkbox.  You don't have that box?

 

Arrgh, it makes no sense to FORCE people to completely and totally
change how they use the program, especially when the new way is so
counter-intuitive like this.

(Personally, I think that Google has lost their way.  Google + (or
whatever it is called) is little more than a new way to SPAM us.  And
Google is making a huge deal out of pushing it on everyone.  No
thanks!)

I have not noticed any loss in functionality between the old Gmail interface and the new interface.  Yes, some things are in different places, but I do not see anything that is no longer available.

Jeff

[David Gosling]

I have switched from Yahoo as my main e-mail and find the new looks better and is easier to use with the interfaces with Google products very useful, you just have to get used to all the changes by all the providers as in everything to do with Computers.

[APB]

Thank you, Andy.  I had not noticed the new gear icon because it only appears when one is looking at a message, not at the list of messages.  (That seems counterintuitive to me.  A settings menu that applies to all messages oughta be visible when one is looking at a lot of messages, not just one.  But they didn't ask me!)

 

That secondary gear did offer the option to revert to the old look, as well as to change the spacing.

 

I haven't had any actual trouble otherwise doing the things I am accustomed to doing.  I'm having a little trouble visually distinguishing between the Archive icon and the Trash icon, so it will take me longer to deal with messages until I get used to which icon is where.  It does seem ironic that the new icons take up more vertical space than the old words do.

 

--APB

[Hilmy Hasanuddin]

Andy is right. There are 2 gears on gmail. I noticed it yesterday when I really wanted to change to old look, went to the gmail help.

The second gear located bellow the first gear before the email subject. Through that I was able to switch back.

The new look is so unfortunate for me because it's so wide the spacing.

---

From: "Zack (Doc)" <za...@tnan.net>

Sender: gmail...@googlegroups.com

Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2011 09:06:41 -0500

To: <gmail...@googlegroups.com>

ReplyTo: gmail...@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: [Gmail-Users] I've been converted -- and can't switch spacing

[Zack (Doc)]

I too didn't like the spacing originally, but kept the change so I could offer improvements, which seem to have been listened to.  There was a link to submit suggestions which I did about 4 times a day.  I, also, was able to change my spacing to compact, which most closely matches the old style.  If the permanent new look does not allow this change, it will be unfortunate; but contrary to what the blog says.

To Andy's point... I specifically go searching out the blog when something like the new change came along.  I don't track it regularly.

Zack

[Zack (Doc)]

You may have said you regularly clear your cache, but something must be wrong.  I get the new "gear" in both views.  It's there in every search, label, inbox, or message view I've used.  Not sure where it went for you.

--

[RebootAgain]

Thanks, Andy, I appreciate your support and helpful attitude. :-)  Maybe my earlier post was a bit on the exasperated side, but that's what the fear of the new look changes becoming permanent have done to me!

 

As for the reasons for the change to the new look, here's what I found at

http://support.google.com/mail/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1357852&ctx=cbo&cbid=720992253

Why we made these changes

The way people use and experience the web is evolving, and our goal is to give you a more seamless and consistent online experience -- one that works no matter which Google product you’re using or what device you’re using it on. The new Google experience that we’re working toward is founded on three key design principles:

• Focus: With the design changes in the coming weeks and months, we’re bringing forward the stuff that matters to you and getting all the other clutter out of your way.
• Elasticity: The new design will soon allow you to seamlessly transition from your desktop computer to your mobile phone to your tablet, while keeping a consistent visual experience. We aim to bring you this flexibility without sacrificing style or usefulness.
• Effortlessness: Our design philosophy is to combine power with simplicity. We want to keep our look simple and clean. But behind the seemingly simple design, the changes use new technologies to make sure you have all the power of the web behind you.

...We think you’ll find the new design easier to use. If your account has been upgraded but you’re not quite ready to make the switch, you can temporarily switch back to old look by clicking the gear icon in the top corner and selecting the option to postpone switching. Gmail will offer the new look to you again after several days.

Since display density / spacing is a seemingly prominent issue to this change, my guess is this is mostly about how the interface works on a small screen smartphone you swipe with your pudgy fingers (as opposed to a stylus, or a mouse pointer on a large monitor).  It would be nice if the program could sense what device you were on and adjust accordingly.

 

I wonder what the "new technologies" are, and will it work the same in all browsers?

