(Archived) Latest update is useless

[chicoelnino 4]

I've stopped using evernote on my android phone because it keeps swyping to the home screen every time I try and scroll around the page in a note. Its soooooooo frustrating. I can't believe that it hasn't been changed back yet. Please Evernote...bring back the old way.

[Xavier_ 132]

We've improved the design in the latest release.

[Coach Wade 80]

We've improved the design in the latest release.

Isn't "improving the design" how we GOT this rather poor interface? What was so wrong with it that you had to change how your thousands and thousands of users are making use of the software?

If it's working, please leave it alone. No one needs to relearn how to use the software tools they work with. You don't see Black and Decker releasing "Hammer 2.0, now with an improved interface!" We don't need it in our software, either.

~D.

[jefito 5,589]

If it's working, please leave it alone. No one needs to relearn how to use the software tools they work with. You don't see Black and Decker releasing "Hammer 2.0, now with an improved interface!" We don't need it in our software, either.

Ah, if only writing software were as simple as making a hammer. You certainly see Black & Decker releasing new power tools, though. For example, a simple Google search turned up this: http://www.blackanddecker.com/recharge/. Or how about this:: http://www.blackanddecker.com/power-tools/BDL100AV.aspx? That ain't your granddad's level.

Improvements in a UI can be hard to evaluate objectively; getting it right for every user is very difficult. Presumably they're also not operating in a vacuum, either; as near as I can tell, they do listen to their users -- how do you know that the facility that you don't like wasn't proposed by some other user? If so, it was "working" for them, even if it was for you.

[Coach Wade 80]

If it's working, please leave it alone. No one needs to relearn how to use the software tools they work with. You don't see Black and Decker releasing "Hammer 2.0, now with an improved interface!" We don't need it in our software, either.

Ah, if only writing software were as simple as making a hammer. You certainly see Black & Decker releasing new power tools, though. For example, a simple Google search turned up this: http://www.blackandd...r.com/recharge/. Or how about this:: http://www.blackandd...s/BDL100AV.aspx? That ain't your granddad's level.

Improvements in a UI can be hard to evaluate objectively; getting it right for every user is very difficult. Presumably they're also not operating in a vacuum, either; as near as I can tell, they do listen to their users -- how do you know that the facility that you don't like wasn't proposed by some other user? If so, it was "working" for them, even if it was for you.

Very good point. What you forgot is that I'm the special one, Jeff. Hehe.

Truthfully, this has been a hot button of mine for a long time. Microsoft is famous for continually altering their menu structure and costing people hours and hours of work... this when they're not downright changing the formats and making things non compatible.

I guess the real question may be what Monkey and I were talking about the other day: where is Evernote going? This is WAY too powerful to be a laundry list. Heck, I'm writing a flippin' BOOK in this software. I write conservative blog commentary in it. In the event of failing inspiration, I do, in fact, sometimes make a grocery list in it, but I always feel like I'm letting the software down somehow when I do, you know?

I wouldn't mind seeing a "proposed feature list" sometime. Things Evernote devs are considering adding to the software. If nothing else, it might give me a choice to make-- maybe I don't WANT to upgrade to version 10.1.3 because I'll lose something I really liked from 4.3.2.

It's all speculation at this point, but personally, I don't HATE the new interface, but I liked the old one better and see nothing here that makes me any faster or gets me through the app any easier. YMMV.

~D.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

i like the new interface, and i am thrilled with the android advances so far. but, that might be just me

one thing that d mentioned is a proposed feature list. interesting idea. when put in the context of requrests for a bug list, a list of features available on each platform (things vary so much, even in core elements such as search), and so forth i think we are seeing a lot of enthusiastic users who want to become better infomred about the product. in some respects, they also want to collaborate with evernote to improve the flow of information (ideas in the past about a customer-generated wiki knowledge base, and my own plans for an unofficial tips and tricks shared notebook).

whatever happens with the interface, i hope that evernote takes away from this exchange (and others) some ideas for potentially improving everyone's experience: customer service gets fewer basic questions/bug reports, customers become more invested in the success of the product, and employees have an almost bottomless reserve of ideas to draw upon for future innovation.

[jefito 5,589]

Very good point. What you forgot is that I'm the special one, Jeff. Hehe.

Of course you're special, dear. That's why we gave you a trophy, too.

Truthfully, this has been a hot button of mine for a long time. Microsoft is famous for continually altering their menu structure and costing people hours and hours of work... this when they're not downright changing the formats and making things non compatible.

More trade-off, I think. The problem is that the user base is so diverse, from folks like you who have the menu system wired into their nervous systems to complete noobs. Frankly, the menu structure of a program like Word got too complicated -- at a certain point, just adding new menu items doesn't scale well, and their introduction of the ribbon was intended to aid in discovering features that are appropriate to the task at hand. My impression is that Microsoft usually tries to afford backward compatibility to those who require it (but it's been a while since I worried about such things, being mainly a casual user myself, so maybe they've given that up), and that they do spend a lot of time user-testing their UI designs.

I think there's a real art to this sort of stuff, with all of the connotations that go with that word. I'm guessing that first cave painter at Lascaux probably had someone peering over their shoulder saying "Hey, why'd you draw that bull like that? Anyone can see that a real bull doesn't look like that."

I wouldn't mind seeing a "proposed feature list" sometime. Things Evernote devs are considering adding to the software. If nothing else, it might give me a choice to make-- maybe I don't WANT to upgrade to version 10.1.3 because I'll lose something I really liked from 4.3.2.

Kind of tricky game to play there, maybe there's something in 4.3.2 that you really want over what's in 10.1.3. Then you need to make a choice. If nothing else, you can wait for the forum reviews, and ask questions when new releases come out, then make a considered choice.

It's all speculation at this point, but personally, I don't HATE the new interface, but I liked the old one better and see nothing here that makes me any faster or gets me through the app any easier. YMMV.

I think that the best thing to do is to be as concrete/specific about what you don't like, and why it gets in your way now, where the prior interface didn't.