Please fix the Chrome Clipper - and bring back all the previous functionality

[Scot C 6]

I was using evernote quite happily to clip out images I needed for my trip planner. I would right click on any image and the context menu would pop up for "clip image." I would clip and and would send to my inbox folder.

Now when I right click on an image my only options are 1. Clip full page, 2. Clip bookmark, or 3. Clip screenshot. 

What happened to Clip Image? I haven't changed any settings knowingly.

I am using version 7.0.0.293

[gazumped 12,630]

15 hours ago, Scot C said:

I am using version 7.0.0.293

Android, iOS or what?  Windows + Firefox 59 still give me a right-click option to click image.  Have you tried other browsers?

[Scot C 6]

I am using the desktop version and Google chrome. I have clipped out images without a problem for a couple of weeks using the same setup and Google chrome. I thought I had used up my free download limit, so I upgraded to plus - still the same issue.

I just tried Firefox and installed it there, and it seems to work. Not a firefox fan, but it must be a bug in the Google chrome setup so maybe I'll be stuck with using that. Sigh....

Nice suggestion gazumped, thank you.

[Eversuckkk 0]

Same problem here! Beside that, the web clipper lacks of search box for notebook's name
You have to find the notebook by your self!
Evernote becomes worse:(

[switters 9]

I noticed that the notes field—which allowed adding notes to web clippings before saving them—was removed in the latest version. Why? This was a crucial feature. 

[gazumped 12,630]

Hi.  OS? Browser?  There are some problems (I gather) with Chrome at the moment,  but Firefox is working fine for me (in Windows 10) and includes the standard 'add remark' field.

[switters 9]

Chrome, Mac, High Sierra. 

Here is what I am seeing:

[gazumped 12,630]

Hmmn.  That definitely doesn't look like a temporary glitch.  Best advice is to raise this on https://www.evernote.com/SupportLogin.action if you're a subscriber,  Twitter - https://twitter.com/evernotehelps if not.  - You'll at least (eventually) get an individual response from Evernote.  As and when you do,  please post it back here for any other Chrome users with this issue.

Edit:  related post -

 

[switters 9]

Thanks. I'm a subscriber so I'll report.

[gazumped 12,630]

Seeing a bit of a trend here...

https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/112562-why-was-the-notes-field-removed-from-the-web-clipper/

https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/112547-chrome-extension-no-longer-can-create-a-notebook/

https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/112561-web-clipper-button-no-longer-works/

 

[Jon/t 1,990]

And the keyboard shortcut option is missing in settings  

[yugoport 5]

I thought I was the only one having problems with this new version..

For me the search notebook name missing is a nonsense.

also, before I was able to select only the attachments of an email in gmail and now I have always to select the email conversation together.. It's a PITA.. I have long threads where new docments keep arriving, before I was able to click the web clipper, unselect all the emails and select only the new attachments..

 

[stareatfrogs 8]

Yes, I'm getting this too (Chrome Version 65.0.3325.181, Windows 10 Home, version 1709). What is more problematic for me is that I'm not able to filter out the notebook I need anymore (since I'm using all 254 of them). Serious efficiency lag. I'll notify support as well

[Sam L. 2]

Appears the change was deliberate as part of a "rebuild" and they intend to... eventually add it back.

[gazumped 12,630]

Ooh.  That's not so good...    (Unless they get on with it!!)

[thompsonpaul 8]

So infuriating. Why do a "ground-up rebuild" then launch while it is still missing multiple critical workflow elements that users have relied on for years? This kind of ***** really pisses of long-term (paid) users. I expect a lot better than this from a mature, paid tool.

I can't even get my Clipper keyboard shortcut to work, after depending on it for years. Not to mention clip Notes.

[jefito 5,598]

18 hours ago, thompsonpaul said:

So infuriating. Why do a "ground-up rebuild" then launch while it is still missing multiple critical workflow elements that users have relied on for years? This kind of ***** really pisses of long-term (paid) users. I expect a lot better than this from a mature, paid tool.

Because -- as I understand it -- a change to Chrome broke it, and required a major change, so the figuring is most likely something like "a cut-down version for the time being is better than completely broken version". Sure it's annoying, but better than nothing...

[CalS 5,327]

With Chrome Version 65.0.3325.181 and EN Clipper 6.13.2 I still have the Add remark field.

[switters 9]

11 minutes ago, CalS said:

With Chrome Version 65.0.3325.181 and EN Clipper 6.13.2 I still have the Add remark field.

The latest version of the clipper is: 7.0.0.293. You're on 6.13.2 which is why you still have the remark field.

[CalS 5,327]

1 hour ago, switters said:

The latest version of the clipper is: 7.0.0.293. You're on 6.13.2 which is why you still have the remark field.

Well I guess we won't be upgrading any time soon...

[EricBen 31]

Argh! It's worse than that! I used to be able to type in a few letters of the notebook that I wish to clip info to. As of today, the notebook is a big green button (which looks good), but I can't type in the name of the notebook to find the one I want!  I use a lot of notebooks, and this really slows things down - I have to scroll through the full list to find the one that I want.  It makes Clipper almost unusable.  Am I missing a setting?

[gazumped 12,630]

There's always other browsers,  other clippers...

