As George Lucas found out after deciding that Greedo shot first, messing with a classic can be a delicate thing. The Yahoo! Mail team took a long, hard look at what happened to George and came up with a couple key takeaways:
- Of course Han shot first (actually only a few of us really cared about that one)
- When changing a classic it is better to do stuff people want, than to do stuff people don’t want (everyone agreed on that one).
So it is with those takeaways in mind (ok, probably just the 2nd) that the Classic team embarked on a journey to make some major changes to Yahoo! Mail Classic.
Yep, you read that correctly, Classic Mail will be going through some changes. I guess it was probably expected. After all, we did just celebrate the little fella’s 10th birthday. Isn’t that the time in your life when things really start to change?
A handful of you may have already noticed some differences in the interface (some subtle, and some not so subtle). Others may have heard the news coming all the way out of India, where it was just announced that Yahoo! Mail will be available for the first time in Hindi. Now you could be asking how those events would be connected … and I’ll tell you. The Classic team has been working diligently to fine tune the underlying technology for Classic Mail. That fine tuning is the foundation that has been critical not only in making the product available in Hindi, but also in making it easier to update features for all of Classic. In short, they are both part of the same overall project.
With all of the recent hubbub around New Mail, more than a few of you lit up the comments area on this blog asking about the future of Classic. I’m happy to say that I can now share with you some details about the future you’ve been so anxious about. In a nutshell there are features that have been added, changed, and removed. We’ve been keeping an eye on what functionality users have been requesting, as well as stuff that people just weren’t really using much (or in many cases at all). The changes span many areas, and we feel like you will be happy with the results. Some of the highlights that you will be seeing in the coming months include:
- Auto-save to Draft – Yahoo! Mail Classic now automatically saves a copy of the message you’re working on in your Drafts folder in case you lose your internet connection or your computer malfunctions.
- Simpler uploading and downloading attachments – In most cases, downloading now requires just one click!
One-Click Flagging – The new Flag column (just one column to the right of the check-boxes) makes it super easy to flag messages.- Folder Renaming – Rename and delete your personal folders directly within the folder view.
- More Intuitive Names – References to “Address Book” have been changed to “Contacts”, and your “Bulk” folder will instead be called “Spam” (since that’s what it is).
All in all there a lot of changes, so you should take a look at the “What’s different…” page to see everything.
***UPDATE: Some comments I’m getting suggest people think we are forcing people to change to the New Mail (formerly known as “Beta”) but this actually about giving those people who prefer Classic some of the features and changes that have been requested. ***
Ryan K.
Community Manager
Yahoo! Mail
Can’t access the site today — and need to. Someone hacked my yahoo email and is spamming everyone in my email address book.
Trying to get access and get my addresses and then shut down the account down (and switch to gmail), but I can’t get in to do so!
And the spam button appears to be useless. I’ve clicked and clicked and still seem to get spam from the same people.
Some help would be appreciated.
George
I can’t stand the new web page ! It is very difficult to switch around. Could some people still have the option of switching back?
heyif anyone gets this will you type me back please
Yes! My forwarded mail’s window is a little window, too. Did you ever figure out how to enlarge? Also, when I respond or forward mail, I cannot automatically put in a contact name from my addresses.
Have complained many times on Feedback, Contact Yahoo! Ask a Question, etc. to no avail and without and reaction. So am posting the following here:
1) I cannot access My Yahoo! page any more. I join all the others in saying that I do not like the new My Yahoo! and will not personalize it and will to another Home Page. Through yesterday I could at least switch from the new to the Classic(old).
2) On View mail the choice for viewing mail from my Contacts has disappeared for months now. Please bring it back. The choice now is limited to All, Unread or Flagged. Also why remove the small signs indicating which e-mails are from contacts?
Hate it! I miss the avatar, and especially printable view…
But what I like the least is how I see news headliness every time I check my email, which are always depressing and are always about the US ((not everyone who uses yahoomail is an American, OK?)). Why isn’t there any way to turn off the news feature? If you have to change things make it more customisable, not less.
Is anyone else missing the “select all” button formerly found at the bottom of the inbox page and the “spell check” button which used to be on the compose page ?
