You know those times when you realize you have a few gmail conversations that belong to the same macro-topic, but due to subject changes, dumb reply prefixes (some Italian localized clients – Outlook and Blackberry to name a few – use R: instead of Re: , and gmail goes wacko), or simply people starting a new conversation, everything got scattered around?
Sure, you can label them all, but when it’s only 2 or 3 conversations, it’s overkill.
My feature wishlist on this matter would be:
- Conversation merge: the ability to merge together two arbitrary conversations.
- TAGGING!
I used to point at gmail labels to explain the concept of tagging to people, but that’ doesn’t quite cut it. Unless you want to end up with an infinite list of labels, defying the purpose of having a list in the first place, you need another way to add metadata to a conversation.
So here’s my DIRTY little hack. It’s not something I would use daily, but for a few projects where things got messy, it helps.
You just have to add the word “tag: ” followed by your tag within an email in the conversation.If the tags you want to use must be kept private for some reason (say you’re tagging a conversation “nuisance” – people might get angry for that :) ) you just have to reply to the conversation, erase all the recipients and address it to yourself.As as you don’t change the subject, gmail will keep it properly grouped with the rest of the conversation.
There. You can then summon all the conversation you tagged by searching for “tag: your tags here”.
It’s not perfect (expecially if you often mail about “tags” combined with the words you use as your tags) . But it works.
One workaround can be coming up with a made up word for tag, such as “mytag”. Hey, don’t look at me, I just have the ideas, it’s your job to find the shortcomings.
Stay tuned, more to come.
[...] can read Michael’s original blog post here. It’s not exactly what we’d call tagging, but the basic idea is there—by dropping [...]
[...] can read Michael’s original blog post here. It’s not exactly what we’d call tagging, but the basic idea is there—by dropping [...]
[...] can read Michael’s original blog post here. It’s not exactly what we’d call tagging, but the basic idea is there—by dropping [...]
[...] can read Michael’s original blog post here. It’s not exactly what we’d call tagging, but the basic idea is there—by dropping [...]
Hey Michael, in coming up with my own solution for threaded reminders all via email, I also created a bookmarklet that lets me basically recreate Del.icio.us for my Gmail. I used the tag concept the same way you do to make my bookmarks easily searchable in my Gmail :)
Chris
[...] can read Michael’s original blog post here. It’s not exactly what we’d call tagging, but the basic idea is there—by dropping [...]
[...] can read Michael’s original blog post here. It’s not exactly what we’d call tagging, but the basic idea is there—by dropping [...]
[...] can read Michael’s original blog post here. It’s not exactly what we’d call tagging, but the basic idea is there—by dropping [...]
Hey Chris. I somehow missed this comment.
…well, whatever floats your boat :)
I’m interested in seeing your setup though.
It’s ok to hack until gmail improves that part. It’s what makes us geeks, and it could inspire the improvement on their side.
I was suggested this web site by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re amazing! Thanks!