Somebody Tell Yahoo To Stop Yucking up Their Email System: It Wasn't Broke til Now

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By Gloria Dulam-Wilson:

Hello All:
  I've been a pretty satisfied Yahoo customer for nearly 2 decades now.   I love their simplified version of email, and have come to  enjoy using them as my primary means of communication and composition.  And apart from a few hiccips where they refuse to send something because I have "exceeded my number of contacts," or their cocamamie security code clearance prompts, I think they're the greatest.

You can have your MSN, Hotmail, Gmail, etc., but to me Yahoo was tops.

Notice I said "was."  They just pulled something that is borderline gestapo in its approach in the restructuring of their email format.  It had been tried years ago, and was a disaster. The former CEO at least had the decency to allow those of us who favored the less complicated format, the option of continuing with their "classic Yahoo Email."  Which I happily did.  Well they have informed me, and I'm sure millions of others who are just north of 50 or seniors, that you either like it or lump it.  If you don't like it you can go to Outlook or some other format; or you can cancel your subscription to Yahoo.

Now isn't that interesting.  I'm just wondering what kind of idiot has Yahoo hired.  What ninny would tell  millions of customers that if they don't like the way things get done they can leave.  Particularly in such a competitive playing field, with so many others vying to be top dog in the internet industry.  Talk about throwing out the baby with the bath water.  Trying to drag low tech clients into a high tech format, and then telling them you'd better or else shows blatant lack of respect, and a piss poor customer service division.  I don't mean to be so harsh, but I expect better of Yahoo.  By the way, just for the record, it's pretty much the same format they tried to force on us a few years back - bells, whistles, no substance. 

So I went online to their "Help" division to see if I could opt to continue with their classic, and was greeted with this so-called explanation:

"Do I have to switch to the new Yahoo! Mail?"

Beginning the week of June 3, 2013, you will be prompted to switch to a new version of Yahoo! Mail, because older versions of Yahoo! Mail (including Mail Classic) are being discontinued. See how to switch to the latest version of Yahoo! Mail.

Available options

While you can delay switching for several weeks, beginning July 9, 2013, you can only access your Yahoo! Mail if you switch to a new version. You should have received an email from Yahoo! letting you know if your account required a change.
When you sign in to Yahoo! Mail the week of June 3, you will be presented with these choices:

• Use full featured mail: This switches you to the new Yahoo! Mail, with access to all of its features.
• Use basic mail: This switches you to a simplified version of Yahoo! Mail that doesn’t include some features. Basic mail is the only version of mail that is available under certain circumstances. Learn more about basic mail.
• Remind me later: This allows you to delay switching for another week. You will receive the same menu of options again in about one week. This option will no longer be available starting on July 9, as you are required to switch at that time.  (uh, today is July 9; so I guess the gig is up y'all)

Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

When you upgrade (???), you will be accepting our(NEWLY IMPOSED) Communications Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This includes the acceptance of automated content scanning and analyzing of your communications content, which Yahoo! uses to deliver product features, relevant advertising, and abuse protection.
If you prefer to opt out of interest-based and contextual-based advertising resulting from your scanned and analyzed communications content, you can change your settings at any time using our Ad Interest Manager.

Other Options

If you don’t want to use the new Yahoo! Mail, you may consider these other options:

• Download your Yahoo! Mail using IMAP: IMAP allows you to access your email from a different email program, such as Outlook, Mac Mail, or your mobile device’s application. You can download your data to your personal computer or device using an IMAP program. However, in order to continue using Yahoo! Mail you will need to accept the Communications Terms of Service. See instructions for accessing Yahoo! Mail using IMAP.
• Close your account: Learn how to close your account.(WOW) - CLOSE YOUR ACCOUNT?  NOW THAT'S DEEP

Mail Plus accounts 

Mail Plus features work great in the new version of Yahoo! Mail. However, if you would like to cancel your Mail Plus subscription, you are eligible for a prorated refund for the unused portion of the service. See our refund policy and cancellation instructions.