[jbenson2 2,150]

1 hour ago, EricBen said:

Argh! It's worse than that! I used to be able to type in a few letters of the notebook that I wish to clip info to. As of today, the notebook is a big green button (which looks good), but I can't type in the name of the notebook to find the one I want!  I use a lot of notebooks, and this really slows things down - I have to scroll through the full list to find the one that I want.  It makes Clipper almost unusable.  Am I missing a setting?

I typically web-capture between 20 to 40 news events each morning.

All I did was change my Evernote password a couple days ago, and it forced an unannounced upgrade to Evernote Web Clipper (now 7.0.2.293)

• Besides not permitting the first few letters of the notebook for a quick search,
• And removing the "add remarks" it also
• Turned on the oddly named and frustrating "Smart Filing" for automatic notebook selection
• It also turned on the disastrous "Smart Filing" for tag selections
• It changed the start in "Simplified Article" to "Last used action"

Fortunately, I caught all these changes today, just a couple days after changing my password. So I methodically went back through all my recent web clippings and corrected them.

Hey Evernote! Boo! Hiss! Jeer! Rasberry! Bronx cheer!

[DreamWeaver2500 24]

Once again, an "update to a newer version" that eliminated a useful feature - the Remarks section of Web Clipper. I use that to put the website address of the article I'm clipping in case I need to return to the article or share it elsewhere. How long do you think it will take to put this feature back, if it ever will be? Seems anything functional and useful these days can be counted on to be taken away.   

[gazumped 12,630]

A recent update to Chrome seems to have broken Clipper completely.  Evernote responded by diving in and fixing it with an emergency bypass,  but the 'new' clipper lacks notebook selection and comments amongst other things. 

Evernote say they'll bring back missing features when they can (my wording - they may have been more definite and more urgent than that). 

If you want want Evernote to put fixing the Chrome clipper and bringing back all the original features to the top of the list and treat it as Priority 1,  please vote here!

Remember you can still use other browsers,  or change your workflow to get around these missing features,  but the changes completely break any Chrome users' workflow!!

[gazumped 12,630]

1 hour ago, DreamWeaver2500 said:

Once again, an "update to a newer version" that eliminated a useful feature

Not strictly true - Chrome updated and broke Clipper,  Evernote reacted quickly and got... most of the functionality working again with a few notable exceptions.  How fast they are working to fix this depends on several things including:

• what else did Chrome break
• does it even still support the features Evernote needs
• where is Evernote in its development of the next Clipper version
• how will any changes affect Firefox, Edge and Opera etc

The best way to get Evernote's attention is to make it clear how important this is to everyone.  Hopefully they'll add some comments about progress and timelines,  but meantime I started a voting  thread here.  If you want Chrome Clipper fixed,  PLEASE VOTE!!

 

 

[Robert M. Burns 18]

I simply want to concur with other users here - Evernote, I hope you are listening - you're paid users are voicing their concern over this update - please bring back critical functionality that people use ASAP.  The "Remark" field I use many times a day - having to go over to clips in Evernote the app is a hassle.  I want to be able to do this while on the clip that I have just done.

[stareatfrogs 8]

1 minute ago, gazumped said:

Not strictly true - Chrome updated and broke Clipper,  Evernote reacted quickly and got... most of the functionality working again with a few notable exceptions.  How fast they are working to fix this depends on several things including:

•  

You seem to be informed of the details here: what exactly did Chrome do that broke the clipper (broken, at least from my perspective since I can't search among my 254 notebooks any more in the clipper)? As a side note, I reported this to support and got the message that they were going to reinstate the previous functionality - when that will happen was however not divulged ..

[Robert M. Burns 18]

I concur - please get this "Remark" field re-instated and fixed and make doing so a PRIORITY.  

Also, the screen capture is not working as it used to - completely weird interface - it is not allowing partial capture as well as full screen captures in Chrome.  I use this feature multiple times per day and need it to work as it did.  This "upgrade" is not desirable - I hope Evernote you are watching and listening to your paid customers - this is not viewed as an "upgrade" by us.

[gazumped 12,630]

1 minute ago, stareatfrogs said:

I can't search among my 254 notebooks any more in the clipper

You're not supposed to be able to have more than 250!!

I have no more details than has already been posted in 20 or so threads about changes to the Chrome clipper.  I'm inferring some of it,  because one user commented that Chrome had updated,  and higher in this thread Evernote told you,  I think,  that they rewrote the add-in from the ground up.  The company really don't share their activity with users,  for lots of very good corporate reasons;  but that does encourage a lot of user frustration and rage at apparently opaque and unfriendly decisions.

There's a lot of aggravation,  but as it's spread across so many comments.  and Evernote don't seem inclined to make a public statement (maybe they have some commercial considerations with Chrome!) I set up my Fix the Chrome Clipper voting thread to get all the reactions in one place and make sure Evernote gets that this is something users are really REALLY affected by...

[stareatfrogs 8]

Ok thanks, I 'voted'. I also installed Firefox and the clipper addon, which works fine there. So no biggie atm.

[danielsn98 6]

I noticed in the latest update that the web clipper now uses a dropdown box to choose a folder for storing a web clip.  The prior version had a search function and, as I recall, a "Recent" option - which was the prior smart filing function I believe.  If, like me, you have hundreds of folders this is a catastrophe.  I now have to scroll through every time I do a clip.  This had definitely made this a much less useful tool.  Is the smart filing not working the same way.

