'Quick notes'

Grhm · 12 Jan 2017, 11:15 AM

On the 'notes' screen (in Classic, at least) there is a check box beneath the text entry box, which is marked 'quick note'.
When I tried it experimentally, the 'quick note' didn't appear to behave any differently from any of the other notes, and I can't find any reference to it in the documentation.
Can anybody tell me what it does?
Thank you.

akorvemaker · 13 Jan 2017, 05:28 AM

It's been a couple years since I used the classic interface, but quick notes could be easily inserted into email messages. I forget the exact process, but while composing an email, there was an option to insert a quick note. (It was possibly over on the right side?) I used it for a couple common responses I regularly needed.

Andy

akorvemaker · 13 Jan 2017, 05:37 AM

I forgot to add: In the current interface, this has been replaced with "Pinned" notes, which can be shown at the top of the notes list. The option of quickly adding notes to messages while composing no longer exists.

Andy

B4its2L8 · 13 Jan 2017, 06:15 AM

In the classic interface, when you compose a note there will be a check box at the bottom where you can designate that note as a "quick note." After selecting the box, save the note.

Then when you compose an email, you can click the drop-down menu ("more text actions") and you'll see the title of all the notes there that you designated "quick notes." Select one and it will be inserted in the email.

Grhm · 13 Jan 2017, 08:00 AM

Thank you.

David · 13 Jan 2017, 10:07 AM

Change 'for the sake of change' is a Fastmail prerogative that has been happening since day one. Fastmail, when I first encountered it, a long time before it went paid, was simply superb.

Sadly, it has deteriorated much since then - obviously not for everyone, but for me, and for my own personal preferences, for sure.

Grhm · 13 Jan 2017, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Change 'for the sake of change' is a Fastmail prerogative that has been happening since day one.

Yes, and unfortunately this irrational mania for pointless change isn't unique to Fastmail, or even to the computing industry.
It is a widespread malaise that afflicts all fields of human endeavour, and has done for centuries.
Everyone repeat after me:
If it ain't broke we won't fix it!
Or, as Lord Palmerston is said to have remarked to Queen Victoria back in the 1840s:

Quote:

"Change? Change? Why all this talk of change? Aren't things bad enough already?"

mocca36 · 4 Feb 2017, 05:25 PM

so good

wesexshop

NumberSix · 5 Feb 2017, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grhm

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Change 'for the sake of change' is a Fastmail prerogative that has been happening since day one.

Yes, and unfortunately this irrational mania for pointless change isn't unique to Fastmail, or even to the computing industry.
It is a widespread malaise that afflicts all fields of human endeavour, and has done for centuries.

Your words indicate that you understand the problem at a deeper, more philosophical level, but I think the following bears repeating (as it certainly has been repeated often on this forum):

Fastmail have not continually changed things on a whim, or indulged in 'change for the sake of change', and it is disingenuous to imply that they have. This is just sour grapes. The environment in which they operate, the Internet, changes quickly, and these changes must be adapted to (ever heard of "Internet Time"?) On top of that there are changes in business goals, etc. You cannot blame them for acting like a business - that's what they are. And let's not forget there was a period when they were a wholly-owned subsidiary.

Personally, I find their responsiveness on this forum and responsiveness to customers in general over many years highly admirable, and I very much appreciate their dedication to creating the best email service possible, even if I too occasionally grouse about some development that I don't like. And am not at all surprised if they have "ghosted" on the EMD forum more than usual in recent years, because of the negative reception they tend to get here.

Quote:

Everyone repeat after me: If it ain't broke we won't fix it!

Things are only unbroken from your narrow perspective as a consumer who doesn't want his world to change (another sort of attitude that 'afflicts all fields of human endeavour' since the beginning of time, I note), and knows nothing of the technical world the FM staff are operating in. From their perspective, they are fixing things that must be fixed.

Terry · 6 Feb 2017, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NumberSix

From their perspective, they are fixing things that must be fixed.

With so many changes they are creating their own evil.

Grhm · 7 Feb 2017, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NumberSix

Fastmail have not continually changed things on a whim, or indulged in 'change for the sake of change', and it is disingenuous to imply that they have. This is just sour grapes.

To take a single concrete example of apparently pointless change, and to steer the discussion back on topic, I'd be interested in what good reasons you think Fastmail had for dropping 'quick notes' and replacing them with 'pinned notes'.

David · 7 Feb 2017, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grhm

On the 'notes' screen (in Classic, at least) there is a check box beneath the text entry box, which is marked 'quick note'.
When I tried it experimentally, the 'quick note' didn't appear to behave any differently from any of the other notes, and I can't find any reference to it in the documentation.
Can anybody tell me what it does?
Thank you.

