Let me just come out and say it: I hate the new iGoogle. And I want my old home page back.
As you may know, I’m generally fond of many of Google’s offerings. But this change is just godawful, and it’s on a service that I (and many others) really depend on throughout the day. And I’m far from alone in my sentiment.
A Downgrade
The problem, to put it simply, is that the new iGoogle looks and functions like a downgrade from the last one. Honestly, if someone just showed it to me with no context, I would have taken it for an old alpha version of the service. There’s suddenly a huge amount of clutter, wasted space, and missing features. The new left navigation bar eats up valuable screen real estate and serves as a general annoyance. If some people prefer that to the small top bar navigation that used to be there, fine — but how about a choice instead of a forced change?
The new iGoogle also gets rid of the ability to show story headlines with the option to get an expanded summary within the widgets. You used to be able to see the headlines alone, then click on a “+” to see a short summary of any given article. Now, you are limited to the choice of headlines only — with no expansion capability — or a full summary for every headline on the page, which adds to the clutter problem.
The “Advantage”
The new configuration’s only real “advantage,” if you want to call it that, is the fact that you can now view any widget in a full-page mode. To me, that’s absolutely not the purpose of this utility. If I want to view something in a full-page mode, I can open it in another tab. I use my iGoogle page to get a quick glimpse of content at an easy glance, then decide where to go. If I want full-page in-window reading, I’d go to Google Reader.
The Real Reason?
But therein underscores what may be the ultimate reason for the change: The now-unavoidable full-page mode allows providers to place ads or other revenue-generating material within their content, whereas the previous non-full-page widget with optional expansion did not. It’s a benefit for the advertisers at the expense of the users.
Come on, Google. You guys are better than this. Give me my goddamned home page back — or at least give me the option to choose between the two. This is a downright downgrade from a user perspective, and you know it as well as I do.
I hate the new igoogle too.. I have already switched to myyahoo for my homepage untill igoogle gets back the old way.
10-4 rubber ducky! I definitely want my old home page back!
I really don't like being held captive to someone else's idea of what constitutes an efficient home page for me. Give me more options, not less.
I TOTALLY AGREE 100% AND SO MUCH SO THAT I'M USING ALL CAPS, WHICH I NEVER DO! …Okay, I'm back to normal sentence case, sorry, but I just couldn't contain the level of my agreement! I love, love, love Google and iGoogle especially, but, as you say, this is a DOWNGRADE and for all the reasons you so eloquently described. Google: put the user back as your priority over the advertisers and give us our USER-friendly iGoogle page back! The new iGoogle is an affront to the users and to everything Google is supposed to be about, namely, fabulousness!
I agree, give us the option of choosing the *old view* or the new version. The new version isn't working for me. I'm relying more on My Yahoo page.
My GMail gadget used to send me to GMail. Now it opens in canvas view and the old scroll-to-the-bottom-to-reply is back. If I want full-screen GMail I go there so I can have full functionality. This is bad on many levels for many people.
It is only a short term solution, but if you set your iGoogle language to “English (UK)” [ en-GB ], then you will get your old tabs back….For now. Once googles rolls this garbage out to the other languages, we'll be stuck with this garbage.
I had switched to a Mac to avoid being Microfausted anymore. Now I need to find a new home page that doesn't waste space and can be totally personalized to my taste. Google – you have just joint Microfaust as a leader in poor end user experience.
Damn Right
I fully agree. The old page was fast, compact and functional. Gmail reads are clunky, I can't get to the weather detail i need, etc. If I can't get the old view back, I'll dump iGoogle
bring back the old format
I don't like the tab on the left side and blank screen below it. everything resized and awkward. I deleted all my gadgets and email everything to try and resize it back to the old format. I'll change my home/start page to something else. The old google was much better.
Seems to be the upgrade blunder of the year. I hate it and switched back to Yahoo
I have no use for the new awkward Igoogle except for my email account. Is there a way to forward my gmail to my new start/home page?
Amen, and Amen!! Google, if your don't want to lose home page customers. please bring back the “old” * (i.e. better) home page.
Google is famous for making ugly. Why are you surprised about this? iGoogle always looked like a webpage from the 90s. Build your own using a simple and free CMS like Drupal or WordPress. It isn't hard.
i hate it too.
I've posted my complaints on other blogs, but since Google does nots even have a “contact us” on their help pages, I am sure it's falling on deaf ears. My complaint is a privacy issue. Unless I am missing something I can not supress the “Value” of my investment portfolios from being displayed or hide the “preview” of e-mail. If you have these gadgets on your home screen, the info is out there for anyone walking by or looking over your shoulder.
Thanks for speaking truth to the madness of the new iGoogle. Too many of the other media postings are spinning the kafkaesque change to the poor iGoogle service.
Users are fleeing from the new iGoogle to places like netvibe.com where the homepage isn't so clunky or wasteful of screen realestate.
well put.
One important information missing is that some of us (including me) were chosen as beta testers a while back.
end of august I had this sidebar on my iGoogle page and there was a note which was saying “we're trying something new”.
I hated it in seconds, tried to revert back to original but could not. Tried to give FEEDBACK, this was an experiment right? So they must have been expecting USER FEEDBACK. I could not find any option/page/link for feedback, but there was a google group, whic required registration (even when you had a google/gmail account) to post. I did not register, but could read people calling google team names, many of which I agreed.
Apparently nobody at Google cared about user feedback, and that my friends is sign of a NEW MENATLITY at Google, or had been there for a while but I was not aware of.
Maybe this is not EVIL yet, but it certainly is NASTY and DUMB move.
I switched my home page to google Canada, they still have the old version. I started reading lots of Canadian news now, but it ceratinly beats the new sidebar.
Yes, Yes, Yes… I totally agree!
Please… At leat give us a choice !!
Click the “Classic Home” link in the top right corner.
GIV EME MY LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mike ^ … you moron. that's not iGoogle
Actually, this may affect more that just using iGoogle as a homepage. I was startled today (in Canada BTW) to see the new side tabs. Reading other posts, it has been around longer in the U.S. What really bothers my useage is the ease of moving gadgets from Tab to Tab. I believe now they have to be selected while on the page you want them to live on. How can you drag and drop gadgets in the new format??
So in the “official google blog”, they state that the new iGoogle look will help developers. I can see that from a web designers perspective.
Where it may affect google the most, is that I can still open Internet Explorer and get the old iGoogle. Not sure if they will get the update and then it will be the same everywhere, but the only place the new iGoogle is displaying so far is in the new (beta) Google Chrome browser. So I no longer use Google Chrome. Too bad, I was just getting used to it.
If Google “downgraded” iGoogle to provide advertising space, the advertisers ought to be outraged. 1) Irritated is not the mindset advertisers want viewers to be in when seeing their ads. 2) Advertisers are probably paying big bucks for diminishing value — a lot of people will stop using iGoogle.
Most users who dump iGoogle will not bother to register a formal complaint, but they will complain about it to people that they know. This is an example of another kind of advertising; the most effective, the most sought after: Word-of-Mouth.
Google has been so successful, but the way they recently changed iGoogle reflects arrogance and greed. Although I LOVED the old iGoogle, I don't NEED it. Fortunately, there are other similar service providers out there, and a lot of great search engines too.
I hate this new homepage!!!!!!!!!! A fourth grader would do better!!!!!!
What is this???????
Ten years ago was better then this, shame on you google!
Correct or I am leaving!
Right on this is my problem too I hate haveing my privacy violated like that I had to switch to a new home page.
Well darn; I missed the English(UK) window. I don't really see any big problems with my news feeds (so far), but the lost space all the way down the left hand side is beyond annoying. Should we assume that it will soon be filled up with advertising? This is so not-google!
I had also switched from myYahoo to iGoogle, but I think I'll go update my Yahoo page and see what they've been up to lately. If they're smart, they'll have a big 'welcome back' banner for all of us.
Hmm, I rather like it actually. I have been using it since the developer preview and didn't know the change had been made. Good job Google!
I woke up to find my nicely designed homepage a disaster! I use(d) about 10 tabs all filled with gadgets (home, medical, reference, gov’t info) and could get to any sub-menu with one click. NOW, my tabs have been stripped and moved to a “frame” on the left. I used to show people how I could get to my info in two clicks. NOW, I have to scroll to see my tabs. NOT GOOD!
I would like the option to go BACK to the tab version and have a choice if I want the left-hand box.
Google, not a good move. Any other surprises coming?
If it ain't broke don't fix it. Apparently google developers never heard this. Architechs like to mess up really classy old squares and othere areas with their own quaint, often godawful, creations. I guess software developers have the same affliction. What do I have to do to be able to get to my email from igoogle?
It sure ruined my home page. I've since abandoned iGoogler and am now coding my own portal. Thanks, Google, but no thanks.
I hate the way iGoogle looks. It's so cluttered.
I want my old home page back and I don't want it changed the new one stinks. if I can't get the old one back
i”m going the another server. so tell me how to get it back and stop missing with it.