[gazumped 12,630]

Hi.  There are several hundred comments on this in the forums - see:

Chrome clipper rewritten -

To stress how you feel about this please vote here:

 

[danielsn98 6]

Voting to make this a priority.  This has been a significant Downgrade to my productivity.

[DreamWeaver2500 24]

1 hour ago, gazumped said:

A recent update to Chrome seems to have broken Clipper completely.  Evernote responded by diving in and fixing it with an emergency bypass,  but the 'new' clipper lacks notebook selection and comments amongst other things. 

Evernote say they'll bring back missing features when they can (my wording - they may have been more definite and more urgent than that). 

If you want want Evernote to put fixing the Chrome clipper and bringing back all the original features to the top of the list and treat it as Priority 1,  please vote here!

Remember you can still use other browsers,  or change your workflow to get around these missing features,  but the changes completely break any Chrome users' workflow!!

Thanks for educating me on what happened with Clipper. Chromebook's updates have been generating multiple issues for me with loss of ability to log onto some websites, loss of functionality on others, and DNS issues after the updates. I vote 100% for getting back the original features which only yesterday before I updated my laptop, worked fine. That included the "remark" field. I used that field to add the website URL for further reference and sharing. I can also enter the URL in the "tags" section but the former was better as it shows as part of the note. The Clipper is also noticeably slower since the change; as stated it was working fine only yesterday before I updated Chromebook.

[echristopherson 26]

Thank you for Evernote and the Clipper. Please allow me to register my upvote as well. I would like to see these Web Clipper Chrome extension features reinstated:

1. Keyboard shortcuts.

2. Ability to customize keyboard shortcuts.

3. The note/comment field.

4. The folder search field.

5. Highlighting.

6. The ability to search for tags by typing any text that occurs in the tag name -- NOT JUST the beginning of the name.

 

In addition, I would like these new features:

1. In past versions of the Clipper, about 10%-25% of the time I would often get a dialog (the same sort of dialog that JavaScript's window.alert() method creates), saying the Web Clipper couldn't be started on that page. Nevertheless, the Clipper UI did always come up once I clicked the OK button. (I haven't used today's iteration of the Clipper enough to see if this is still an issue.) Please fix that.

2. Make keyboard shortcuts work CONSISTENTLY (in past versions, my main Clipper shortcut key didn't do anything about 25%-50% of the time, but hitting the toolbar icon almost always worked).

3. The ability to add reminder date/time notification when clipping.

4. Stop resetting Clipper preferences when the extension is updated (e.g. changing the folder option to auto-file; changing the action to perform once Clipper is done; etc.)

[echristopherson 26]

One more feature request/bug fix note:

1. Please fix the Clipper when visiting sites running Auto-Graphics Verso software (a system various library systems use for their catalog and patron management functions). For example, if you go to https://wiscat.net/MVC/ with the Clipper enabled, the site keeps partially loading and then reloading, without ever finishing. I've already emailed Auto-Graphics about this.

[farmer_rob 5]

Someone posted a screenshot of a note from Evernote Help indicating that the Chrome Web Clipper was a "Groundup Rebuild". Great. What will they have the interns work on next?

[jchampers 1]

I agree. In one clip it has already hindered my productivity. The ability to start typing a notebook and instantly get options to the notebook I want will always beat a dropdown menu where I have to search for it. Please bring this feature back!

[brentoev 5]

Strongly agree. They removed not only remarks but the type-to-scroll-to-folder feature, as well as tabbing to the Save button. This has impacted my workflow and enjoyment, especially since it's clunky to add remarks to a note once it's clipped into the client.

[echristopherson 26]

Sorry, one more feature request:

1. Don't retain my "logged in" status from one Windows session to the next, unless I say so. I'd rather be prompted for user name and password when starting a session, since I'm on a shared computer. The Evernote web app already works that way.

[breadcrumb 0]

If the Clipper isn't fixed - reverted - very soon, this is the final straw. I'll be ditching Evernote. Question is, what to switch to? 

[NDimmick 9]

I would like the ability to select a notebook by typing the first few letters.  This was very helpful in previous versions of the webclipper.  I'm getting really tired of Evernote taking away functionality.  I get that they want to do fun new things like group collaboration, but stop busting the basic functionality we've come to rely on and pay for!

[Etonreve 189]

4 hours ago, gazumped said:

If you want want Evernote to put fixing the Chrome clipper and bringing back all the original features to the top of the list and treat it as Priority 1,  please vote here!

 

ABSOLUTELY. RESTORATION OF THE FEATURES SHOULD BE A MATTER OF FIRST PRIORITY.

[Etonreve 189]

10 minutes ago, NDimmick said:

I would like the ability to select a notebook by typing the first few letters.  This was very helpful in previous versions of the webclipper.  I'm getting really tired of Evernote taking away functionality.  I get that they want to do fun new things like group collaboration, but stop busting the basic functionality we've come to rely on and pay for!

I could not agree more.

I don't know if it's related, but I was here yesterday because there is no longer any functionality for the web clipper from inside the New York Times's mobile app.

Features like group collaboration are of zero interest to me. I want to be able to save clips and other notes and be able to retrieve them quickly in a decent format.  I want more notebooks.

