Vista - Hard to add new Contact after failed search for existing contact

What is surprising is that Contacts has lost functionality and usability
since its XP equivalent.

"Keith Miller MVP" <k.miller79@no.spam.verizon.net> wrote in message
news:usTv%23nBdHHA.4172@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Well, the apps bundled with an OS have always been basic.

What's surprising is your sense of entitlement.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

"Mickey Segal" <not_monitored@example.com> wrote in message
news:%23%23IOTFFdHHA.4468@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> What is surprising is that Contacts has lost functionality and usability
> since its XP equivalent.
>
> "Keith Miller MVP" <k.miller79@no.spam.verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:usTv%23nBdHHA.4172@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> Well, the apps bundled with an OS have always been basic.
>

I don't think the Microsoft intends the "Wow" in their advertizing campaign
for Windows to be "Wow, look what they left out".

It is surprising to find a Microsoft MVP encouraging people to expect a
lower level of functionality in Vista, rather than saying "This is a
problem, let me speak to folks at Microsoft to see if this can get fixed".

"Keith Miller MVP" <k.miller79@no.spam.verizon.net> wrote in message
news:uCu6WnIdHHA.4392@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> What's surprising is your sense of entitlement.

Lets review:

Your original question regarded adding a new contact after failed search. You thought you had to close the Search window & open Contacts again. I explained the use of the Backspace key. So:

Under XP: Under Vista:
Open Address Book Open Contacts
Click 'Find People' Click in Search box
Type 'Noone' Type 'Noone'
Press <Enter> or click 'Find' "Not Found" -> click in window
"Not Found..." -> Click 'OK' Press Backspace
Close Find People Click 'New Contact'
Click 'New' Add Info...
Click 'New Contact'
Add Info...


I don't think you're upset because now it takes two fewer steps -- that wouldn't make sense.

There is no lost functionality for this scenario -- so that can't be your complaint.

It's just slightly different.

I think the folks at MS are already aware that there are slight differences between XP & Vista.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

"Mickey Segal" <not_monitored@example.com> wrote in message news:evqyBqJdHHA.4468@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>I don't think the Microsoft intends the "Wow" in their advertizing campaign
> for Windows to be "Wow, look what they left out".
>
> It is surprising to find a Microsoft MVP encouraging people to expect a
> lower level of functionality in Vista, rather than saying "This is a
> problem, let me speak to folks at Microsoft to see if this can get fixed".
>
> "Keith Miller MVP" <k.miller79@no.spam.verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:uCu6WnIdHHA.4392@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> What's surprising is your sense of entitlement.
>

Just as I did not see the fastest (but non-intuitive) approach in Vista, you
did not see the fastest (but very intuitive) approach in XP.

In XP, it was simple to alphabetize by last name, so the best search method
was to scroll to the last name. If that wasn't found, one made a new
contact. This is easier than the approach you outline, which fixates on
using Vista's text search paradigm in XP.

Unfortunately the alphabetization of contacts is ridiculously slow in Vista,
to the point of being unusable, so one needs to use search instead.
Unfortunately the search metaphor is so generic that users will not see a
"New contact" button after a search, and some purists find it distasteful to
add one.

Such functionality in XP was much better. The problems in Vista are easy to
fix, but that would require people to do what is obvious to the user, add a
"New Contact" button to the toolbar on the search results page. An
alternate solution would be to set the default (and therefore instant)
alphabetization in Windows Contacts to the choice made by the user, as one
could in XP.

These are obvious flaws. An MVP can be of most help to Microsoft by helping
figure out what needs to be fixed, rather than criticizing users for their
preference for more user-friendly software design.

"Keith Miller MVP" <k.miller79@no.spam.verizon.net> wrote in message
news:%23OhDFYOdHHA.596@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
I don't think you're upset because now it takes two fewer steps -- that
wouldn't make sense.

There is no lost functionality for this scenario -- so that can't be your
complaint.