 

P.S. A recent ad entreating me to "Take Another Look at Hotmail" led to a very interesting description of Hotmail's new performance technologies:

http://www.anotherlookathotmail.com >>
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/anotherlookathotmail/performance/ 

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2011/06/30/instant-email-how-we-made-hotmail-10x-faster.aspx

I was never a big fan of Microsoft's mail program, but if this Gmail new look fiasco continues, it might be time to take another look...

[AK]

Please send your feedback to Google. As I've posted earlier (opinions
of a former software designer), the UI does not improve Gmail in any
way, as far as I can see. "Disappearing" menus/buttons, etc. are FAR
from intuitive. Whoever came up with these changes, apparently hasn't
spent too much time/energy thinking about the effect of these changes.

Also, please do make a reference to this group in your feedback to
Google. It just might help them realize that the new look isn't all
that cool. It definitely is a very poor idea.

On Dec 8, 9:02 pm, RebootAgain <rebootag...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks, Andy, I appreciate your support and helpful attitude. :-)  Maybe my
> earlier post was a bit on the exasperated side, but that's what the fear of
> the new look changes becoming permanent have done to me!
>

> As for the reasons for the change to the new look, here's what I found athttp://support.google.com/mail/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1357852&ctx...

>
>  Why we made these changes
>
> The way people use and experience the web is evolving, and our goal is to
> give you a more seamless and consistent online experience -- one that works
> no matter which Google product you’re using or what device you’re using it
> on. The new Google experience that we’re working toward is founded on three
> key design principles:
>

>     - *Focus*: With the design changes in the coming weeks and months,

>    we’re bringing forward the stuff that matters to you and getting all the
>    other clutter out of your way.
>

>     - *Elasticity*: The new design will soon allow you to seamlessly

>    transition from your desktop computer to your mobile phone to your tablet,
>    while keeping a consistent visual experience. We aim to bring you this
>    flexibility without sacrificing style or usefulness.
>

>     - *Effortlessness*: Our design philosophy is to combine power with

>    simplicity. We want to keep our look simple and clean. But behind the
>    seemingly simple design, the changes use new technologies to make sure
>    you have all the power of the web behind you.
>
> ...We think you’ll find the new design easier to use. If your account has
> been upgraded but you’re not quite ready to make the switch, you can
> temporarily switch back to old look by clicking the gear icon in the top
> corner and selecting the option to postpone switching. Gmail will offer the
> new look to you again after several days.
>
> Since display density / spacing is a seemingly prominent issue to this
> change, my guess is this is mostly about how the interface works on a small
> screen smartphone you swipe with your pudgy fingers (as opposed to a
> stylus, or a mouse pointer on a large monitor).  It would be nice if the
> program could sense what device you were on and adjust accordingly.
>
> I wonder what the "new technologies" are, and will it work the same in all
> browsers?
>
> P.S. A recent ad entreating me to "Take Another Look at Hotmail" led to a

> very interesting description of Hotmail's new performance technologies:http://www.anotherlookathotmail.com>>http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/anotherlookathotmail/per...
>
> http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2011/06...

> I was never a big fan of Microsoft's mail program, but if this Gmail new
> look fiasco continues, it might be time to take another look...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> On Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 9:25 AM, Andy <AI.eg...@gmail.com> wrote:

[APB]

I take it back.  I had another account get switched to the New Look, and realized that the new gear icon **IS** on the message list screen ... but it is just above the primary list on the page.  I have a rather large extra Inbox in my main account, and the new gear appears above the regular Inbox, farther down.  Since Multiple Inboxes is a Lab, I can't complain that it doesn't play nicely yet with the New Look.

 

--APB

[Zack (Doc)]

Odd... I rarely use inbox, as I have multiple "Quick Link" searches which help me to rapidly and efficiently look at my messages and get through them.  When I saw your messages, I tried inbox, with Multiple Inboxes, and it was still at the top for me.  Perhaps it's another lab you're using (which I am not) that is moving it for you.

[Sean Murphy]

    I have the boxes in my Chrome Gmail, but they are difficult to see in some lights. Sometimes when I try to quickly check a box, Ihave to stop and squint to spot what are essentially light gray boxes around a whit space against a white space. Sometimes I have to click blindly, based on where I know they are. Perhaps Andy is experiencing something similar, but more so?

On Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 09:24, Zack (Doc) <za...@tnan.net> wrote: