We recently updated our licenses from V6 to V7 and need to say that nothing became better but lots of things are now even worst.
Was there a reason for the new style of the -more complicated- main menu. Was the list of wishes, from existing customers that short, that someone found the time for such a useless “improvment” ?
Why the hell has the search field be moved to the right side of the screen. A software engineer, that can not imagine higher horizontal screen resolutions then 1920, should definitively look for an other employment. I have a plenty of software installed on my machine - all with free configurable gui elements. Now -in 2016- an em-client version with fixed elements has been released, where the gui has been designed to look good on the 19 inch monitors the developers are using. Thats ridiculous!
Now, the popup-menu has been modified in a way that causes a significant delay. It opens somewhere on the screen and is then being moved to the cursor postion. How crude is that ??? Keyboard events are not buffered - using the menu with fast entered keyboard commands is impossible now.
Did anybody every try the new conversation-mode, that has been advertised ? I mean, really tried, in the real life for a certain time ?
We needed to turn it off after a couple of days, since searches did not find mails and navigation thru conversations lead into pure pain.
The really positive thing in V6 seems to be ruined now - the fast search engine. When I narrow my search to “sender” and enter an email address, V7 list all kind of mails, that to not even contain the mail address I’m looking for.
So is there - even a very small - improvement that has been made between V6 and V7 ?
The GUI changes reduced the usability a lot. A simple way to switch between languages is still not available. Styles, in HTML-mails are still being mixed up. The ‘Copy Style’ function often does not change the font and font-size. Deleting a single line with the backspace button is still often different from deleting the same line with the DEL button. Inconsistency everywhere.
I could spend another hour with issues and feel frustrated. It’s abvious, that a shiny interface was more important for the developers, then functionality.
When you guys to not listen to your users, you do not need to wonder when people decide for other software then yours !
Stefan I really feel with you and of course full acknowledged with any word you have written.
I’m a lifetime licensee and do not seen any improvement in v7. I currently stay with v6 and starting looking at Thunderbird again that I abandoned two years before because of emClient.
I made many suggestions for new features and improvements mainly to the current rules/filter implementation.
Many other simple enhancements I made are under consideration - with other words: don’t hold your breath.
I’m a software developer, too, working in a large industrial company and I know if a feature is easy to implement or not or if someone decided to ignore feature requests just for things being.
Also Column Headers used to show up - real business user’s need to sort by different column fields - in v7 - the columns don’t show up - what is wierd for me - they started showing up one fine day and now another fine day they don’t show up!
Also, I keep getting connectivity errors even when the computer is connected.
I am getting so frustrated that I will just stop using emClient all together in the next month or so!
By default, column headers do not show if the layout is less than a predefined pixel width (600 is default)? Therefore, columns may seem to inexplicably disappear because you have narrowed the list to below that threshold. You can force the single-line layout with column headers by going to menu/tools/settings/mail/read and check “always use single-line layout” or decrease the pixel limit.
Thanks a lot to anybody. We also have a couple of lifetime licenses, since we thought that V6 was a good solution and the team behind this software will continue improving it. But what we now got with V7, is such a huge step back in usability, that also lets us think about Thunderbird -or even Outlook- again.
The lack of a proper multi-language management was a daily pain. We now started to script the software with AutoHotKey, to switch between languages, what is a huge help. But it’s not us who should implement such a functionality by using third-party-tools.
Since we started to script functions into emClient, we also implemented in the new auto-text feature from V7 with AutoHotKey - a much more flexible solution with variables, dates, and so on and not just a collection of static text.
One of my biggest concerns with emClient today is, that we can not re-arrange GUI-elements. Me and my colleagues have two huge monitors in front of us, but need to switch between mails, tasks and the calender. We can not build a proper toobar by ourseves that matches our needs best - we even can not mark a mail ‘read’, without using the popup-menu !
As I already wrote: something is wrong with the HTML mails I create in emClient. When I sometimes see the replies from customers that contain parts of my messages, I see diffferent font sizes, text colors and other strange things. Unbelievable that this is how our mails show up at our customers.
When I collapse the mail folders and re-start the software, some folders are unfolded again. I have tons of little issues, that -all together- are leading into a massive frustration.
* I can not confirm, that Folder-Status (collapsed or open) is lost when closing the Application; Folder-Status is maintained as it was at Application-Shutdown.
* I can not confirm that the GUI can not be customized at all:
* Multi-Language-Support: (I guess, you talk about the Language used for the Spellchecker…? or about the GUI? anyhow:)
I guess, thats a feature only a minority of the Users really need, sorry to say that…
* Conversation-View:
I can not comment on that since I do not use/like that View…
* sophisticated auto-Text-Features?