I just finished clicking 200 spam e-mail messages in my inbox in order to dispose of them. Used to be able to do this with two clicks – what a waste of time !
Why would anyone remove these items ?
change my yahoo classic back, the new one sucks
Yahoo.–CHANGE CLASSIC BACK THE WAY IT WAS——– Or atleast give people the option of the original. youve created a security problem, not letting us clean up address in the forwarding mode. Get your heads outta your butts. Maybe theyre trying to get everybody to leave yahoo mail and than they wont be able to sell it in a buyout?
Inface I agree MJW and Moira.
I am sad to see inspite of repeated request to yahoo, I am still not able to forward email or attach anything on new email. In fact I have not changed spam setting but I seem to be spammed in truck loads by x, y ,z. What has happened to the lovely yahoo mail, which I was enjoying since last 10 years. Is it not going to be the same- user fiendly, problem free again? Ufff… Its really painful
MJW and everyone,
The scary thing is Yahoo is getting many complaints about Yahoo Mail Classic — here and in individual feedback — and they aren’t doing a thing about it. The negative response here goes back to October 2007!
Yahoo, PLEASE revert to the old Yahoo Mail Classic before you lose all your loyal users!!!
I don’t think it takes too many brain cells to work out that Yahoo have instituted radical changes degrading the standard of Yahoo Classic so that people get so fed up they revert to their Mail Plus option at £11 a year, which they seem to be advertising as the be all and end all.
I for one object strongly to this. If I want Mail Plus – and I hated the beta – I won’t be railroaded into it using these kind of ridiculous tactics.
I have been with this email service since it was btinternet.com, and am disgusted by what is happening.
Yahoo Classic has been clearly degraded to make Mail Plus more desirable – and the changes that have been made have been made with any notification to users. It’s sharp practice in my view. The changes to Classic are certainly not for the better. The preferences you used to have have been removed. You cannot view full headers any more, the viewable header is not sufficently informative, and it appears to be more buggy. I cannot search for emails properly now, almost every other search ends with various error messages, most commonly automated saying they are working on a fix. Well I don’t believe they are working on a fix every couple of minutes. It’s either that or they cannot see the user profile and try again in ten mins.
I have had this before and Yahoo did change me to another server (apparently). But the problems never end.
The spam filter has and always has been rubbish. Even when you educate it to accept emails from a certain source, it still sees it as spam. The spam filter is chaotic, to say the least. I have to keep an eye on my spam folder all the time and I get loads of emails, just because I know a good number of legit emails will be filed as spam. Ridiculous. But that has always been the case.
I have emailed Yahoo customer service and the executive department about these problems several times now since the beginning of June but had ZERO response. Which says it all. I think it is time to find another reliable email service.
I really would not have minded possibly swapping over to Mail Plus but these sneaky tactics are not on.
Also what possible encouragement is there to any user to use the paid-for Mail Plus when they do not respond to emails querying what on earth is going on.
Yahoo used to be great. Now truly and utterly dogpoo.
People should be bombarding Yahoo with complaints. What has been done is disgraceful.
If desired it was possible for me to save the letter(with attachment also) in Draft Folder even after sending the same, but now I am not able to do this. Has Yahoo removed this feature? Pl.clarify and see that the feature of retaining the letter in draft folder even after sending is restored.
Early reply with details reqested
Ramesh Babu
I hate the changes to yahoo classic mail. If it is different, it isn’t actually classic, now is it? If you want to offer the new classic yahoo mail, fine, but you should still allow yahoo mail users to select the old classic version, if they prefer it. Major problem is the loss of forwarding as inline text. I like to forward emails, but not include who sent it to me. None of others business who I got it from. WAKE UP! Some of us liked things just fine the way they were. Quit jacking around with things and just change them back the way they were, and you can offer an option for the so called “improved” version for those who so choose to use it. Yahoo mail was very user friendly the way it was. Just make it simple. Put it back the way it was. Nuff said.
I have exactly the same problem as sandra jernigan — the ability to forward messages as quoted text. I’d really like Yahoo Mail Classic to go back to the way it was, with the option to select *from the button* whether I want to forward as quoted text or as an attachment. There are times when I need to do one, and times when I need to do the other.