 

[DanielM 7]

I just notice that the new clipper version deletes this option from the context menu, just allowing to take a whole page capture. How can I solve this?

[Mark Opalski 3]

Agree with everyone on the point that this new release removed essential features.

While we wait for evernote's scrum team to restore the essential functionality, does anyone know of a way to downgrade the extension to the previous version (6.13.2)???

 

[redsoxredsox222 2]

YES. PLEASE BRING BACK THE FEATURES BECAUSE THIS NEW VERSION IS GOING TO FORCE ME TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE. 

[sasilk 12]

Is the complete inability to stop the Clipper showing "Related Notes" after a clip related to this?

[CalS 5,327]

Could be.  You have to reset options. 

[Karen Page 1]

I'm am so frustrated, I'm spitting and cursing. I have used Evernote and Web Clipper for *years*. I have over 8,600 notes... meticulously curated, each started with an image clipped from the web, and with personal notations added. I have loved that the clipper records a title, the source URL, as well as the image, so I can go back to the original image if needed, or provide others with the original source and credit. Half of my notes are images for a personal inventory of purchased supplies, with the URL of the place of purchase. For me to now have to copy and paste multiple fields is so aggravating, it is beyond words. I guess this is what happens when you come to rely on a product on a daily basis, and then they decide they know better than you do on how you use it. 

I'm using Evernote Premium on the PC application, version 6.10.3.6921, on WIndows 2007 and Chrome as my browser. After reading the above comments, I will be trying other browsers in an attempt to make this work again. As much as I don't like the other browsers, I either have to make Clipper work properly again or convert to another organization tool.  Just as stated in the opening post, I did not change any settings, nor did I recently update the application. I'd swear this was working properly a few days ago and without notice, it's just not.

Any other suggestions for reverting to the prior function would be greatly appreciated.

[jlemur468 1]

Now with Clipper for Chrome I can't pick where to file a clip by typing the beginning of the name of one of my categories.  Please restore this functionality

[Harto 10]

Somebody has got to get fired.

[l3utterfish 19]

This is a must EVERNOTE. PLEASE FIX THIS

Search folders...

comments..

Why did you remove this????

[Stepinsky 6]

11 hours ago, NDimmick said:

I would like the ability to select a notebook by typing the first few letters.  This was very helpful in previous versions of the webclipper.  I'm getting really tired of Evernote taking away functionality.  I get that they want to do fun new things like group collaboration, but stop busting the basic functionality we've come to rely on and pay for!

+++

I also miss the "leave out tags from suggestions when already selected" function.

Web clipper is the most important tool for my everyday research. So I really need a quick way to categorize my notes and to select the appropriate notebook. The new version is very slow because we have to scroll down through all the notebooks.

 

[ironandbeard 2]

does anyone know if it's just my web clipper or an update?

i can no longer place in remarks so that i can recall why i saved something in particular...

please fix this issue because it just doesn't make any sense to take away things that made it more productive and effective.

it feels like a downgrade. i can only imagine others that use evernote for more things then me.

[JSK 8]

As of yesterday morning I cannot clip an image. I cannot highlight text in a page while clipping. I cannot add remarks while clipping. I am using Chrome browser. The clipping function works fine still on Microsoft Edge. Seems like changes were made overnight. What is going on here? Please advise.

[willysnax 2]

If voting is what is required to get functionality back then consider this my vote for yes, please make fixing the Chrome extension a priority. The missing comments section has completely destroyed my workflow.

I'm not sure about Chrome itself, but I use Vivaldi, a Chrome based browser, and I was able to restore version 6.13.2 as long as I also keep the new version installed but disabled to prevent auto updating. If you don't have the new version installed as well, it will update and overwrite the older, better extension.

There does not seem to be any problems running the older version in Vivaldi either. Everything functions as it always has. It's likely only going to last until the next Vivaldi update when they catch up to Chrome and add whatever it was which broke the extension in the first place.

[xtoq 6]

Being a developer, I understand how difficult it is to please all users all the time (spoilers: you can't). I also understand that when you have a freemium model, there is the potential to have more users with less resources (i.e. money), and that can lead to things not always being addressed in the most satisfactory manner for all involved (see previous spoiler).

To alleviate this somewhat, I think that ensuring a changelog is published to the end user whenever functionality is changed drastically (all major versions, most minor versions, optional on patches) would help tremendously. Sure, a changelog isn't going to solve the problem of dissatisfaction (see previous spoilers) but it will allow your users to prepare for potential changes to their workflow and enable your CX reps and developers to prepare for questions and "bug" reports. Transparency in communication is never a bad thing for the customer or the employee experience, even if the changes are features (not bugs) and are not going to be reverted.

Evernote already has a beta program with the desktop apps and the mobile apps, I propose there should be beta versions of all the tools in the suite. That way, when the Chrome web clipper is being rebuilt from the ground up you can reach out to your premium customers who wish to be part of the beta program (like me) to get their feedback on the changes. Are there limitations in the new features that were unforeseen in the planning stage? Hammer it out in the beta phase. Whoops, didn't realize that this version wouldn't play well with the RC version of the desktop app? Better for users and your employees to know that now instead of when it's critical. 