Again: the need of only a tiny minority of users, I guess…
* Missing the Ability to have Mail- and Calendar-View in separate Windows?
well… thats something I may agree on… but I guess that also something only a few Users really ask for…
* about HTML-Mails:
You complain, that your messages look “damaged” in the reply -Messages from your Customer… ?
Did you ever check what your messages look like, when they arrive at your Client? (= before they reply)
There is a chance that its the Client ́s eMail-Application which “breaks” the Layout of your messages while composing the Reply-Message.
Not even mentioning Proxy-System (etc.) that filter “fancy”, potentially harmful stuff out of messages…
There is a reason, why lots of “Commercial Messages” contain a line that asks the user to click a certain link in case the message can not be displayed properly… (which, by the way, helps to track if and when a Client read a message…)
* the thing about Columns I did not understand, sorry…
but I agree that I miss a feature to set Default-Column-Settings for all Folders, instead of having to manually change the Column-Settings for each and every folder manually…
Hello Stefan,
sorry to hear you dislike the new GUI so much. You can however customize the Toolbars in the main window and in the New message window. Just right-click it and choose to Customize. (Which was amongs the most requested features we implemented in v7)
You can find out more about other new features on our blog: http://www.emclient.com/blog
We did of course thoroughtly tested v7 and have been using it in our offices months before releasing it. If you encounter specific issue, we’d really appreciate more details so we could assist you in solving them. (Especially the search issue, what account it happens on; EML examples of the HTML problems, etc. )
If you are a PRO support user, our support engineers will assist you quickly through our VIP support system: support.emclient.com
Or we can solve your problems here on the forum, though that might take a bit more time.
When I complain here, I -of course- have in mind, how complex it could be to get such a function being implemented in.
For example: a simple and fast way to switch the spell-checker between languages. This should not be more complex, then the useless modification of the main menu.
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* Multi-Language-Support: (I guess, you talk about the Language used for the Spellchecker…? or about the GUI? anyhow:)
I guess, thats a feature only a minority of the Users really need, sorry to say that…
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My apologies, but I do not believe hat. The team behind emClient needs business users to keep their own business running and not those that are looking for the free version to send mails to mom and dad. When the majority of the users use their native language only, why does V7 come with an option to translate emails from forreign languages? This feature is way more complicated to realize, then a simple option to switch between 1-3 languages, as it has been requested here in the forum many times.
Of course, it’s always easy to say that the majority is not looking something that a single person is asking for, but I think that most of my complains focus on the way things have been realized !
The crappy main menu, the delayed popup-menu, the poor customization possibilities of the GUI.
I have seen, that I can add a few buttons to the toolbar. But who decides, that it needs to be centered on the screen ?
The search field now is miles away from where my mails are being listed !
Even Thunderbird came with small button next to the mail, where it could be marked as read. My mails show a yellow circle left from the mail header that is useless! Unread mails are displayed - what’s the yellow circle for ?
Olivia, Thanks for being more constructive. I did not notice, that the toolbar in the New-Message window could be customized as well. I was writing here, because I saw new functions (Quick-Text) that are so rudimentary, that it’s worth to mention them. I just want to share my thoughts about the usability of the new GUI - my feeling is, that this is a huge step back, compared with V6. I will do my best to investigate about the HTML-formatting issues we’re faced with and may share the results with the support. We’re not a pro-support member. We just upgraded to lifetime licenses, but we’re considering to return to Thunderbird or Outlook as all my team-members are complaining and I’m tired of that.
Fritz, the fact that some of the built-in features are used by only a few users out there does not necessarily mean they should not work as advertised/expected.
If OTH you mean by less used features in this case, the developers should focus on others things, probably most wanted features, I totally agree with you!
Sorry to say that, but your Screenshot proves what I expected: you are german (i am from Austria).
Heavily complaining about … what? that the search-box is “far away”?
peanuts like this make you so angrily disappointed? sad.
(BTW: CTRL - E)
quickly switch spellChecker-Language? right mouse button?
quickly switch read/unread: use Keyboard-Shortcuts?
Why don ́t you complain about the lack of eMail-Templates? (definitely needed in a business-Environment…)
Did they promise to deliver a high sophisticated Auto-Text-Feature with Version 7?
if not: they did not break a promise…no reason to be angry.
What makes you think that a private-User does not buy a License?
The opposite is true: commercial Users don ́t need eM-Client since they have MS-Office/Outlook.
(please don ́t discuss about “great” Alternatives… I tried, they suck in a serious Business-Environment
and please: no “MS sucks”-Discussion…)
Business-Licenses of MS-Office contain an Outlook-License.
done: no eM-Client needed.
I guess the typical eM-Client Customers are Prosumers and small-Business-Users.
Unread mails are displayed - what’s the yellow circle for ?
Lotus/IBM Notes has the same, but uses that to indicate if a message is new and unread vs. just unread. (as far as I remember).