There’s a short note on the “What’s New” page [new.mail.yahoo.com/classic] that says: “Windows users can still forward a message as an attachment by holding down the Ctrl button on the keyboard and clicking on Forward.” And [help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/mail/classic/basics/whatsnew-01.html] says: “You can still forward a message as an attachment by holding down the Ctrl button on the keyboard and clicking Forward.”
But that’s not my problem! EVERYTHING forwards as an attachment. And I’m not using Windows, I’m using a Mac running OS X 10.4.11. Pressing the Command key when I click Forward doesn’t do anything, nor does pressing Shift, Control, or Option.
Didn’t anyone *test* the changes before they released the new version?!
I tried New Mail and decided I liked Classic the way it was. Now you’ve changed Classic — WHY?
why change something that is great already. what about asking your users of mail classic if they want changes first, after all it is there site.
Am I nuts? probably….Yahoo hasn’t done away with forward as attachments…They forward everything as attachments. Now, I cannot forward in-line text and clean up the garbage that comes with most forwards before I send them on. Isn’t this also ironic because I am sending on others’ addresses who do NOT want their e-mail address published.
Also, the print is extremely small and so is the box. Guess I’ll have to switch to Hotmail. This stinks and I can get no answers from Yahoo.
Oh, and another thing, while I’m kvetching…
1) the changeover happened on my system JUST when I was going to send “one more quick email” for the night, which then turned into another hour and a half of “learning curve.” Thanks for that.
2)Ever since the changeover, I’ve been getting al sorts of error messages when system refuses to either save a draft OR send it– just get the “sorry for the inconvenience” (no, you’re not, or you wouldn’t make it so hard to reach you), but try a, b and c and if that doesn’t work, please feel free to contact us w/ Error Code xyz. Cute, since clicking onto that supposedly linkable blue text suggestion is a ticket to NOWHERE!
3) might be unrelated, but can’t find this answer either– the feature allowing one to hover over a yahoo headline to get longer highlights just disappeared on me. Any idea where the hover feature went?
At last, Moira, someone who agrees with me that saving drafts after sending is very USEFUL! As she says, it serves as a template, while allowing for some modifications particular to each recipient. Can’t we have it back? the “what’s new” just chirpily said we can just refer to the “sent” copy. Referring is not the issue– recycling drafts is! Forwarding the “sent” just tells next recipient they are getting stale-mail, with the big blue, un-eraseable margin line. To reuse the format, NOW, one has to open a new ‘compose” doc., then copy and paste. WOW! What an improvement!–So NOT.
Also agree that “New and improved” (sic) should be an opt-IN, not the opt-OUT you have made it. New mail and My Yahoo page formats look as cluttered as a @#$%&* Fox News screen!
Poor release on the new yahoo mail. I cant reply, forward or attach attachments any longer. Unless the product they are putting out does not start working quickly my ten years with Yahoo mail will be at an end. I can get free email from a lot of different sites but I wanted Yahoo mail and now with this new roll out of this product and the issues with it, well I cant wait for Yahoo to figure this out and unless they get this figured out quick it will be time to move on… Looks like I am not alone in my complaints either.
I tatally hate the upgrades to classis email, it takes forever to load and act haphazardly
Add me to the list of users who want the OLD Yahoo Mail Classic back. I, too, miss the attachment preview feature.
I’m also MEGA bummed that Drafts are no longer still saved after I send. For places I email frequently with the same format, that feature was very useful!
Furthermore, I would like to see more of the subject header without having to hover my mouse over it — you know, like it used to be.
Also miss “forward as attachment.”
I’ve been loyal to Yahoo for years and I despise Gmail. Please don’t make me defect!
I agree, why couldnt you just leave the ‘classic’ email alone? yahoo has a new mail, theres no point in messing with something that has worked so well for so long.
A previous poster said that we should just use the spam button.
The problem is, what happens when we use this button?
Does someone at yahoo go to the site, find out information about the owner/register, then fwd the complaint to the hosting company?
When you can fwd a spam with full headers to a hosting server showing that these people are sending you spam, you get immediate action.
