I have no desire to "try it" because I don't agree with the basic premise.
I hope I wasn't too strident however. If it works for you that's great. My point was merely that it wasn't the "holy grail" of email as many think. It's just a way of organising that works for some but not for others, and that is currently popular.
I get frustrated over this issue because most tech forums and web sites are run by young-ish guys who gravitate towards both Gmail and Inbox zero so it's sort of endlessly "promoted" in a backhanded way in almost everything I read. The idea that it's the best way to go is presented as a sort of self-evident truth in many articles when it so clearly isn't anything of the sort.
Fair enough. It serves my OCD quite well. Wish my inbox for work would operate similarly
Well I think different methods work for different folks.
There are many different ways to handle email and if Inbox Zero theory works for you that's great.
Just to play devil's advocate here however, these are questions that arise in my mind in response to your description:
- why do "Inbox Zero" folks associate the non-empty Inbox with "procrastination"?
- why should I bother to "file receipts"?
- why should I bother to "trash the sales stuff"
- why do I need to "clear" anything?
My usual day I have a dozen or two emails waiting in the morning and I get maybe the same amount during my day. All I do is act on the emails in the morning I need to act on, and just reply immediately to all the others as the day goes on. If something is more involved I add it to my active projects list or I start a folder and stream all the relevant email to that folder. I've been doing this since the early days of email (before the web existed) and it works for me. I like keeping all the old stuff around, it doesn't take up any space, it's easily searchable, etc.
I find that usually about once every five years or so, something goes horribly wrong with a server or a computer somewhere and I lose all my backlog in the Inbox. Only then do I briefly have "Inbox Zero."
I for one enjoy the interface of the app and think its a great way to manage email. I can quickly and easily delete junk emails. Emails that don't need my attention right away can be set to reappear at a more appropriate time. Also emails that I don't want to delete but need to save can be easily put into lists to organize them. This keeps me from having to search through a giant inbox for a particular email. The best part of mailbox is that all this is done with just a few swipes.
One grudge about the iPad version is how vertical view didn't work...
To forget to add landscape mode is one thing, but to ignore portrait mode and stick to landscape is definitely a first.. At least for me.
So, yes, I agree.
Comments
Fair enough. It serves my OCD quite well. Wish my inbox for work would operate similarly
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Well I think different methods work for different folks.
There are many different ways to handle email and if Inbox Zero theory works for you that's great.
Just to play devil's advocate here however, these are questions that arise in my mind in response to your description:
- why do "Inbox Zero" folks associate the non-empty Inbox with "procrastination"?
- why should I bother to "file receipts"?
- why should I bother to "trash the sales stuff"
- why do I need to "clear" anything?
My usual day I have a dozen or two emails waiting in the morning and I get maybe the same amount during my day. All I do is act on the emails in the morning I need to act on, and just reply immediately to all the others as the day goes on. If something is more involved I add it to my active projects list or I start a folder and stream all the relevant email to that folder. I've been doing this since the early days of email (before the web existed) and it works for me. I like keeping all the old stuff around, it doesn't take up any space, it's easily searchable, etc.
I find that usually about once every five years or so, something goes horribly wrong with a server or a computer somewhere and I lose all my backlog in the Inbox. Only then do I briefly have "Inbox Zero."
I for one enjoy the interface of the app and think its a great way to manage email. I can quickly and easily delete junk emails. Emails that don't need my attention right away can be set to reappear at a more appropriate time. Also emails that I don't want to delete but need to save can be easily put into lists to organize them. This keeps me from having to search through a giant inbox for a particular email. The best part of mailbox is that all this is done with just a few swipes.
One grudge about the iPad version is how vertical view didn't work... so it's harder to go through my emails while on the go with one hand free.
To forget to add landscape mode is one thing, but to ignore portrait mode and stick to landscape is definitely a first.. At least for me.
So, yes, I agree.