Then they ask, "Was this article helpful?"   
YES - WE NOW KNOW THAT YAHOO IS NOT PLAYING WITH A FULL DECK!!!!  They basically have told their customers to buzz off - like it or lump it; we don't need you - it's not about what you like or prefer.

NO:  It had preprogramed info with no option for dialogue

Last updated: July 01, 2013

Thank you! Your feedback has successfully been submitted."

I also noticed that the Yahoo chat line is no longer available for more personal, indepth assistance.   It's a good way to shoot yourself in the foot.  Also, the "upgrade" appears to be a way of culling more info from our online communications, under the guise of improvement. Since when did we need Yahoo to scan, scrutinize and analyze our communication?     Is this intrusiveness really necessary? Are they protecting or spying?

Perhaps if Yahoo took a poll of its subscribers, instead of trying to superimpose ill conceived changes on them; or offer options more respectful of its different subscribers, they wouldn't be getting hit in the ratings category.

Quick Links

• Contact Customer Care: This little category has become almost non existent.  I admit, I'm spoiled, and Yahoo did it.  Don't know, however, if I can continue with them under an edict that says do it or get out.  Gotta think about that one.  I just know that the new formaat and I don't get along. 
•  Copyright © 2013 Yahoo! All rights reserved.   Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Suggestions

I would like to hear from those of you who have been forced to use their new format.  What are your questions, comments, criticisms.  Email me at gloriadulanwilson@gmail.com (yes, I said gmail). 

Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Open Letter to Yahoo - GIVE ME BACK MY YAHOO CLASSIC EMAIL FORMAT NOW!! If It Ain't Broke, Don't Mess It Up

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

This is a letter of protest to Yahoo from a long time Yahooligan - Me!

It is amazing to me how you can get the finest, most creative minds in one room, and they can still get things wrong. Yahoo has to be convicted of the most egregious crime of throwing out the baby with the bath water in this latest so called "improvement" of their browser.

It is a class-a disaster. Not only does the stupid new format have glitches on top of glitches; but it's slow as molasses in January.

I WANT MY YAHOO CLASSIC EMAIL FORMAT BACK. I think I - as a human being, and a consumer - am entitled to have a say in this matter. And I have put up with this nonsense long enough. It is my pererogative to choose to use the classic version. Not only is it more efficient and easy to read, it actually is more people friendly.

You may say I'll get used to the new way; but how does one go from quality to mediocrity. Your new format is poorly executed and annoying in the extreme. I was content to put up with it though, as long as you left the rest of my email accounts alone. But now you've invaded my other accounts, and this insipid format is spreading like a bad case of herpes. STOP IT!

Your Classic Email Format was the best of all those online to date. I like being able to look at the "TO" line and actually see who I'm emailing to. I think the fact that I have to select "draft" and then hit an additional button to send my copy to "draft" is stupidly redundant. It's amazing to me how some people never know when they have something good. I do not like the color scheme, nor the tabs that don't close when you click on them.

I WANT MY YAHOO CLASSIC EMAIL FORMAT BACK!!!! NOW!!!

I have also noticed that you no longer offer customer service anymore, either, so an individual who has an actual concern has no way of communicating them to you or any of your staff.

It is for this reason that I am going to the open forum and putting you on blast. Stop messing around with the format. If it ain't broke don't mess it up - of course there was another word that I would have used in this space, but I have a policy about profanity, and I am bound to uphold it.

What I am certain of, is that if I am one person who thinks your new format sucks, there are thousands of others who feel the same way.

We, who by the way are loyal Yahooligans, deserve better treatment than this. We deserve a choice. And I CHOOSE YAHOO CLASSIC - for all my email addresses. I don't know where you did the test market for this stuff; they obviously weren't writers or researchers; probably gamers who wouldn't know the difference anyway.

Give me back my YAHOO CLASSIC EMAIL FORMAT.

Stop messing with it.

We love you just the way you are. Don't do anything except continue to be great.

Thanks,
Sincerely & Vehemently
Gloria Dulan-Wilson