Unpopular UI Changes

Interesting article on the recent (and continuing) changes to the Google UI.

In the case of the items highlighted in that article, specifically useful searchtools behind buried beneath “More…”, what I do wonder is why Google doesn’t remember (e.g. via a cookie – hell knows they drop enough of them, what’s one more between friends?) whether you had the “More” contexts in the sidebar menu expanded between windows/sessions?

When you have one Google window open with the “More…” expanded, try opening a second window. The “More…”s are all collapsed again.

I’m just waiting for the phonecall from my technophobe parents, trying to find where the things they used to use have gone, and tearing what’s left of my hair out while they try and explain.

The UI changes in Firefox and Thunderbird have already upset them, driving my poor mum to tears, when all she wanted to do was send a 10 line email.

Changing your UI is something you should do with a lot of caution, and only when you have a hell of a good reason. In some ways, the UI for a popular piece of software is part of your brand. Play with it at your peril.