Evernote has become a ubiquitous part of many people's workflows, both professional and personal, paid and freemium users. Changes - even small ones - can have far-reaching impacts when those changes are unexpected and untested in a production environment with actual users.

Evernote is a useful service, and issues such as this are relatively easy to intercept in the user testing process. Doing so will enable your customers to focus on their workflows, not the tools that build them. Thank you for your product, your development time, your CX time, your marketing time, and most importantly your eyeball time in reading this. Have a great day!

[Etonreve 189]

I'm a premium member, in other words, I'm not expecting to get something for nothing. How could anyone think that removing the Remarks section and making it more difficult to select a notebook was a sensible change? 

[Mexced 3]

I use Evernote Webclipper a lot. There was nothing WRONG with the older version! I can't clip images anymore. I'am a paying member for a long time now.

Software should make life easier not more difficult!!! Please do a proper test before updating the software.

Please bring back the version before the update!

[mastahype 6]

22 hours ago, Mark Opalski said:

Agree with everyone on the point that this new release severely removed essential features.

While we wait for evernote's scrum team to restore the essential functionality, does anyone know of a way to downgrade the extension to the previous version (6.13.2)???

 

https://crx.dam.io/ext/pioclpoplcdbaefihamjohnefbikjilc.html

Download the version you want and load as unpacked extension in Chrome. I can't ensure the validity of this side nor that extensions haven't been modified. However, 6.13.2 still works in Chrome Version 66.0.3359.66 (Official Build) beta (64-bit), so the message I see posted about Chrome breaking the clipper is sketchy. I suspect they wanted to have incremental releases of the new ground-up rebuild. The rebuild actually looks and functions like a very old version of the clipper from my recollection. It seems like a poor decision and totally screwed many paying and non-paying customers. This feels like a bonehead move, but mostly because there was no real notice (there is a post in the forum from 2017 saying they were stopping announcements of new releases).

[mday108 5]

The changes in the recent Evernote clipper have essentially destroyed my daily productivity flow.
For me, this is a diaster.
Please restore missing elements immediately.

[twf 4]

Suddenly I cannot use the search function for a notebook within the Chrome web clipper.  Please bring it back!!!  It was such a time saver to type in a keyword to find just the right notebook or multiple notebooks for a clip.  The way you have changed it now, it is several steps back in productivity.  So disappointed.

And NO REMARKS????!!!!  Wow.  Please bring this back.  It was such a great feature!!!  Double disappointed.

[gazumped 12,630]

15 minutes ago, twf said:

Suddenly I cannot use the search function for a notebook within the Chrome web clipper.  Please bring it back!!!  It was such a time saver to type in a keyword to find just the right notebook or multiple notebooks for a clip.  The way you have changed it now, it is several steps back in productivity.  So disappointed.

And NO REMARKS????!!!!  Wow.  Please bring this back.  It was such a great feature!!!  Double disappointed.

Please read the original post - this seems to have been a ground-up rewrite at short notice because of underlying Chrome changes. The basics were retained,  but extra features should be in the pipeline.  What we're trying to achieve here is maximum urgency on the fixes!

[mastahype 6]

11 minutes ago, gazumped said:

Please read the original post - this seems to have been a ground-up rewrite at short notice because of underlying Chrome changes. The basics were retained,  but extra features should be in the pipeline.  What we're trying to achieve here is maximum urgency on the fixes!

Where's that info coming from and which Chrome channel, Canary, Beta? Beta seems to still work just fine with the 6.13.2 release. Why hasn't Chrome broken every other extension or required full re-writes if this is the case? 

[Maciej Onoszko 3]

The remarks feature in the clipper was absolutely crucial -- I always put in a sentence or two on WHY I'm clipping something. Please bring it back!

[Etonreve 189]

3 hours ago, gazumped said:

Please read the original post - this seems to have been a ground-up rewrite at short notice because of underlying Chrome changes. The basics were retained,  but extra features should be in the pipeline.  What we're trying to achieve here is maximum urgency on the fixes!

The Company should have issued a formal announcement about this to everyone.  I have yet to see one.  As others have pointed out,  no one from the Company has appeared in these threads with any answers.  I had to go on Twitter with my questions and the responses were far from complete.

Evernote never seems to learn how to treat its customers.

[Etonreve 189]

On 4/6/2018 at 3:47 AM, AndreasM said:

Where is Evernote? I thought they are reading the forum. A good company would jump in and give us some explanation, but they don't care.

Maybe in 3 or 4 months they will come with a solution, like they did with the Android Clipper.

It is time to find another application!!!!!

You're absolutely right. A company considerate of its customers would have issued a statement fully explaining the situation.  Some people seem to think the fault lies primarily with Chrome. How much notice does Chrome give when it makes a major change?  Did Evernote have an opportunity to anticipate the changes so there would be less disruption? At this point, who knows what to believe?

I've used Evernote for several years now.  I'm amazed that its response to PR crises remains non-existent or exceedingly bush league. The only conclusion is it doesn't care. Of course, that makes protestations like last year's that the subscription fee was raised in order to focus on core features and customer service ring all the more hollow.

UPDATE: Another person in this thread who contacted Evernote wrote that the rebuild had nothing to do with an update to Chrome. 

 

[stevem544 4]

I am *so* missing the ability to select the notebook by typing, along with the ability to include a remark. Evernote web clipper is so much less useful without these features.