"Mickey Segal" <not_monitored@example.com> wrote in message
news:u91X$YTdHHA.1000@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
> In XP, it was simple to alphabetize by last name, so the best search
> method was to scroll to the last name. If that wasn't found, one made a
> new contact. This is easier than the approach you outline, which fixates
> on using Vista's text search paradigm in XP.
>
LOL. You've just redefined searching as scrolling down the list looking for
what you want, that capability is still available in Vista ;-). Then you
accuse me of 'fixating' on using Search when that's what YOU asked about!
I'm guessing you work for Fox News :-)

> Unfortunately the alphabetization of contacts is ridiculously slow in
> Vista, to the point of being unusable, so one needs to use search instead.

I searched & saw your other post about 'Last Name' -- the view & sort you
select for your Contacts folder should be remembered. Are you still having
this problem?

> Unfortunately the search metaphor is so generic that users will not see a
> "New contact" button after a search, and some purists find it distasteful
> to add one.

I've never met a purist, do you know any?

> Such functionality in XP was much better. The problems in Vista are easy
> to fix, but that would require people to do what is obvious to the user,

What is obvious to one user is not to another.

> An alternate solution would be to set the default (and therefore instant)
> alphabetization in Windows Contacts to the choice made by the user, as one
> could in XP.

Ahh...the default behavior of naming the Contact file in the FirstLast
format & not giving the user the option of selecting LastFirst as the
default. THAT is a valid issue that has been relayed to MS. In the
meantime, if you want your Contact files renamed in LastFirst format, I've
written a script for that. Right-click on the link and select 'Save Target
As...' (no web page there, just individual files). Then extract the vbs
file from the .zip file & run the script.

http://mysite.verizon.net/res18hr7/Last, First.zip

If your Contacts have data in the FirstName & LastName fields, that will be
used in contructing the name. If only a FullName exists, a 'best guess' is
made at parsing. Unmodified Contacts will remain in their original folder.
Modified Contacts will be placed in a subfolder. Backups of the originals
will be placed in another. It is left up to the User to select which to
retain & which to delete.

> These are obvious flaws. An MVP can be of most help to Microsoft by
> helping figure out what needs to be fixed, rather than criticizing users
> for their preference for more user-friendly software design.

Thanks for the tip.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]


>
> "Keith Miller MVP" <k.miller79@no.spam.verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:%23OhDFYOdHHA.596@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> I don't think you're upset because now it takes two fewer steps -- that
> wouldn't make sense.
>
> There is no lost functionality for this scenario -- so that can't be your
> complaint.

"Keith Miller MVP" <k.miller79@no.spam.verizon.net> wrote in message
news:elluyMVdHHA.2316@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> "Mickey Segal" <not_monitored@example.com> wrote in message
> news:u91X$YTdHHA.1000@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> I searched & saw your other post about 'Last Name' -- the view & sort you
> select for your Contacts folder should be remembered. Are you still
> having this problem?

"I'm" not having that problem. Windows Contacts is still having that
problem. It doesn't fail to "remember" the sorting method - it displays the
contacts in its preferred sorting method, which depends on the order used in
each address added to your Contacts, and then takes about a minute to
display the user's preferred sorting order.

I just gave up and used the Search strategy, and that's how I discovered the
non-intuitive generic use of search, without an offer to create a new entry
if no entry is found. Conceptualizing everything as a generic search is
simply not going to come across as intuitive to a huge number of people, and
the problem can easily be fixed within the context of the Search model,
except for those who feel it would be a capitulation.

> Ahh...the default behavior of naming the Contact file in the FirstLast
> format & not giving the user the option of selecting LastFirst as the
> default. THAT is a valid issue that has been relayed to MS. In the
> meantime, if you want your Contact files renamed in LastFirst format, I've
> written a script for that. Right-click on the link and select 'Save
> Target As...' (no web page there, just individual files). Then extract
> the vbs file from the .zip file & run the script.
>
> http://mysite.verizon.net/res18hr7/Last, First.zip

That is a worthwhile service, but unless you monitor all new Contacts the
system will have exceptions. It would be better for Microsoft to just fix
the problem, or if we are to be shunted into the Search model, make that
more intuitive. I'll now know to hit the back arrow, but if it wasn't
intuitive to me I can guaranteee that many people will never figure it out.

