When is the new beta coming?
 

Hi,

When can we expect the beta of the new webmail?

Thanks!

2030?..............

We are very close to where we want the new webmail (Runbox 7) to be in terms of the basic features. We have put a lot of effort into the core functionality to make it as fast and user-friendly as possible, and it now outperforms the major competitors hands-down.

Currently we are fixing some minor issues in the user interface and adding auto-completion of contacts. We will provide information about the beta as soon as this is ready.

- Geir

Any news regarding this?

We have completed the tasks described in my previous post. However, during more thorough testing we have uncovered that additional, minor adjustments to the user interface are needed.

Overall we are very happy about the status of Runbox 7 and we can't wait to introduce it to everyone. :)

Stay tuned!

- Geir

PS: If you'd like to be among the first to test-drive Runbox 7, please contact Runbox Support with your Runbox username.

We also can't wait but as per usual, I guess we'll have to wait quite a while.

any ETA on this?

We are focused on completing the tasks mentioned in my previous post to ensure that your experience with the new Runbox 7 webmail will be the best possible.

We are closing in on this goal and will post back soon!

- Geir

I also can hardly wait but I hope RB does not do what a Rival service did in my opinion make their service so complex that Joe Average could not use it. I want RB to remain the most user friendly service I have ever used.

And I hope it would be delivered as promised. One can't believe that in this day and age it takes so long to make a new webmail version, especially when competitors upgrade theirs daily and you have open source webmails a la open xchange that are full featured and that you can license and then upgrade as you wish. The rmm7 beta was told it would be accessible before summer, it's turn of the year already and nothing. + no calendar.

Runbox doesn't have a good track track record for keeping schedule with new developed features... or they're over-eager to release optimistic dates that they often miss... however, in their defense, what they release is typically very solid and reliable, and sometimes even great. Their 2FA took forever to release, for example, but it's a pretty neat implementation, with some outstanding features, worth the wait IMO.

Hope they learn how to develop at a faster pace, but not at the expense of quality. I'd rather have them err on the side of a fastidious quest for perfection than release something early, especially with something mission-critical like email. I'd also rather have them develop something original for their webmail client in-house rather than build off an open-source product. They obviously have access to the source code of the open source clients out there, so they can refer to them for ideas, but I don't want them to fall into the trap of just using an open source client and customize too much, then be stuck with security issues causing a mess of a fork. That would be more costly IMO. And those services are a dime a dozen that offer open-source clients. Runbox, to me, is different/boutique/special -- one of the last special email providers IMO, they need/deserve something totally unique, keep it in-house and control the source code. My two bits.

Sure thing, but in june it was said it's days, not weeks away. And now it's been 6 months.

Runbox 7 Webmail won't just be an upgrade, it will be revolutionary both in terms of technology and usability.

This ambition coupled with our desire to deliver a solid product implies that development takes time -- but the closed beta test is going to start before 2017 is over. :)

If you would like to participate, send an email to Runbox Support with the subject "Runbox 7 Webmail beta test" and include your Runbox username.

- Geir

I am begining to worry about the RB upgrade. after what FM did to their service, taking a perfect user friendly service amd making so complex RB has a very user friendly service as it is, with only three links a user can set up forwarding, pop and change FROM address. Just my two cents worth

Hear, hear...
IMHO there are two or three minor annoyances in the current interface, but its simplicity is a strong point. I'm sure Runbox with its subcontractor(s) can provide something more flashy, using the latest fad in webpage creation, but I do hope this will not make the interface more convoluted.

Looking forward to the beta beginning. Just a couple of days to go in 2017.

Runbox 7 Webmail closed beta test
 

https://blog.runbox.com/2017/12/runb...sed-beta-test/

Posted on 19th December.

Excellent!

It's certainly coming down to the wire for 2017 release - UNLESS - invitations have gone out to a select few and they are bound by a confidentiality agreement not to disclose they are even in the beta???

I registered and got a reply that I am on the list, but not if everyone on the list will be invited off the start.

Fifty-four hours left in 2017 in eastern NA - will we see v7?

Same here. Registration confirmed, followed by silence...

I was added to the beta tester list in October, but have heard nothing since.

I wonder if this "closed beta" is for a very select few chosen ones only?

They had folks submit requests via RunBox helpdesk system to be added to the closed beta. It's not the end of the world if they don't add me to the list as it will reach us all eventually. As with all things RunBox -- patience...

True. But a note to the effect "selected beta-testers are already working with the new version" would be appreciated.

Added on the beta list on Oct. 31. Silence. I think it’s not live yet. One day to go in 2017 here.

New year, old interface :(

They'll get there. We all know their release date predictions are fuzzy at best, but they tend to do pretty solid final releases when all is said and done. I'm excited to see what they have come up with. I'm predicting the beta starts by the end of January. :-)

Sure thing. But why say it will begin before 2017 ends, when it's clear it won't happen (they predicted it a couple of days before new year's).

There have been ongoing issues, since before Christmas, with IMAP and POP connections according to the service status page and Twitter announcements in the past couple of days. Certainly addressing this problem should take precedence over the new webmail interface. We know Runbox doesn't have hundreds of engineers to call upon when something goes wrong.

Personally, I have not noticed any problems connecting MacOS Mail to the IMAP servers during this period but I'm just one user.

Not trying to defend Runbox, but perhaps they actually DID begin the beta already to a smaller, select group of testers, and they'll roll out the beta to more on their list in the weeks ahead? No idea, but another possibility is that they were just over-exuberant in their estimates or perhaps like Glendon suggested, maybe they had some other unexpected issue come up...