[time-capsule 7]

The Chrome web clipper is the No1 reason I am staying as a premium user, compared with switching to Bear. Please fix it.

[gabriele.brandhuber 0]

Absolutely. I always choose the notebook and use comments on almost every clip. Please bring these features back!  

[Etonreve 189]

21 hours ago, xtoq said:

Being a developer, I understand how difficult it is to please all users all the time (spoilers: you can't). I also understand that when you have a freemium model, there is the potential to have more users with less resources (i.e. money), and that can lead to things not always being addressed in the most satisfactory manner for all involved (see previous spoiler).

To alleviate this somewhat, I think that ensuring a changelog is published to the end user whenever functionality is changed drastically (all major versions, most minor versions, optional on patches) would help tremendously. Sure, a changelog isn't going to solve the problem of dissatisfaction (see previous spoilers) but it will allow your users to prepare for potential changes to their workflow and enable your CX reps and developers to prepare for questions and "bug" reports. Transparency in communication is never a bad thing for the customer or the employee experience, even if the changes are features (not bugs) and are not going to be reverted.

Evernote already has a beta program with the desktop apps and the mobile apps, I propose there should be beta versions of all the tools in the suite. That way, when the Chrome web clipper is being rebuilt from the ground up you can reach out to your premium customers who wish to be part of the beta program (like me) to get their feedback on the changes. Are there limitations in the new features that were unforeseen in the planning stage? Hammer it out in the beta phase. Whoops, didn't realize that this version wouldn't play well with the RC version of the desktop app? Better for users and your employees to know that now instead of when it's critical. 

Evernote has become a ubiquitous part of many people's workflows, both professional and personal, paid and freemium users. Changes - even small ones - can have far-reaching impacts when those changes are unexpected and untested in a production environment with actual users.

Evernote is a useful service, and issues such as this are relatively easy to intercept in the user testing process. Doing so will enable your customers to focus on their workflows, not the tools that build them. Thank you for your product, your development time, your CX time, your marketing time, and most importantly your eyeball time in reading this. Have a great day!

I find your solicitude baffling. This is a not-inexpensive app by an established company that has been made demonstrably less useful. There has been no meaningful communication from Evernote. I've had a premium subscription for years and so I suspect have many of the people here and elsewhere who are distressed. 

[gazumped 12,630]

46 minutes ago, Etonreve said:

I find your solicitude baffling. This is a not-inexpensive app by an established company that has been made demonstrably less useful.

It seemed fairly reasonable to me (everyone now says: "well of course it would...") - Evernote is suffering from its own popularity in that a huge number of people use the app daily.  Any hiccups in operations are like having ALL the trains go out in a small country.  In this case and I should stress it's my guess that this is the situation,  something required them to fix Clipper at short notice.  They did the best they can in the time available,  and - apparently wrongly - thought that having gotten basic clipping and tagging to work,  they could do a slower tidy-up job to bring back missing elements.  The commuters in this case aren't happy with having just the trains running again though,  they want comfortable seats and a drinks service.

I don't think many people have said 'good catch' Evernote - but imagine (if I'm right) how much scrabbling went on behind the scenes if they found out that a hugely popular browsing app was about to break their add-in and they had to rewrite it unexpectedly.  I imagine Chrome issued a notice to interested parties saying "we're about to change the rules".  Most browsers seem to be upgrading app security in the light of recent security scandals.  Maybe Chrome no longer allows enough app flexibility to easily scan for notebooks or add notes to copied sections.  We don't know what problems Evernote overcame and how much work (or research) they may still have to complete.  I'm certainly grateful they managed to keep things largely on track.

Again I stress,  Evernote hasn't said they intended to take away any functionality,  nor did they (I don't think) make any changes of their own accord.  This is not a part of some long-term conspiracy to downgrade services.

The only way I'd fault the company in a major way is that they haven't (yet) issued a formal announcement or red-flagged the forums so that anyone visiting here could know the position instead of relying on my interpretations.  This post got 35 votes in as many hours,  which I think is a record even for this forum;  so the company should be aware that customers - including (mainly? all?) paying ones - are quite upset about the problem.

If Evernote do issue a statement though I'll guarantee you that 1) they will say something general like "we're looking into this" without offering a fix date - and 2) at least half of the interested parties will then harangue them for 2a) not fixing it already and 2b) not giving a release date - and then remind them every couple of days that this is still borked. 

So I can see why just keeping quiet is probably still an attractive option...  

[crucialmusic 2]

Have EVERNOTE answered this problem anywhere?  I am a long-term supporter and paid member and have been frustrated all week thinking it was a Chrome/Apple Mac problem.  They need to restore previous capabilities of the clipper which most people here seem to want. Above all they should make a public statement.  Much as I love evernoe they have never been good at responding to problems as far as I recall

[OceanAndSpace 1]

jesus, yes. I can usually grow used to updates, but I DESPISE this one from the bottom of my soul. 

[Rob Freundlich 146]

1 hour ago, crucialmusic said:

Have EVERNOTE answered this problem anywhere?  I am a long-term supporter and paid member and have been frustrated all week thinking it was a Chrome/Apple Mac problem.  They need to restore previous capabilities of the clipper which most people here seem to want. Above all they should make a public statement.  Much as I love evernoe they have never been good at responding to problems as far as I recall

gazumped gave a very thorough and sensible answer to this question in the post immediately before yours. He explained not only that they haven't answered, but his very reasonable theories as to why this problem may have occurred, why they may not have answered, and why they may be reluctant to answer.