What can I do to get my old home page back!!!! I depend on it and it is costing me in many ways since they changed it!!!!
Yes me too I liked the old format it's look much better.
Same here… The new iGoogle SUCKS!!!
I want my old Classic home page back please
If you use Firefox, there is Greasemonkey script to do just that … and toggle it. http://www.userscripts.org
I couldnt agree more the new igoogle just infuriates me its like it went back in time to the year 2000 it sucks bad i hate it with a passion!!!!!!!!
I just heard there stock went up i dont know how that happened must have been before this horrible change because its about to go way way down!!!
Google is the company that can gather data about anything and the WEB is all about testing. The should have put the mess out there to try and then maybe they would have actual learned something. I, like most people, do not like bad crap shoved down my throat!!!
Stop changing things around after I finally get adapted to the way things are. Who told you I wanted a change- I didn't!
I'm old, not computer savvy, and my son fixed me up with my Google account about four years ago. I HATE this new igoogle, what the hell is igoogle? I HATE the 'new' home page. I HATE the left side bar. I HATE having to do 'extra' clicks to get into my email. My calendar isn't the same. What the heck. My son is off at college and I'm at a loss. Glad to hear other people are upset too. So how do I let Google know I HATE what they have imposed on me? This is a forecast of our future government?!
PLEASE go back or let us have the option. Thanks
Simply put: I NOW HATE MY GOOGLE HOME PAGE.
The gadgets/widgets are not that important to me, and I am searching for a better alternative
This is the kind of crap that caused me to leave yahoo so long ago. I won't go back there but am looking for the next place to land. Thanks but no thanks google.
How do I get my old home page back???
I hate the new google homepages. You can get the old home page style (mostly) if you switch to the mirror site for the uk.
Change the com to ie to get it back… http://www.google.ie/ig?hl=en
Google, you were doing so well. Please do not stuff this into our “Google” appreciative web experience. I (as most do) like choices. Mine, not yours. You gave me those choices then stuffed what you thought were my favorites down my throught. I DO NOT want my Gmail coming up as my home page! I DO NOT want my stock inquiries coming up as my home page. I DO NOT want my… whatever… coming up on my screen when I hit my “home” button! This is an invasion of my preferences/privacy. Undo it now, please!
please give me back my regular screen
I hate the Left Navigation bar!
When I go on line,my Google home page does not appear but a page asking me to choose one.The only way I can get my home page is to sign on,then it comes up.I make internet opions has the right one but no,up comes somethingelse
I agree, its a backward step. Poor usability research I feel.
I want to unsubscribe to google and microsoft. Where in the hell is my old page!
I use http://www.google.com for my home page on several computers. I don't need the extra stuff. I like the speed of Chrome, but when I entered http://www.google.com it gave me igoogle. I went to Options, changed my default search engine to “ask” and my home page to http://www.ask.com. Problem solved.
How do I get my old google home page back? I don't like anything about this new page,and hate the gmail shows up when you open it. How about if someone is using your computer they can see who has emailed you.
I completely agree. The left navigation column is most annoying to me since it takes up space and offers no time saving or any other benefit.
I want my old home page back NOW
Google please give me my old home page back. Thank you
I think this new page is awful. I really want my old page back. I have been seeking solutions and so far none seem to be out there. I have lost a lot of stuff with this new version. Google please, please, please let me choose the old or new version.
the reason I hate google right now is I accidently hit a wrong button and my home page is gooooooonnnne can't get it back I will either re enter every thing AGAIN or change to yahoo
Now I keep losing the new Google Home Page I have struggled to create every time I want to add a new item, ie. the Washington Post Political news today, and now I cannot even find my “new Google Home Page.” I hate the goddam thing..am beginning to hate Google, and am spending up to an hour a day trying to friggin' recreate a home page. I am too old for this, and I hate change…I am 70 years old and I want my old Google page back!!!
I have changed my account information on our account from the original account. I've recently ppurchased a laptop and wanted my own account. Now i can't get my old personalized homepage that i made back. Info and etc. i can't locate. How do i get it back and save it for future use if i have problems? Bob
How did I get the change from my Google home page to Yahoo?
Please tell me how to get back!
Dr. N. I depend on it!
I lost my igoogle but i don't know how to get it back, i'm new with these computers
I want my old page back. I had set it up just like I liked it. Now, I turn on my computer to do the things I like, and they are missing. I don't have time to set my page up again. Just give me back my old page the way I had it.
i agree in full too have had google as homepage for years gave google chrome a try but at least you could go back iam know looking at a new homepage with some one else
Don’t like to have igoogle developers displayed without their clothes as my homepage. The portrait of the one on the far left is probably of the developer who was forced to do most of the work. I’m leaving. Maybe Opera really has something to offer besides clutter.
