classic interface: death by a thousand cuts

[janusz]

From the latest FM's announcement:

Due to backend changes that mean the old screens are no longer compatible, we have had to remove access in classic to the Domains, Aliases, Custom DNS, Distribution Lists and Rules settings screens.

This is yet another example of Fastmail removing functionality from the classic interface.

Here are two quotes from the blog entry describing the classic and new interfaces

In short, classic is here to stay.

When we say "supported indefinitely" it really does mean that we have no plans to remove classic.

May be there are no plans to totally remove classic, but steps are being taken towards dismantling it by gradually removing functionality.

Beware of Fastmail's promises These folks are not to be trusted.

[Terry]

Yea I feel its on the way out....seem my post below the current UI is sux.

Two clicks to log out....hell we are in 2016...

[a570767]

I think they will polish things out as time goes.

[n5bb]

Originally Posted by janusz

... Here are two quotes from the blog entry describing the classic and new interfaces ...

Look at the date of that post (3.3 years ago). Do you not think they have a right to make plans after that long? If that's too soon, how many years should they wait to make any changes to their plans? Who should make that decision?

At the company where I work, software we developed 5 years ago is considered very obsolete (about how long ago Fastmail Classic was developed). I remember many users here being very angry when Fastmail stopped supporting very old browsers and started forcing https: secure connections. I started using the predecessors of email over 35 years ago (before MS-DOS or Windows were introduced), and I'm glad email services have greatly changed over the years.

Bill

[Terry]

But why change something that most people were very happy with....now it's all extra clicks....and some things are missing.

Thank god I have not paid for years ahead as I cant get my head round the latest UI

[misc]

Originally Posted by Terry

But why change something that most people were very happy with....

How can you tell that most people are/were happy with the classic interface? My guess woud be that most people

• don’t read or even know about this forum
• use the default interface
• aren’t power users and so the default interface is entirely sufficient for them

[Terry]

Originally Posted by misc

How can you tell that most people are/were happy with the classic interface? My guess woud be that most people

• don’t read or even know about this forum
• use the default interface
• aren’t power users and so the default interface is entirely sufficient for them

Yes I should have said most of all the old F/m members some of us go back to when it was free.

I'm not a power user but I cant stand the latest UI....it's yuppie.

But whinging on here wont change anything.....Fastmail likes it so I suppose that is the main thing.

I have been using f/m for the last 13 or 14 years I sort of grew up with older style UI which I prefer and when that finally goes I will just throw away my domain and just use outlook, or subscribe to Outlook express as someone is marketing that now.

[misc]

Well, Terry, I know what you mean. But just let me take up the cudgels for the 'new' interface: I am with FM for two and a half years now and their interface was one of the main reasons why I've chosen them. I still like it. It's clean, it's intuitive and it's fast. I don't want to conceal that there are some weaknesses, but I can deal with them. Not to forget that FM, besides the interface, is doing a very good job IMHO.

[Berenburger]

Originally Posted by Terry

I have been using f/m for the last 13 or 14 years I sort of grew up with older style UI which I prefer and when that finally goes I will just use throw away my domain and just use outlook, or subscribe to Outlook express as someone is marketing that now.

Outlook? That 's definitely not a classic interface.
You can't subscribe to Outlook Express. It's desktop mail client software. And it's long time gone.
You want 'classic'? Then find an email provider who supports SquirrelMail.

[smartguy]

I also object to the removal of settings screens (such as aliases) from the classic interface.

The feature of the classic interface that I like best is the ability to view messages in text format by default, but then change to html view when needed. If this feature was added to regular interface, I might be convinced to use it.

[Terry]

Originally Posted by Berenburger

Outlook? That 's definitely not a classic interface.
You can't subscribe to Outlook Express. It's desktop mail client software. And it's long time gone.

http://outlook-express.soft32.com/

[BritTim]

Originally Posted by Terry

http://outlook-express.soft32.com/

OS support is Windows ME or Windows XP, both ancient operating systems for which there are no security updates. It would probably be possible, in practice, to get it working in Linux under Wine, but it really is not a viable option now. Actually, that is a pity because it had better standards compliance than Outlook (though it could not handle large mailboxes).

[Terry]

Sorry wrong link....Try this one http://runasxp.com/Thread-Outlook-Ex...nd-10-DOWNLOAD

[janusz]

Originally Posted by n5bb

Look at the date of that post (3.3 years ago). Do you not think they have a right to make plans after that long? If that's too soon, how many years should they wait to make any changes to their plans?

At the company where I work, software we developed 5 years ago is considered very obsolete .

Your software developed 5 years ago may be obsolete, but you left it unchanged and unsupported, you did not trim down its functionality.
On a larger scale: Windows 2000 ended its lifecycle in 2010 (after 10 years), but Microsoft did not remove any features from existing copies, simply stopped adding new ones.

If Fastmail cannot keep their promises made 3.3 years ago, either they have no long-term clues on their product development, or simply they open their mouth without engaging the brain first.

Originally Posted by Berenburger

You want 'classic'? Then find an email provider who supports SquirrelMail[/url].

Very witty and very relevant. Congratulations.

[BritTim]

Originally Posted by Terry

Sorry wrong link....Try this one http://runasxp.com/Thread-Outlook-Ex...nd-10-DOWNLOAD

Interesting. It seems worth a look. I am doubtful I would ever use it in practice, but it is good to have alternatives.