Without the ability to send full headers, you cant get results.
Yahoo responded to a post saying that theyve deleted features that some people said were not useful. The issue is that these people didnt use them, and because they were “OPTIONS” didnt have to use them. Now the people that did use them, cant do anything now.
Please give us old classic mail back, and mess around with the new mail to your hearts content.
I never used Beta and now all of a sudden the classic has become the “new classic” to which if I can’t get back the more user friendly “old classic” I will look for another Home page…..
I agree with PaulP – Why did you take away “forward as attachment”? That was very useful because it retained the original headers which I need in reporting spam and troubleshooting.
I SUSPECT THERE HAS BEEN A MASSIVE VIRUS ATTACK ON YAHOO CLASSIC MAIL AND YAHOO IS NOT YET AWARE OF IT BECAUSE NO ONE AT YAHOO READS THESE POSTS.
Desmond
HOW DO I GET BACK TO THE OLD CLASSIC MAIL SYSTEM
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
I WANT THE OLD FORMAT BACK!!!!!! Sorry for shouting. Desmond
Why are the people who are sabotaging Yahoo Mail Classic not fired immediately? I thought at first I had a bug or maybe someone was phishing my account. Why does Yahoo employ people who do not know what they are doing? Does anyone at Yahoo read these letters? No one seems to be in charge. No answers coming from Yahoo. I know absolutely nothing about computers but maybe I should apply for a job with Yahoo. I’m a complete idiot at computers so I should qualify for Yahoo? No? Why not? Desmond
I prefer the classic because the new one does not work on my computer. It takes forever loading and in the end never suceeds in loading until I am asked if I want to go back to Classic. Of course I want to go back to Classic since the new one just does not work for me. Very annoying and frustrating. I am thinking of trying something else that I have never tried before — maybe Hotmail? Any suggestions what is the best email client anyone? Thanks Desmond
HELLO ,
I like Yahoo Classic because it operates quickly. The Beta did not, it was too slow, so I won’t use it. I keep Yahoo as my home page because it loads quickly, unlike many other starting sites.Please put my mail page to mail classic permanentlySomebody, please tell me how to get back to classic mail.
New Mail sucks eggs. Not that Classic was great. But, I’d choose Classic over New as long as I don’t have to keep clicking on the righthand advertisement pane every two seconds so that it’ll close.
By the way, haven’t the Yahoo people noticed that there’s a link that gets hidden behind the Inbox tab? It’s been like that since the beginning of New, and has never been corrected.
I opened my account today and — hmm — it’s been changed to New Mail. Funny. I don’t remember changing from Classic to New. Is this a hint from Yahoo?
Well, I’ve hesitated for a long time from going over to Gmail because I like Classic better. But, I guess it’s time.
Yahoo Mail never connects within the time alotted and then allows you to go to the Yahoo Classic which works fine. How do I get ride of the Yahoo Mail and just use the Yahoo Classic?
Thanks
Jim
jim@intek.net
I agree with Jason F above. The Paragraph tags now are all bunched up and render incorrectly! This wasn’t a problem before. This is a MAJOR BUG, the P tag is basically the most popular HTML 4 tag! Please fix this ASAP, legitimate companies and users alike should take note.
sorry for the miss spelling busy with my kids.but i was very,very happy with the old way i wanna go back. pamela smith.
iwas very very with the old way. i will close e-mail for good over this it doesn’t show the time the e-mails. i don’t changes, I’m just getting use to the old yahoo.com the good morning, good afternoon good evening prefer the old one. from pamela smith.
Well, if you want to create new mail styles, that’s fine! but don’t force users to change there moods, and keep the old classic versions as another options to people who likes. So you will make more users satisfied.
I like the old “FORWARD” button with two optional way of forwarding.
Thanks.
For the last week or so I’ve been routed to Y-Mail…for me it’s NoGood….I have 2 other friends with yahoo emails here at work on the same computer and it’s Yahoo Classic….
and there’s is fine mine is jiberish…just text down the left side…….With all the complaints….WHY DON’T YOU LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE….thank you!
I guess this is yahoo’s version of Vista….maybe Microsoft already took over yahoo and we just don’t know it yet!!!