Feedback from a Writely convert
Hi, I'm a recent signup to Zoho Writer and so far I'm very impressed with the features and quality of the service. My first foray into the world of online document editors was with Writely, and I loved it. I got in before they stopped accepting new registrations. But then just recently they stuffed everything up for me by integrating the logon process with google accounts. I need to be able to get into my account from work, but my employer's internet access policy includes blocking all web-based email providers. The google accounts URL is on their block list, so that meant I couldn't even log in to Writely anymore.
So my very first suggestion is PLEASE please please resist any possible future urge you may have to integrate the login with an email service. It would almost certainly kill the service for people like me whose employers block popular webmail URLs.
I've noticed your implementation of tables has some bugs:
- Often certain cells will take on borders without being told to (and after I had previously removed or altered the borders). This seems to happen sometimes after selecting cells.
- The vertical alignment of text in a cell sometimes displays as middle, but when I go to the Cell Properties box, the setting says Top.
- Font sizes and styles don't always update properly when I try to change them. This may not be limited to text inside tables.
- I created a table with the text in the top row all italicised. When I later logged in from a different computer, that text appeared much larger (but still italicised), as if it had changed to a heading style (but other italicised and normal text further down in the table was fine). I checked the style and also varied the browser's own font size setting, with no change. I logged in with the first computer again, and it all looks normal again. This may not be due to a bug in Zoho, but it's got me a bit puzzled. (BTW, I'm using Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.7)
Another suggestion is that the sessions seem to time out a little too quickly for my liking.
Also, I found myself unable to scroll the left hand navigator panel down all the way to the bottom at one time.
Zoho Writer works a little differently from Writely, which I'm still getting used to. That being the case, I'll hold off on my other thoughts in case I just haven't found the right ways to do things yet.
All in all, I think Zoho Writer is an excellent tool and very worthwhile (if I didn't think it was worthwhile I wouldn't have taken the time to type up these suggestions for improvement, not to mention the fact that I migrated about 50 documents over here from my old Writely account). I think you have made a really good application, and your apparent interest in hearing suggestions and problems from users is very encouraging. Well done.
Shayne