

Gmail's New Default Theme is a Step Backwards for Usability - JoelSutherland
http://www.newmediacampaigns.com/page/gmails-new-default-theme-is-a-step-backwards-for-usability

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nickb
_"From the 'Classic' to 'Default' themes, the foreground to background
brightness difference and the foreground to background color difference is
reduced by 28%!"_

The author fails to realize that Google did this on purpose. This contrast
reduction is for READ emails. Unread emails stand out really well (black on
white). My guess is that designers did usability tests and found out that
people are more interested in new, unread emails, than in read emails. So they
made sure that you can easily find new, unread emails and the old, read,
emails just get out of your way. And it does make a lot of sense to me... I'll
give new theme a try.

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JoelSutherland
I see your point, but I am not sure I agree.

My behavior may be atypical, but I tend to read new mail sequentially. Only
when I am looking for a particular message do I scan the email listing. It is
in this case that I would prefer to have increased contrast.

Furthermore, I find it jarring to have such a dramatic difference in read vs.
unread mail when scanning a list that contains both.

Whether my experience and preferences match Gmail users as a whole is unknown.

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markessien
It's just what you're used to, it's not better or worse. Every change of any
sites design always has someone who liked the old way better. Then they get
used to it, and complain again when it changes.

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enomar
Switching the default theme makes people notice the change.

They're then much more likely to find out about and use custom themes.

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bapbap
Luckily people will be getting a Theme switcher, though comparing my now
"Classic" themed Personal account, to my Google Apps for domains default
theme, there are differences, so Classic isn't exactly the same as the old
default theme.

I believe it's the colour behind the "Archive", "Delete" buttons.

Yes I am being anal but I look at that screen for a decent proportion of my
day and it doesn't look right, which is annoying.

~~~
mrtron
I went back to Classic as my theme (after briefly considering the eye
straining Terminal throw-back).

It is close enough to the original that it feels the same to me.

~~~
bapbap
I'll get used to it eventually, I'd probably get used to any of the themes
eventually. Except the Terminal one, I'll happily miss out on the geek points
to avoid it.

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msluyter
The "Shiny" theme is pretty, but I think all of the new themes would look
better if alternate conversations in the e-mail list were shaded slightly. As
it is, my inbox is a big sea of white.

~~~
bmj
I liked Shiny as well, but there are some white on black blocks that were hard
on my eyes, so I'm currently using the "New Blue."

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mpk
Hm, I don't care about the color theme one way or another, but when I clicked
'Sign out' a popup appeared and said,

    
    
       "There is a request to the server pending. Are you sure?"
    

I know what this means, but even then I have no idea what that specific
request might be. I doubt the average gmail user has any clue whatsoever about
this message.

Not really something I'd expect from Google.

~~~
inerte
Isn't this a Firefox thing? I remember seeing it on other places than gmail...

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STHayden
I think that while this is a problem the solution should be to just make
picking a theme either as part of the sign up process or as a high lighted
feature. People who have trouble reading light text would then know they could
change the look and feel of the application.

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icey
I just wish Google would let me go back to my good old iGoogle, and not this
garbage one they have now with the side-bar on the left.

For now, I use Google.ca until they redesign that one, and then it will be
time to get a new homepage.

Anyone here use page flakes?

~~~
bockris
I feel the same as you but I ended up installing the Stylish Firefox addon and
used the recipe to hide the left navigation. (Actually I modified it some so
it also hides the search box and other wasted space.)

It's sad but I have too much invested in Google to leave right now and I'm not
comfortable giving my Google credentials to a foreign website like PageFlakes.

~~~
icey
Would you mind providing a URL for the recipe? I'm a Firefox user, so that
would solve part of my problem.

Thanks!

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ErrantX
Very true!

I've customised the Graffiti view + tag colours to produce something I quite
like. But I definitely didnt like the new "default" (the older "classic" was a
lot cleaner)

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DTrejo
Anyone see a theme they like that increases usability?

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etal
Night Shade and Shiny both stay pretty readable while reducing the total
amount of light coming off the screen. On a big monitor, I don't like tons of
white background, so I'm using Night Shade right now. It also has some faint
similarities to the color schemes of Ubuntu's Human theme and the casing of
the Acer Aspire One, which appeals to me.

I looked for a theme that would make Ubuntu's new DarkRoom desktop theme
usable (black text on dark gray buttons, whee!) but not even Sunset works.

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thomasmallen
They refer to this is the "default" theme. Does that mean that I can revert to
the old theme?

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enomar
The "old" theme is called "classic". Did you read the article?

~~~
thomasmallen
Yes.

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RobertL
I definitely agree.

