Google, Seriously – Clean up your Apps!
I have the minimum amount of Google software on my system. I can easily live without Google toolbars, Google desktop, Google Earth, Google Screensaver (and, naturally, the Google Pack). Why? Every one of them sports a horrible, horrible UI. Simplicity in Web design does not translate well when it comes to desktop applications. I'm thrilled that Google is empowering internal developers to surface their own ideas and projects. So, here's a suggestion for Google: before any app ever sees the light of day, let the Picasa team do the user interface. Seriously, I consider most Google software a complete joke because of the way it looks (and believe the Google pack is relatively useless). I run Google Talk on my system because I don't like Skype (never have, and likely never will). I run Picasa on my system because it's always been an amazing piece of software – one of Google's smartest acquisitions. Now, if only they'd listen to my advice and unify their user experience – letting the true UI experts (from Picasa) turn Google software from a “don't need it” to a “must have it.”
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9 Comments
Tech.Kuntau - Computer, Internet, Security and Technology Blog
September 18th, 2007
at 11:35pm
Well, while surfing I foundthis postabout google apps UI (User Interface). Yes, maybe google apps such as Google Talk and Google Desktop Search don’t have beautiful UI but IMHO it is user friendly. I can say that Google Desktop Search (GDS) didn
Matt's Interesting Items...
April 23rd, 2007
at 1:10am
problem. And believe me, there are plenty of results in the public listings that should not be there. passwords, security Related Content:Moving CalendarsOMG!!! Google Released a Calendar!!!.NET Passport SecurityPirillo’s Picks for 03/07/2007Google, Seriously – Clean up your Apps!Syncing Outlook, OS X, Google with Easelinks for 2007-02-13Insert “All Your Base” Reference HereThe New Google Toolbar: WowThe Politics of Security [IMG] [IMG] [IMG] (via Matt Campbell’s shared items in Google Reader
Digg users revolt over AACS key - Chassidy blog
April 23rd, 2007
at 6:51am
problem. And believe me, there are plenty of results in the public listings that should not be there. passwords, security Related Content: Moving Calendars OMG!!! Google Released a Calendar!!! .NET Passport Security Pirillo’s Picks for 03/07/2007 Google, Seriously – Clean up your Apps! Syncing Outlook, OS X, Google with Ease links for 2007-02-13 Insert “All Your Base” Reference Here The New Google Toolbar: Wow The Politics of Security [IMG]
Anonymous
February 3rd, 2006
at 12:19pm
Hello,
One of the things I find frustrating about Google's various software packages is they do not seem to put the version number or release date on the download pages. This makes it impossible to determine at a glance if you have the latest version.
Regards,
Aryeh Goretsky
Jim Ballantyne
September 22nd, 2006
at 11:23am
Picasa has a good UI, the sofwtare engineering behind it needs a re-think. For example the database is hard coded to reside on the system drive. It has remined that way for many years now. My guess is that Google is so full of marketing people that no one there knows how to do anything about it. From a company that claims to be changing the phsyche of the world with innovative software this shows how quickly the basics get lost in grand overblown ideas. Google are loosing me with so much useless clutter on their site. Time for a new search engine to become dominant? I remember Alta Vistsa was the bees knees, now it is Google tomorrow – who knows just roll it on fast and lets get away form the google adds on every page.
Emily Al.
November 9th, 2006
at 9:01am
here here! I am convinced that google’s API’s are cluttering my system resources even as I write this. we shouldnt let coding morons code, or design anything, but if they are going to code things, Google should at least take the time to make sure its up to snuff. ugh.
Hdklfjsd
March 28th, 2007
at 1:59am
Maybe Google apps UI not beauty | Kuntau Blog - It is complicated
May 14th, 2007
at 3:46pm
[...] Well, while surfing I found this post about google apps UI (User Interface). Yes, maybe google apps such as Google Talk and Google Desktop Search don’t have beautiful UI but IMHO it is user friendly. [...]
Cal Prospero
May 8th, 2008
at 4:19am
I have been impressed with the range of stuff Google has been chucking out to the public. Much of it is fluff. The desktop search and screensaver are toys. Google Earth, at least the latest version, won’t run on my iron. I tried to see what the requirements are, but no luck so far. Picasa is great. So is Grand Central. I was able to join the latter before it was acquired. SketchUp may prove useful, when I get time to learn it. Google Docs has been a life saver when I need a document and I don’t have my thumb drive. It has also come in handy when I have had to modify a document at my part time job – no MS Word.