SADNESS! I feel betrayed with this ‘new’ google chrome. Seems rusty to me. I am mourning the loss of my good old efficient friend. why oh why did i push the stupid button? what was I thinking. whoa is me. oh whoa is me.
give me back My Old Google. The new one sucks big time
If you want the old Google, then all you have to do is click “Classic Home” on the upper right corner…
hi
I hate this new google home page. I really want back the old google home page.
I used to like google because it was simple and clean. All new stuffs that can be called as “utilities” are welcome. Otherwise, in my opinion, should be a optional configuration.
i want my google home page back
please take me back to my e-mail acc.
I woke up one day about 2 months ago to find my google home page GONE I had down loaded alot of things such as time, day, weather, horiscope, face book window, Abowman hamster , ABowman Dog named Amythirst and coloured them all purpel and had a great back ground it was two unicorns I didn't know I had payed for these extras and to find then all gone from "Yo mama jokes to the quote of the day I , m very dissapointed as we /my daughter and myself spent alot of time on all sites looking choosing and such.Can you find IT PLEASE I will not down load again from GOOGLE if these things happen.
I really don't like been held hostage to what someone else, s idea of what constitutes as an efficient HOME PAGE FOR me……..I want my old home page back as I could turn it on in the mornings before the day hasd started and see the weather the TIME and get a giggle and see my horiscope as well as seeing if there was anything I wanted to see on Fb with out having to log on COME ON FIND MY OLD HOME PAGE do you think this blank one is more appropriate for me well F u then Google and thanks for nothing as this helped not one bit.
GIVE it back I spent hours on it and this new BLANK ONE SUCKS
I want the old one back PleaseI dont like it u just made me have to like it to post my
Come on google give me back my previous goole home page.
Thats right Uncle Bill ~ just work something out & hey go change it !
want to get my homepage igoogle back.
I want my old google home page back I hate the new one and will go to yahoo shortly.
I hate the fucking page I want my old home page back now!
If I don't get my old internet back I stop using it at ll….it socks…no spelling device.Can you show me how to fget back to the old one…..You giys are so clever and make a program wher no one can go back to the old system…are you comunistic minded or you belong to the Maffia?
First you Advertice. the new version is faster and better and if you don't like the new upgrade you can go back to the old internet…now the new one socks, put I can not get to the old one back. I have check everithing…no clou.
I had my old google back and it seems that igoogle hijacked it! What the fuck google? Give it back! I only had it for a day and a half and you went and screwed me AGAIN! PUT IT BACK AND LEAVE IT ALONE! I was sooooooooo happy for the short time we had together. Life was "normal" again. I want the time at the bottom and my controls at the top. Now, they're gone! Face me, I dare you!
Visit and share with your friends.
http://webtopsolution.blogspot.com
Igoogle STINXX…get me Back to my regular Google Home Page NOW!
I have lost my home google page and am pissed of with windows msn cause bing is crap and I hated it before and well may I say anymore the fn government of america piss offf I don;t like your controling lying attitudes you are stealing our freedoms of information rite out from under our noses do you really think we are stupid in the real world… wake up guyz…
I WANT MY FUCKING PAGE BACK I HATE MSN CHANEL FUCKING NINE NOW AND I HATE BING AS I USE MY COMPUTOR THE FUCKING PAGE COMES OVER THE FUCKING TOP OF ANY WORK I AM DOING FROM ONE PISSED OF CUSTOMER IS IT NOT SO THAT THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS WRITE SO BLOODY WELL GIVE ME BACK MY PAGE WRITE NOW CAUSE I AM REALLY PISSED OF WIF YOU YANKEE LYING BASTARDS..
FROM A PISSED OFF AUSSIE DON'T RUFFLE THE FEATHERS IF'N YOU GOT BRAINS YOU WILL UNDERSTAND…
SILLY BILLY GATES ,,, IF'N YOU COULD JUST STAND IN FRONT OF ME SO AS I COULD GIVE YOU WHAT YOUR DADDY SHOULDA DONE TO YOU AS A CHILD,,, I WOULD PUNCH YOUR FN LIGHTS OUT CAUSE YOU REALY NEED IT ,,, YOU ARE NUTHIN BUT FILTH YOUR MONIES WONT SAVE YOU CAUSE YOU GOT A ONE WAY TICKET TO HELL IDDIOT THAT YOU ARE… SUMTHIN THAT WAS GOOD YOU HAVE RUINED IT LIKE EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH…
I always thought Google as a homepage, doesn't offer much anyway how could it get WORSE. Sry to all people who use it as a hp I use it as a search engine.