[juliacraighill 5]

To add to a previous note I did. The Save button should be at the bottom, not top of the pop-up window so it's at the end of you - hopefully one day - easily choosing the notebook and adding a remark.

Inexplicably, the lack of notice was not just for customers but for their own Help Desk! Truly remarkable.

[Etonreve 189]

1 hour ago, Rob Freundlich said:

gazumped gave a very thorough and sensible answer to this question in the post immediately before yours. He explained not only that they haven't answered, but his very reasonable theories as to why this problem may have occurred, why they may not have answered, and why they may be reluctant to answer.

We should not have to rely on another customer's theories, nor come to fora like this, Twitter, or elsewhere for answers. Evernote should have been transparent. It could have gotten ahead of this by communicating to all of us what it knew and humbly apologized for our inconvenience. That would have eliminated some of the ill-feeling. And it is not as if these customer-relation issues are new. Evernote has had a lot of practice.

[Etonreve 189]

2 hours ago, crucialmusic said:

Have EVERNOTE answered this problem anywhere?  I am a long-term supporter and paid member and have been frustrated all week thinking it was a Chrome/Apple Mac problem.  They need to restore previous capabilities of the clipper which most people here seem to want. Above all they should make a public statement.  Much as I love evernoe they have never been good at responding to problems as far as I recall

On Twitter, the explanation given has been a rebuild. That's all that's been said, other than that Evernote is working on it. An executive, maybe the CEO, said Evernote was "listening." Have you seen a response here?

 

 

[chronistin 188]

In addition to the previous comments, the ability to create a new notebook from the clipper was also removed. Not needed that often, but very convenient when it is!

[gazumped 12,630]

1 minute ago, Etonreve said:

Evernote should have been transparent. It could have gotten ahead of this by communicating to all of us what it knew and humbly apologized for our inconvenience.

Don't see that "someone else moved the goalposts" merits a humble apology,  and without active and helpful feedback from customers Evernote doesn't know what action is required and which is most urgent.  They have a policy of not commenting anyway - for good commercial and time-efficiency reasons - so if things go wrong the sensible course for users is to look at the server status,  the website and do an internet search for background.  With the number of comments on this issue there would have been something pretty quickly. 

Then users feedback to the company - like we're doing now,  or through the website or Twitter - and wait for a fix. 

If a satisfactory fix doesn't materialise,  then users who feel they need to do so can look for other packages to do the same work.  One of the original posters on this was happy when he found out Firefox Clipper works fine for the time being.  I'm not actually affected by this because I use Firefox all the time.  A goodly chunk (technical term) of Evernote users will be on other browsers anyway,  so not concerned.  Evernote's priorities may be influenced by the number of comments they receive,  which is why I started this thread in the first place.

There's no 'entitled' in here - things get broken and Evernote does it's best to repair them in a timely manner.  They may make (hugely unpopular) decisions to reduce the effectiveness of some features,  or even remove them entirely,  and the only response users have is to find another provider who can do better.  That's the way the market works.

[ybakos 19]

I am leaving Evernote. Whoever is in charge of the WebClipper team is a TOTAL LUNATIC and has broken features that have been there for years. Who the hell lists notebooks, without an ability to search, in NON-ALPHA ORDER?

Version 7.x makes no sense whatsoever. 

[ybakos 19]

The reason this is a problem is because the WebClipper product manager is a total bonehead. If I see them in person I'll deck em. They should be fired.

 

[DTLow 5,750]

19 hours ago, ybakos said:

I am leaving Evernote.

Goodbye, Good Luck.  Please let us know which alternate alternative service you decide on.

                                How can we miss you if you won't go

[Etonreve 189]

1 hour ago, chronistin said:

In addition to the previous comments, the ability to create a new notebook from the clipper was also removed. Not needed that often, but very convenient when it is!

I forgot about that. I asked for that feature for years and when they finally created it, used it quite a bit. Then I reached my notebook maximum.  

An Evernote customer on Twitter said he had thought he finally could relax about EN working without drama.

[Etonreve 189]

1 hour ago, gazumped said:

That's the way the market works.

 

Customers expressing their displeasure to the company is a major way the market works as well.

[Sunsnake 0]

Hi, just to pitch in my vote as well for the urgency of repairing the Clipper's note/comment field and the ability to select notebooks and tags by type-to-scroll.  Many of the features others have mentioned are excellent and important - but what I most find slowing me down is the inability to add a quick comment while clipping.  

[jerryplatz 0]

Strongly agree - I have used clipper in Chrome on Mac for years, and this update has been VERY disappointing in loss of functionality.  I can't type to select notebooks, Remarks have disappeared... and all the other problems others have listed above.  PLEASE FIX SOON!!!!!!!

[jjsong 0]

Where is Evernote web clipper team????? 

All team members are not using web clipper? 

The alphabet sort is messed up!

[gazumped 12,630]

3 hours ago, AndreasM said:

I don't care what policy Evernote has, commenting, not commenting, laughing at customers' problems, not laughing or what ever. I'm paying for the service and demand that it works, not being broken but stupid, untested upgrades, nobody wants. They are coming huge with Spaces nobody asked for, nobody wants.

