August 5 2008 Tuesday
A step or two backward?
It is no secret I like Notes. I really like R8. R8.0.1 added some nice features (widgets, etc). I absolutely love 8.0.2 (more on that when it goes gold) and the performance increases and start up time. But, and there is always a but, several peeps inside of STS and a few clients have complained about a few "features" added since 8.0.1.
First, the irritating "Search IBM Technotes" dialog box that pops up every time Notes has an error. The amount of calls we have had over this is when users click the "IBM Technotes" button almost laughable.
![Image:A step or two backward?](a-step-or-two-backward.htm/content/M2?OpenElement)
Second, the new attachment and reply actions in the mail template. The default options for reply is now without the attachment. Now, from a Domino administration point this makes complete sense, reducing disk space and DB size. But from an end user stand point this is tantamount to treason. Changing the core functionality of an application WITHOUT a way to fall back to the original method is insane. Yes, I do know the Domino 8 user interface team blogged on this and wanted feedback, but please, who do you think is reading the blog? Notes freaks. Not end users who we have now managed to upset even more.
![Image:A step or two backward?](a-step-or-two-backward.htm/content/M3?OpenElement)
Attachment exists in the email, but if I use the view action "Reply"
![Image:A step or two backward?](a-step-or-two-backward.htm/content/M4?OpenElement)
The attachment gets deleted. Again, good from a admin PoV. But is sucks from a user PoV.
The bottom line (literally). When you add "new" functionality to an application please give us a way to control this behavior and the ability to revert back to the original method or mechanism via a policy and/or preference. Changing core functionality for millions of users is not a good way to continue the stellar success of the Lotus Notes R8 line.
First, the irritating "Search IBM Technotes" dialog box that pops up every time Notes has an error. The amount of calls we have had over this is when users click the "IBM Technotes" button almost laughable.
Second, the new attachment and reply actions in the mail template. The default options for reply is now without the attachment. Now, from a Domino administration point this makes complete sense, reducing disk space and DB size. But from an end user stand point this is tantamount to treason. Changing the core functionality of an application WITHOUT a way to fall back to the original method is insane. Yes, I do know the Domino 8 user interface team blogged on this and wanted feedback, but please, who do you think is reading the blog? Notes freaks. Not end users who we have now managed to upset even more.
Attachment exists in the email, but if I use the view action "Reply"
The attachment gets deleted. Again, good from a admin PoV. But is sucks from a user PoV.
The bottom line (literally). When you add "new" functionality to an application please give us a way to control this behavior and the ability to revert back to the original method or mechanism via a policy and/or preference. Changing core functionality for millions of users is not a good way to continue the stellar success of the Lotus Notes R8 line.
Darren Duke
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August 5 2008 05:51:41 PM
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domino lotus notes email
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My theory is that they have stopped doing whatever it is they did for R8 (talk to users) and gone back to doing what they did before the big R8 usability push (let's all the Notes geeks get ideas from each other). Not sure if the "talking to users" concept was a one time thing or if the radical thinker who came up with it has left IBM, but let's get back to that!
It is important to listen to the core fans and technical people who live and breathe this stuff, but at the end of the day, it is the line of business people who sign the checks. If they aren't happy, the Domino admin who gave out the great ideas gets overruled.