Nothing more than it ever did before. Fastmail change things nowadays, purely to make things work the way did before (before they made other changes) - possibly incompatible changes, on a lower layer. They have become very dictatorial and do not pay attention to their original userbase anymore.

My guess (and it is only a guess) is that these forums will be totally abandoned by Fastmail, soon.

Grhm · 7 Feb 2017, 09:11 PM

You may be right, but that doesn't address my question, David.
If NumberSix is right and Fastmail have not been indulging in 'change for the sake of change', then there must be unavoidable technical reasons why they had to discontinue 'quick notes'.
What were those reasons?

Terry · 8 Feb 2017, 06:38 AM

It was probably a conflict with the classic UI

TenFour · 8 Feb 2017, 08:45 AM

Having worked for a few years with a SaaS company I can tell you that whenever something is changed, for many good reasons, you mainly hear feedback from the disgruntled few who don't like the new way of doing things. On the other side of the coin, many times changes are made simply because someone, somewhere in the organization wants to make something work in a way that suits him/her better. It is always possible to bolster the argument for the change by citing all sorts of customer feedback, reports from customer service, surveys, etc.--none of which are definitive. Take Google for an example of a huge email company that does many things in very strange ways, and then changes them apparently on a whim (at least to consumers). Of course they've eliminated the problem of consumer complaints by making it nearly impossible to do so, and with no hope of reaching a human being at Google.

12 Jan 2017, 11:15 AM	#1
Grhm Essential Contributor Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: UK Posts: 270	'Quick notes' On the 'notes' screen (in Classic, at least) there is a check box beneath the text entry box, which is marked 'quick note'. When I tried it experimentally, the 'quick note' didn't appear to behave any differently from any of the other notes, and I can't find any reference to it in the documentation. Can anybody tell me what it does? Thank you.

13 Jan 2017, 05:28 AM	#2
akorvemaker Master of the @ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 1,015	It's been a couple years since I used the classic interface, but quick notes could be easily inserted into email messages. I forget the exact process, but while composing an email, there was an option to insert a quick note. (It was possibly over on the right side?) I used it for a couple common responses I regularly needed. Andy

13 Jan 2017, 05:37 AM	#3
akorvemaker Master of the @ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 1,015	I forgot to add: In the current interface, this has been replaced with "Pinned" notes, which can be shown at the top of the notes list. The option of quickly adding notes to messages while composing no longer exists. Andy

13 Jan 2017, 06:15 AM	#4
B4its2L8 Master of the @ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hiding under my bed Posts: 1,465	In the classic interface, when you compose a note there will be a check box at the bottom where you can designate that note as a "quick note." After selecting the box, save the note. Then when you compose an email, you can click the drop-down menu ("more text actions") and you'll see the title of all the notes there that you designated "quick notes." Select one and it will be inserted in the email.

13 Jan 2017, 08:00 AM	#5
Grhm Essential Contributor Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: UK Posts: 270	Thank you.

13 Jan 2017, 10:07 AM	#6
David Ultimate Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canada. Posts: 10,355	Change 'for the sake of change' is a Fastmail prerogative that has been happening since day one. Fastmail, when I first encountered it, a long time before it went paid, was simply superb. Sadly, it has deteriorated much since then - obviously not for everyone, but for me, and for my own personal preferences, for sure.

4 Feb 2017, 05:25 PM	#8
mocca36 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 1	so good wesexshop

7 Feb 2017, 09:11 PM	#13
Grhm Essential Contributor Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: UK Posts: 270	You may be right, but that doesn't address my question, David. If NumberSix is right and Fastmail have not been indulging in 'change for the sake of change', then there must be unavoidable technical reasons why they had to discontinue 'quick notes'. What were those reasons?

8 Feb 2017, 06:38 AM	#14
Terry The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VK4 Posts: 3,012	It was probably a conflict with the classic UI

8 Feb 2017, 08:45 AM	#15
TenFour Master of the @ Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: USA Posts: 1,722	Having worked for a few years with a SaaS company I can tell you that whenever something is changed, for many good reasons, you mainly hear feedback from the disgruntled few who don't like the new way of doing things. On the other side of the coin, many times changes are made simply because someone, somewhere in the organization wants to make something work in a way that suits him/her better. It is always possible to bolster the argument for the change by citing all sorts of customer feedback, reports from customer service, surveys, etc.--none of which are definitive. Take Google for an example of a huge email company that does many things in very strange ways, and then changes them apparently on a whim (at least to consumers). Of course they've eliminated the problem of consumer complaints by making it nearly impossible to do so, and with no hope of reaching a human being at Google.