Gmail love/hate relationship

I remember the day I first saw Gmail's homepage.  Like a desperate techphile I searched everywhere to find a friend who would invite me to join the webmail project that I still love and hate today.  Now, after years of evolution, I'm glad Gmail is out of 'beta' (so says the logo) and have adopted the 'Labs' approached to making new features accessible.  This relationship is deepening with a tinch of mixed emotions:

1. Forced & Optional Features
   Why are some features 'forced' to the user and others optionally activated through Labs?  I need to use many labels to organize my email as was extremely happy with Greasemonkey's 'Folders 4 Gmail' feature. Since Google forced us to use the new hide/show labels feature, I've not been able to reactive that plugin. 
2. Inconsistent Features Capabilities
   It gets rather annoying when someone takes you to the edge of the oasis and not lets you drink from it. Gmail's new left sidebar allows you to drag and hide/show common filters like (Spam, Trash etc). Guess what! You cannot drag and drop the 'Outbox'!  Why also are the 'Contacts' and 'Tasks' buttons below the label's list and not draggable items. I don't use tasks. I don't want to see it. So frustrating.
3. Freak Whitespace
   Recently, my Gmail interface has been creating empty pockets of space on the right side that I don't need. My editing space end up squished.
   
   
4. Awesome Label/Move Feature
   This has to be my all-time favorite feature for Gmail. Selecting emails and clicking the 'Move To' or 'Labels' button allows me to type-to-filter my options.  This feature has saved me a lot of time scrolling to find the labels I want and then hitting the 'Archive' button.  However, if Google's development of the auto-completer was in anticipation of users having large label lists, then won't it be fitting to actually add the 'Folders 4 Gmail' feature to labs instead of forcing us to just hide/show (point #1).
5. Suggested Recipients
   This one takes the cake. I'm impressed! Conversations with my clients often include at least 4 persons on the CC list.  Instead of using 'Reply To' and then changing the subject line to create new messages, I can take advantage of this feature.

In conclusion, I'm worried that Google, in it's ambition to dominate so many arenas, will simply end up a jack of all traits and master of zilch. I am not ungrateful. Gmail has saved my life many times. I think the best way to repay them is to advocate use of their systems and offer my opinion.

Posted via email from The Ghost Coder ♥ Posterous!