Yesterday morning I refreshed my Google Reader and I saw new, upgraded interface. Subscriptions grouped hierarchically. Expanded view with multiple posts visible. Filter for new posts only. Difference in range of features between the new and the old version is great. You can say it become usable at least.
That was exactly how my first impression looked like after the upgrade. However it wasn’t much later when I tried to refresh Google Reader (what a crazy idea). It’s time for little poll. How do you refresh your web application? Wait… Let me guess. I’ll take my crystal ball and put on my ritual robe. Be quiet for a moment, I need to concentrate… Ha! I have the answer. You use F5! Believe me or not I use F5 for refresh too (maybe I’m a weirdo or something). I tried it in Google Reader and… nothing happened.
After a second I corrected myself. F5 opened a dialog with post tags. What an absurd idea. I want my darn F5 button to refresh my darn page. Like anywhere else. Like in Google Reader before the upgrade. I think how authors would feel if someone changed function of brake in their cars. Hey, now it opens a sliding roof. Enjoy. And if you want to brake use this button next to car radio (refresh is now “r”).
Think ten times before changing a feature users used to. When you think about changing role of keyboard shortcuts think ten times more. When you think about changing role of shortcuts that became wide standard don’t think. Just don’t change them. Users won’t love you for such original idea.
It’s not the first time Google takes away old functionalities after the upgrade. Nor the second. Yes, it is taking away functionality. F5 doesn’t refresh any more. I start to think if they don’t learn or rather they do it on purpose.
On the end I have a message for Google Reader team. Repeat: “We won’t take away popular functions during upgrades”. Once again: “We won’t take away popular functions during upgrades”. Come on guys, you have to believe in that or you’ll screw up your next upgrade exactly in the same way: “We won’t take away…”
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