Perhaps that yellow dot is needed in case a User selected a custom font which does look the same in bold and plain? Again: that is nothing to complain about that heavily…
I guess your are angry, because you do not like that your team-Members complain.
well…
I appreciate that you want to help by proposing short-cuts that may get around some issues I have with the new style, v7 comes with. But you did understand, why we feel frustrated ?
I do not want to learn new short-cuts for any software where the GUI has been disfigured by software engineers. I do not want a search field that is located with the biggest distance to my eyes possible.
With reference to the Auto-Text feature: I did not complained about this feature at all. I just wrote, that the way it has been implemented in, is that rudimentary. It’s the lack of inspiration, I’m complaining about. Why such a ‘feature’ when the idea behind has not been picked up in a way, that makes it universal and suitable for more then just stupid text blocks ?!
I liked the software a lot. But did anybody complained about the main menu as it was before, or the popu-menu that functioned well, the position where the search field was located …?
Let’s stop that here. We’re not getting warm with v7 as it is today. Too many things have been decided, that we do not understand and that make our daily life more complicated.
I probably expect too much from a software that calles itself “the best email client for windows”.
emClient V6 was - still is - a beautiful PIM. It’s only 53 MB on my start drive (V7 = 311MB), is fast and I don’t miss anything that V7 purports to offer. V7 reminds me of an old Dire Straits song “Money for Nothing”
Ich hatte schon eine nette längere Antwort getippt, mich dann aber dummerweise mit den Buttons hier im Forum-Editor gespielt und schon war mein Text weg
Kürzel:
ich dachte, weil du so auf Effizienz schaust, dass Tastenkürzel noch schneller wären als Buttons… noch dazu wo man die Kürzel anpassen kann.
Auto-Text:
da gibt es eine andere Mail-Software die sogar damit wirbt das man HTML-Vorlagen mit Variablen etc. gestalten kann… die kann aber außer Mail (wie mir scheint) nix. und kostet Geld.
Suchfeld:
Ich brauche das recht selten und würde es nicht wollen, dass deswegen eine extra-Zeile am Bildschirm verbraucht wird… (wie etwa in Windows Live Mail…)
Du arbeitest noch dazu in der 3-Spalten-Ansicht - da bekomme ich zu wenig Info in der Mail-Liste weil nicht genug Platz ist für: Datum, Uhrzeit, Anhang-Größe usw…
Und die Gruppierung nach “heute” “gestern” “verg. Woche” usw… kann ich auch nicht brauchen weil es mir nix nützt…
so sind die Anforderungen verschieden und ich kann gut verstehen, dass ein Software-Hersteller es schwer hat, denn “allen Menschen recht getan, ist eine Kunst, die niemand kann…”
Aber klar: mir fallen auch ein paar Dinge ein - und habe sie auch gepostet - die man noch verbessern kann.
Etwa dass die Daten nicht verschlüsselt sind; weder die Mails noch das File mit den Passwörtern…
I agree 100%, Peter.
We decided for the upgrade, since v6 started to crash on 3 computers, when we selected an other then the default account, while creating a new email.
Not so disappointed with V7, but I would like to say that a better listening to users request is needed.
Also a sneller development cicle nowadays is needed.
As an example, delayed sending works but it turns out there is no access to the queue of delayed messages to manage them…
I really think we should get an ipotetical version 7.1 to address this in few weeks and not having to wait for emclient V8 in one or two years to get that fundamental feature.
Shouldn’t be this way ?
Hello Stefan,
for the specific issues I do recommned contacting PRO support, if you have PRO with Lifetime upgrades you should apply for access.
You can also downgrade to eM Client 6 if you prefer - the installation files are available on our website.
Hello Everyone,
I got a more thorough reply from our team concerning the points mentioned in this thread.
Search bar location change:
This has become a standard in modern software, especially for Windows OS - the search function is located in the top right corner in Windows Explorer, Google Chrome, Windows store application, Windows 8 full screen start menu, etc.
It allows to enlarge the space for the message list, which was critical for computers/notebooks with smaller display resolution and tablets.
The use of shortcut is also recommended.
New Menu:
According to our telemetry only few users actually use the top menu.
Putting it under the menu button also allowed for more vertical space.
The same menu shortcuts should still work.
If you have any operations that give you trouble, we’d appreciate details and specific examples of why and how you use the main menu.
Right-click menu:
Which pop up menu is delayed?
Can you provide more details for issues/screenshots of the issue?
Toolbar:
All toolbars are completely customizable now, which is definitely an improvement.
QuickTexts:
The QuickText feature supports HTML and variables, they are not just static. (Right-click>Insert>Variables)
In answer to Fritz:
We plan to release version 7.1 before the end of this year.
The implementation cycle should indeed be faster in the future; the holdup on version 7 was cause by large internal changes within the program.
Passwords will be encrypted starting with version 7.1. If you have a startup password set, it will be automatically applied.