I don't understand people here in the forum defending a company, which is breaking everything what has been working before Web Clipper, Android Clipper and so on. Are you getting paid by Evernote?

Evernote has not commented so far.  They're not laughing,  not ignoring,  and most definitely not upgrading.  This,  as far as we know so far,  is a first-aid response to Chrome changing the rules of engagement for add-in apps.  It's irrelevant that Evernote is going forward with their own developments - separate issue,  not related.

And Evernote is not 'breaking' anything.  They're trying to ensure that you still have access to the service you want.  And getting precious little credit or thanks for it.

And no.  I don't get paid by Evernote.

[gazumped 12,630]

5 hours ago, Etonreve said:

Customers expressing their displeasure to the company is a major way the market works as well.

Expressing displeasure may make customers feel better,  but it doesn't act as an incentive,  nor does it apply any pressure.  The company will make a commercial decision about what resources they can afford to work on the project, and they'll work as quickly as they can to fix things.  Being shouted at from the sidelines really doesn't help.

[najwalaylah 1]

Search Folders is more than a convenience. It's a must if, as sometimes happens for me, your list of Notebooks won't scroll. I end up clipping to default folder, then moving the note inside the client.

Remarks were *remarkably* useful, and I miss them.

[jbenson2 2,150]

On 4/5/2018 at 12:01 PM, gazumped said:

A recent update to Chrome seems to have broken Clipper completely.  Evernote responded by diving in and fixing it with an emergency bypass,  but the 'new' clipper lacks notebook selection and comments amongst other things. 

Evernote say they'll bring back missing features when they can (my wording - they may have been more definite and more urgent than that). 

1

Can you share the URL for this statement from Evernote?

I have not seen any formal explanation on this issue from Evernote.

In the past, Evernote employees like Dave Engberg (CTO) would update us almost immediately and coming back with updates. 

[arguvant 28]

Evernote seems to be trying to systematically destroy everything that made it usable in the first place.

Hey Evernote, please stop making everything worse. Please invest in increment improvements over complete rewrites and fire the developers that insist a rewrite is needed. So that we can go back to when Evernote was a joy to use. That was probably 2-3 years ago.

[Chris Billows 1]

 Evernote's focus is all wrong.  Adding feature after feature I will never, ever use and undermining the perfect feature set that brought me to Evernote 5 years ago. Chasing growth and new users is all very well... but bloat bloat bloat will drive away the users that were loyal (and reliable income streams).  

[Etonreve 189]

10 hours ago, gazumped said:

Expressing displeasure may make customers feel better,  but it doesn't act as an incentive,  nor does it apply any pressure.  The company will make a commercial decision about what resources they can afford to work on the project, and they'll work as quickly as they can to fix things.  Being shouted at from the sidelines really doesn't help.

PR 101:

Prudent companies are sensitive to customer satisfaction. They want to retain customers and complaints don't win new customers.  Responsible companies warn their customers about major changes in service and don't leave them in the dark. 

I would rather be using Evernote as it was designed to work than complain about it. 

 

[Etonreve 189]

21 hours ago, DTLow said:

Goodbye, Good Luck.  Please let us know which alternate service you decide on.

                                How can we miss you if you won't go

I don't know why you would knock an unhappy customer. S/he probably doesn't want to leave, but is frustrated. And it's "alternative," not "alternate." 

[UPDATE:  Thanks for correcting "alternate." Now let's all depart for an alternate reality in which the Chrome web clipper works perfectly.]

[Etonreve 189]

1 hour ago, Chris Billows said:

 Evernote's focus is all wrong.  Adding feature after feature I will never, ever use and undermining the perfect feature set that brought me to Evernote 5 years ago. Chasing growth and new users is all very well... but bloat bloat bloat will drive away the users that were loyal (and reliable income streams).  

A major justification of the price increase last year was so there would be funds to concentrate on the core product. Why doesn't Evernote survey its customers about the features they actually use and want before making changes? 

[gazumped 12,630]

7 hours ago, jbenson2 said:

Can you share the URL for this statement from Evernote?

Hi.  It wasn't a post as such:  the general comment is here -

 

9 minutes ago, Etonreve said:

Prudent companies are sensitive to customer satisfaction.

Thanks for the lesson.  We now have 45 votes here,  plus an unknown number of people out there still fuming quietly - call it a couple of thousand for convenience.  Evernote have around 200M users.  That means .001% of their customers are unhappy.  In commercial terms I wouldn't think that even qualifies as an emergency...  Nevertheless Evernote have already said (see above) that they're still working on this.  Why don't we give them a chance to fix things before rushing to judgement?

 

3 minutes ago, Etonreve said:

Why doesn't Evernote survey its customers about the features they actually use and want before making changes? 

Again.  It wasn't (isn't?) a "change".  Check the post at the top of this reply or read the Twitter feed.

[DTLow 5,750]

5 hours ago, Etonreve said:

I don't know why you would knock an unhappy customer. He probably doesn't want to leave, but is frustrated.

The point is, they are leaving, as posted over and over and over and over ...

>>And it's "alternative," not "alternate." 

Thankyou for the English lesson.  I edited my post.