Some of the new Microsoft products have been terrific, particularly Office
2007 and the Tablet PC features of Vista. Others have been real steps
backward, particularly the lack of ability to customize the default toolbars
in Internet Explorer and the various problems of Windows Mail, of which the
Contacts problem are one of the minor annoyances (the worst I've seen are
the broken pasting of hyperlinks and the need to scroll up to get the newest
newsgroup messages if more than a few arrive). It would be interesting to
know which projects still had input from the founding generation of
Microsoft.

URL update:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res18hr7/LastFirst.zip


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

"Keith Miller MVP" <k.miller79@no.spam.verizon.net> wrote in message
news:elluyMVdHHA.2316@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> "Mickey Segal" <not_monitored@example.com> wrote in message
> news:u91X$YTdHHA.1000@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>
>> In XP, it was simple to alphabetize by last name, so the best search
>> method was to scroll to the last name. If that wasn't found, one made a
>> new contact. This is easier than the approach you outline, which fixates
>> on using Vista's text search paradigm in XP.
>>
> LOL. You've just redefined searching as scrolling down the list looking
> for what you want, that capability is still available in Vista ;-). Then
> you accuse me of 'fixating' on using Search when that's what YOU asked
> about! I'm guessing you work for Fox News :-)
>
>> Unfortunately the alphabetization of contacts is ridiculously slow in
>> Vista, to the point of being unusable, so one needs to use search
>> instead.
>
> I searched & saw your other post about 'Last Name' -- the view & sort you
> select for your Contacts folder should be remembered. Are you still
> having this problem?
>
>> Unfortunately the search metaphor is so generic that users will not see a
>> "New contact" button after a search, and some purists find it distasteful
>> to add one.
>
> I've never met a purist, do you know any?
>
>> Such functionality in XP was much better. The problems in Vista are easy
>> to fix, but that would require people to do what is obvious to the user,
>
> What is obvious to one user is not to another.
>
>> An alternate solution would be to set the default (and therefore instant)
>> alphabetization in Windows Contacts to the choice made by the user, as
>> one could in XP.
>
> Ahh...the default behavior of naming the Contact file in the FirstLast
> format & not giving the user the option of selecting LastFirst as the
> default. THAT is a valid issue that has been relayed to MS. In the
> meantime, if you want your Contact files renamed in LastFirst format, I've
> written a script for that. Right-click on the link and select 'Save
> Target As...' (no web page there, just individual files). Then extract
> the vbs file from the .zip file & run the script.
>
> http://mysite.verizon.net/res18hr7/Last, First.zip
>
> If your Contacts have data in the FirstName & LastName fields, that will
> be used in contructing the name. If only a FullName exists, a 'best
> guess' is made at parsing. Unmodified Contacts will remain in their
> original folder. Modified Contacts will be placed in a subfolder. Backups
> of the originals will be placed in another. It is left up to the User to
> select which to retain & which to delete.
>
>> These are obvious flaws. An MVP can be of most help to Microsoft by
>> helping figure out what needs to be fixed, rather than criticizing users
>> for their preference for more user-friendly software design.
>
> Thanks for the tip.
>
>
> --
> Good Luck,
>
> Keith
> Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
>
>
>>
>> "Keith Miller MVP" <k.miller79@no.spam.verizon.net> wrote in message
>> news:%23OhDFYOdHHA.596@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> I don't think you're upset because now it takes two fewer steps -- that
>> wouldn't make sense.
>>
>> There is no lost functionality for this scenario -- so that can't be your
>> complaint.
>