Ask HN: Can someone please write a Chrome Extension to kill new Gmail Compose?

25 pointsby andrewhillmanvor 13 Jahren18 comments

The new gmail compose is killing my communication flow. I am willing to pay for an extension that will end this nightmare.

If you hate the new gmail compose help this HN ASK get noticed.

12 comments

andrewhillmanvor 13 Jahren

Someone built it - free.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/old-style-compose/...

andrewhillmanvor 13 Jahren

Above extension was removed by author but someone else released extension that does the same.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fix-gmail-compose-...

eliot_sykesvor 13 Jahren

It has become harder to edit the subject when replying or forwarding. It'd be nice if this was easy like it was before the change.

aakashbarotvor 13 Jahren

Share what precisely you find disturbing in the new interface and what would you want it to be instead.

gruseomvor 13 Jahren

I'd pay for that too, if it worked well.

bharymsvor 13 Jahren

There is setting to make the compose window bigger. Did you try that?

baconomaticvor 13 Jahren

How would you want it to work?

jaredsohnvor 13 Jahren

Just click on the arrow in the bottom right corner and then "Default to full screen". Unless you are looking for something different?

http://lifehacker.com/gmail-finally-gets-a-default-full-scre...

andrewhillmanvor 13 Jahren

Yeah, I'm using full screen, but its not much of an improvement. I just want something along the lines of the old compose.

jaredsohnvor 13 Jahren

Can you be more specific as to how you want it to work compared to how it works now? (It would be useful feedback for somebody building a browser extension or to those at Google.)

andrewhillmanvor 13 Jahren

Well, for starters, I don't like that they have designed the new compose like a larger chat window. I prefer the compose not be a modal or window. I want my formatting above my message, right under the subject line. Perhaps, when compose is click a compose tab activates with full view on page compose form.

...and if they want improve auto save, give me a history diff every time it auto saves just incase I want to revert to previous version. This would be helpful for those times auto save kicks in just after you deleted a sentence or paragraph you're rethinking. Once message is sent, edit history can be removed.

gruseomvor 13 Jahren

The biggest annoyance I have is that there is no way to do that for Reply. Why should Reply be different from Compose? They're both just sending an email.

The whole thing is poorly thought through. Countless details seem off.

cprncusvor 13 Jahren

I'm thinking of going back to Thunderbird and using that for the client (while keeping the Gmail account as the server). Much saner experience. I agree the new compose is all kinds of wrong.

ananth99vor 13 Jahren

I had the same problem. Shifted to Thunderbird. Works like a charm. :)

brianchuvor 13 Jahren

On it.

neethupriyavor 13 Jahren

switch back to old version, old is gold

seltzered_vor 13 Jahren

Merlin Mann made his own 'compose email' app using automator: http://www.kungfugrippe.com/post/45763194525/compose-gmail-m... .

Basically you launch it, it jumps straight to the blank compose window (nothing else), and closes when you hit send. That's it.

I try use it for the times when I don't want to see my email, but need to email something.

andrewhillmanvor 13 Jahren

Depressing. Only 14 people agree with me. I still hope someone builds an extension. Fingers crossed. This isn't just about the new compose. As @gruseom said... countless details seem off.