Forum Discussion
Top feedback summary for October 1
I'd like to share my feedback in regards to Collections. I feel like the team is trying to create something where a need doesn't exist. It feels like a clumsy and unnecessarily complicated visual take on Favourites. I am not sure I understand what the difference between the two are? Comparatively, the Reading List from Classic Edge was a perfect companion to Favourites, as it provided a very simple, convenient list of articles or pages that you don't consider Favourite-worthy, but something you find important or relevant at the time. As a software engineer, I found the Reading List to be an invaluable tool for quickly keeping references to perhaps a Microsoft Document, a StackOverflow question, and the like. Certainly things that don't warrant being kept as a Favourite, and could easily be tossed when finished. I feel like the Reading List was a huge boost to productivity. I hope that your team decides to migrate the Reading List to New Edge.
Hi,
Reading List:
Reading List saves articles offline so that you can read them on the move. So, if you read something interesting on your laptop at home, you can add it to the reading list and continue reading it when you’re on the train, even without an internet connection.
Collections:
Collections are different than reading list in a way that collections only save a link to a content on the web whereas reading list saves the actual content locally for off line reading later, even without internet connection, and it also syncs it between all of your devices.
Collections are useful for bringing contents from different locations into a single place (to literally make a collection of things from different sources). so for example you want to build a computer, you buy your RAM from Amazon, order your CPU from Intel, get your graphic card directly from AMD, get your case from Corsair's own store and so on. so first you add all of them to a single collection called "computer parts", and once you're done, you click on the collection and open all of them in tabs to review and finalize your orders.
that's just one example out of hundreds.
another easy example: so you're gonna need to do some research for a project on a subject. you can't get all your data from one single website or source, so you gotta search and visit many websites. you take one page from one website, take a paragraph from another website, take one line of text that is interesting for your research from a different site, take a video from youtube, take a couple of images from many different websites and so on, you add all of them to a single collection called "research on subject" and once you're done, you export your collection to Word or Excel (Soon there will be more destinations for exporting collections) and you will create a nice research in Microsoft Word docs.
Favorites:
everybody is already familiar with the concept, it's a quick, easy and hassle free way to add a simple text link to anything on the web and all browsers have it.
now here is some ideas that can improve the whole thing:
Collections feature request: Let us mark a collection for offline usage
and these 2 comments:
Your definition of a collection, is just a folder in Favourites. Offline-access is unrelated to the use case I was describing.
- In your post you said you don't understand the difference between them so I explained thoroughly about each of those features and how they are different from each other. but remember they are not finalized, none of them, still so much room for improvements.
my definition of collection is exactly like how I described it above, Not a folder for favorites.
when we're talking about Reading List, how can offline access be Unrelated? it's a core functionality of it, without that Reading List would be the same as favorites.
also by mentioning offline access for collections, I described that Collections, once it gets full featured, can easily replace both set aside tabs and reading list.
1. it can replace set aside tabs if Microsoft adds an option to add all open tabs to a collection. there is already an option to open all collection entries in tabs at the same time.
2. it can replace Reading List if Microsoft adds the ability to mark a collection for offline access/usage.I really don't understand why you're being so defensive about Collections, or why you feel the need to patronize me as if I do not understand the concept of a collection of things.
You said, paraphrasing slightly:
HotCakeX wrote:
Collections ... save a link to a content on the web ...What is a Favourite Mr. Cake?
It's a link to content on the web.You said, paraphrasing slightly:
HotCakeX wrote:
Collections are useful for bringing contents from different locations into a single place ...What is a Folder Mr. Cake?
It's a collection of links to content on the web, in a single place.Collections are Favourites, only with more clicks required to get things done compared to Favourites.
To help illustrate, I've compiled this table of comparisons.
Favourites Collections Save a link to a website YES YES Group similar links YES YES Can be kept on favouites bar YES NO Clicks to save a link 1 3 Clicks to open a link 1 or 2 3 Regarding the Reading List, you seem to be making the assumption that the Reading List's sole purpose is to save content for offline access, which is not accurate. Microsoft describes the reading list simply as:
Pernille-Eskebo wrote:
Reading list in Microsoft Edge gives you a place to save articles, e-books, or other content you want to read later.The core concept of a Reading List, is just that. A convenient place to store articles you want to read later. I went on to describe why the Reading List from Classic Edge is particularly useful for productivity, how it excels as a companion to Favourites, and how Collections fall short from an interface and usability standpoint.
All the same, I appreciate your feedback.
Cheers.