Also, I just remembered there is a huge security issue with Intel processors going on right now, and Linux, Windows and OSX were just patched... so maybe they took some time to do some unexpected server patches and performance testing, etc... the Intel bug is apparently severe for some usage scenarios in terms of the performance hit... and cloud virtualization and disk I/O are supposed to have been casualties if I understood correctly. So I wouldn't be surprised if they've been dealing with that too.

Who knows? :-)

Our patience will be rewarded. Good things come to those who wait. etc. etc. ;)

https://blog.runbox.com/2018/01/runb...a-test-update/

Seems the beta is underway as suggested above. I will be interested to see if an invitation to participate includes a request not to post about it here [or anywhere else]. That would not be unusual for beta tests.No developer wants the problems betas are intended to identify and fix documented forever online.

Great to hear... I'm pretty excited about this for some reason. Been a long time since I've seen a major in-house update to an email service I like. Crossing fingers they do a great job.

still nothing. this is pathetic.

today i have decided to no longer stick to a provider who's webmail is like it's from 1999, and STILL doesn't offer a calendar.

thank you for your service, my paypal subscription has been terminated. my patience has been tested for long enough.

good luck and good night.

caulfield87,

I was reading an old post of yours from 2015:

http://emaildiscussions.com/showpost...13&postcount=1

Your comment on Runbox:

Quite expensive, great privacy laws (Norway), clunky and super-buggy webmail, but best support out there, hands down. You get a response within minutes

Apart from your comment of "quite expensive" (personally I don't agree with that) nothing much has changed.

Well, apart from their great 2FA implementation, and the addition of the CalDAV calendar service.

And, unfortunately, both these additions to Runbox took some considerable time to appear.

Eventually, I hope that Runbox 7, when it finally sees the light of day, is a success for them.

I will continue to support them, as I have done by having extended my subscription to 2021.

Not trying to give you a hard time or justify Runbox, but how do you know they haven't started the beta with a select group of testers?

And there is nothing out of the ordinary for Runbox's track record... they are SLOW in development as we all know... some people might look at that as methodical and careful... but for whatever reason, they take their time, they always have, and likely always will. So there's no surprise there IMO. It's par for the course.

Yes, their webmail looks like it is from a prior generation -- 1999 is a bit harsh -- but I agree it is old-school webmail design. Although I have to give them credit for a really well done TFA system (which took a very long time to release, and was worth the wait).

And by the way, if you're sick of the runbox webmail, you can use whatever email client you want, plus don't they have a Roundcube implementation too? (pretty sure it's located here: https://runbox.com/roundcube/ ) -- but it's been a long time, so I don't know if it works... but in any case, you have various ways of accessing your account.

Obviously, you have your opinion and experience with them, and if you want to move on from there, of course go for it. But IMO they are a very rare breed of product. Stable, solid, secure, really good support, conservative in their choices, and a good value, especially when you factor in the sub-account pricing. Considering the garbage that is out there for similar services that claim a fraction of their privacy level, I think they have an outstanding niche product... if a little long in the tooth on the GUI of their webmail.

I don't think it's "pathetic" that they aren't doing a massive roll-out of their beta right now... they are obviously taking their time. I think with something as important as email, it's a *good* thing. I'd rather they choose their beta testers very carefully, and take their time making sure the security is rock solid. I don't want someone finding an exploit, so let them take their time, and in the meantime, maybe use a different email client. Or, cancel your account and come back to them when the beta is done... and it could easily take another year with them IMO.

It looks very bad when it's announced that a new version will be released on <date1>, nothing happens on that day, a few month later a new announcement says the release date is <date2>, a few months later it's <date3>, and again and again....

Runbox isn't the only email developer guilty of systematically missing self-defined target dates :eek:

Update
 

Thanks for the patience and kind words!

Because Runbox 7 Webmail can synchronize with your device, each account takes some time to prepare -- and we had to make some adjustments along the way which delayed the process. We have now streamlined the service further, so if you haven't received an email with details on the beta test yet then don't despair -- you will get it soon!

- Geir

I have been with RB fifteen years and love it the way it is. Hope you don't make it user unfriendly like another well know service did

Hear, hear....

We are focused on user-friendliness in accordance with modern standards, meaning we are addressing previous feedback that the Runbox 6 interface is "cluttered" and "clunky". :)

However, we're aware that many of our current customers are comfortable with Runbox 6, so we are likely to keep that around for a long time.

- Geir

PS: This might not the place for it, but I'd be interested in general feedback on what "the other service" did that we should avoid.

Hello Geir,

I'm no longer a runbox customer, I had to leave because I couldn't tolerate the interface. Now that you're finally upgrading it, I'll probably go back to runbox as my main email provider, since the interface was the one thing that made me leave (and well, you could offer a bit more space for the pricing, but that's a whole different discussion).

I've joined "the other service" for their webclient and even though there are some people who do not like it, the majority of users think it's fantastic, me included:

- It's fast (really fast!);
- It's beautiful: Pleasing on the eyes, dark theme (hopefully you'll offer a dark theme, it's a must nowadays);
- It's powerful: You've a whole range of settings, such as side view, different fonts, different themes, etc;
- It has calendar, files, notes and contacts in one easy menu;
- It has keyboard shortcuts: Whatever you do, your new webclient must have keyboard shortcuts;


If you allow me a suggestion, please don't clutter the interface just for a selected few that like to have everything immediately noticeable, with huge buttons and easy to press with the mouse pointer.