I also want my old Google back otherwise I'll have to change to yahoo.
This looks like an old yahoo page anyways. Hate it!
i WANT MY OLD HOME PAGE BACK,TOO. i LIKE TIME ,WEATHER ,DAY,AND ETC.
give me BACK my old home page!
What a load of SHITE give me back my old page.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DELETE GOOGLE FOT THE PAST 3 YEARS AND THE DAMN GOOGLE KEEPS COMING BACK! IT LIKE THAT NIGGER WE GOT IN WASHINGTOH! GOOGLE IS LIKE A NEGROID, IT FEELS LIKE A HEMORIDS! THEY SHOULD GET RID OF THAT MOTHER-FUCKING SITE (GOOGLE), IT ISN'T WORTH A PILE OF SHIT?
I tried to add multiple emails to gmail and have lost my original gmail page causing me to lose all of my online contacts as well as a lot of emails which I had not read I don't like the new format at all.
I like my old page back now!
I would like to have my old home page back the way it was with news, weather and sports and other news of the day.
I don nopt ;ile the new homepage. I want my old homepage back NOW Why won't you comply?
I do not like the new home page. I want my old home page back NOW Please comply NWO.
Please, Google where are you. I am helpless without you on my homescreen> Please come back!
Change it back or I will change my home page!
Google, I WANT MY OLD HOME PAGE BACK WITH ALL OF MY FAVORITES IN PLAce. I cannot find or do anything on the Igoogle!
I want my old homepage, Please?
Please please…I am a newbee…it took me forever to get this down! Please Please don't make me change! I will have to start all over again. I think I am speaking for alot of of (old fogies)!
PLEASE LEAVE things alone. I WANT MY OLD HOME PAGE NOW NOW NOW.
I CANN"T get to my mail and that sucks Then you want to charge us for any advise after you screw things up.
Give me back my old homepage Leave things alone and if I want change I will persue it.
put my sport page back just like it was or you can cancel my service.
will you please stop switching to this new format. I HATE it.
This is why Google is no longer my home page.
please return the old home page I miss it dearly as a begginer on compoutor it was esy for me to learn and useas a starting lesson.
HATE NEW PAGE.
google you suck.
I want my e-mail page back the way it was, don't like it the way it is now.
I want my old home page back or else, Iam going to change to something else, I don't enjoy my computer anymore., this sucks.
Vicki Helsley
I want my old home page back too. This new one sucks! I'm seriously thinking of changing to something else also.
I wany my old home page back, when I want a change, I will ask for it, so meanwhile GOOGLE TAKE A HIKE.
I hate your goddam change if its not fixed soon you can kiss me good bye.
right on.
fix it you dumb asses.
if they dont fix it they are going to regret it.
I am pissed off! these Nazi tactics of Google taking over my computer where I can't get my e-mail from yahoo is an invasion of my privacy. You are ruining the internet and I don't want any part of you anymore Czar-Google! DIE!###
How dare could you change people's MSN home page without asking us our approval.Who do you think you are?We want our old page back & if we don,t have a choice in the matter , at least give us Instructions how the new one , works.And please, next time, ask us our approval. OK…
old google back now..I should have the option!
In my opinion the old Google maps street view was much more authentic and easier to access than the new version. I have a new tablet but want the OLD GOOGLE MAPS
I want my old home page back, I absolutely hate this page change it please. I thought about a lot of swearing but decided to keep it clean, but I want my old page back non@!
I HATE this new page! If I can't retrieve my previous one, I am going to pick ANOTHER SEARCH engine! BAD MOVE GOOGLE!
damn it bing i want get fck back our regular google i mean right now really disppontment …………..(screw up) bing
charles brown s right asap take backour e mail/googles
I don't know exactly what hapened to my google home page, in order to have a home page I was forced to axcept my yahoo as my home page. I was so comfortable with google I would love to have it back, i am a seniour sitisen and am new to the computer, i have lost the ability to conect to [ https//www.facebook.com wild for wild life ]every time I get to it it tell, s me the link has ben broken. and now my heart is broken because I loved it. what good dose a computer do me if I cant go whear I want to.please help me get my old google back.
Jo, you can set Google as your home page by going into Tools, Options, General and set my home page.