Feedback: Conflicting Changes

[Jeff Whitlock 56]

I love Evernote and am a huge fan / user. I don't have many complaints about the product, but the most aggravating thing is conflicting changes.

 

When these happen, I typically have to spend 10 - 15 min. trying to reconcile the two versions. Since I understand solving this altogether is very challenging, you could at least highlight the deltas between the two versions.

 

Thank you,

Jeff

[gazumped 11,666]

Hi.  "Conflicting changes" are caused when the server receives two versions of a note and can't decide which one is the correct,  most current version.  It usually happens when

• a single user is logged into two devices - one may sync automatically while editing is going on from the other device;  or
• a user may make changes on one device,  then switch to another without syncing the first changes to the server,  or
• more than one person is editing the same note.

Given the circumstances,  there's no way for Evernote to intelligently decide which is the correct version.  The best it can do is keep both sets of changes and allow the owner of the data to choose what to keep.  Evernote can't avoid conflicts either - or at least not without requiring users to log out of one device before logging into another,  which (IMHO) would be even more disruptive than seeing the conflicts.  The best way to avoid conflicts is

1. make sure you sync successfully before,  during and after any changes to content on one device
2. close the app on your tablet/ phone if you're working on desktop,  and vice-versa
3. avoid long notes - make additions and changes in new notes where possible - they can always be merged back to the main note when required.

I agree it would be great if Evernote could provide a note comparator to highlight differences,  but it doesn't seem like this would necessarily be a high priority for them.  If you need to compare notes it's always possible to export very long notes to ENEX (XML) format and use XML tools to highlight changes,  or (slightly easier) copy/ paste the note into a word processor that will compare document versions.

[Jeff Whitlock 56]

Thank you for the response.

 

I understand the sync issues, but I'm telling you, as an aggressive Evernote user across three devices, managing this is a hassle and creates friction in the user experience. The matter becomes even worse if you share notes (like I do).

 

Atlassian's Confluence has a great conflicting changes highlighter. I'm not here to suggest an engineering solution but to raise a seriously annoying UX issue.

[csbc 2]

I'm with Jeff on this: I follow all those rules and I've just discovered one complex not with 8 conflicting versions and it was [actually ongoing] the devil to sort.

 

It's not even as if it happens the way the knowledgebase described: I don't have separate Conflicting notes listed on the left that I'd notice and sort immediately when I could remember what I'd changed as with me they were all in one note end to end and it was not until I scrolled to what I thought was the foot of the note that I realised what was going on.

 

What drives me nuts is developers who think they know how to design a better UI that Apple or Google or whoever: if there was an elevator in a scroll bar I'd have realised that the note was much longer than I expected ...

[EricJohnson_99 1]

I have also seen issues with conflicting changes.  I created a note on a Sunday from my phone.  I edited that note the following Saturday, from my phone.  Then on the next Monday after that, I edited the note on my iMac.  I got conflicting changes pointed out for all 3 edits.  Since Evernote appears to sync each time it starts, and I started it 3 separate times, how can it not be synced?  (I also manually sync after startup anyway).  I bailed on your "conflict keep" approach and had to create an entirely new note with the correct content.  A bit tedious for a note taking app.

 

On a side note, I am a developer so I do understand how difficult conflict resolution is.  However, this note was created by me and edited by me on separate days.  Shouldn't have a conflict there.  The logic on your backend server definitely has something awry.