Yahoo branding: please keep it simple...

[Yann2]

Please Yahoo keep Zimbra & Zimbra Desktop simple and don't Yahoo-ize too much... If I have to use Zimbra as my mail client for my gmail account, why would I want a "Yahoo!" or "My yahoo!" link on top of my emails... I also preferred by far the Zimbra logo to the YAHOO! <small letters>zimbra</small letters>... Not really interested in "web search" or "local search" in a mail client - and there is no way to remove all this...

Is also quite tiring (if not ridiculous) to see Yahoo write down "Yahoo! Zimbra" every time in any press release... looks a bit like the linux vs Gnu/Linux war :/

In other words, to Yahoo folks: this definitely won't make your yahoo services used more, I think they will just make Zimbra and Zimbra desktop used less. Please keep it simple and stick a "powered by Yahoo" somewhere. If I don't want to use Yahoo! I don't want my mail client to have 20 links asking me to subscribe, or pointing me to whatever service yahoo is trying to advertise :/

*annoyed*

[matt_b]

I totally agree with this - when using ZCS as a back-end and Zimbra Desktop as a front-end, the Yahoo branding makes the client look unprofessional, almost giving the user the impression that they are using some free webmail service (yahoo mail, hotmail etc.) than the corporate email service they are actually connected to.

I also don't like the fact that the Yahoo! zimlets and web search (that I have removed from the ZCS web interface) appear in Zimbra Desktop and I can't remove them. There are also unnecessary "Yahoo" and "My Yahoo" links that I can't remove.

I understand that Yahoo are trying to get the most out of their purchase of Zimbra, but trampling all over a previously quality interface in order to peddle a few hyperlinks and generate some more web searches does not improve the product - it cheapens it.

IMHO Yahoo would do well to keep Zimbra as an entirely separate entity and not attempt to use it as a mechanism for getting their brand into corporate environments. The image Zimbra have tried (and succeeded) to create is that ZCS is a corporate mail service. Having the Yahoo! logo plastered all over the Desktop client goes directly against this image.

Some suggestions:

• Stop calling it "Yahoo! Zimbra Desktop" (shortcuts etc.)
• As a logo, something like "Zimbra - powered by Yahoo!" or "Zimbra - part of the Yahoo! group" is far more suitable.
• When connected to a Zimbra server, have it mirror the web interface exactly. Don't make it ZCS web interface + yahoo shortcuts + yahoo branding + yahoo search. If I have removed the yahoo branding from ZCS, respect that in the desktop client.
• Maybe have two versions of the software, one Yahoo! branded, one Zimbra branded or even better, ask during install "do you want Yahoo functionality added? Y/N"

Sorry to sound so negative about Zimbra's parent company, I'm just speaking my mind.

Matt

[davidgrecco]

Zimbra needs to have its own identity and be recognized as an enterprise class collab suite.

[vkeven]

This to much yahoo mail integration just stoped me to deploy it at my customers site , my customers don't want yahoo they just want a professionnal grade mail server , does exchange push me hotmail ,no , does scalix push me xandros ,no . I should not have any over branding with a commercial product , Zimbra is Zimbra and Yahoo Mail is Yahoo Mail.

[uxbod]

Perhaps a version of the ZCD with no Yahoo! branding (just Zimbra) which can only connect too a ZCS server ?

[vkeven]

Originally Posted by uxbod

Perhaps a version of the ZCD with no Yahoo! branding (just Zimbra) which can only connect too a ZCS server ?

Good Idea!

I don't know why big company buy open product with success and try to kill it with this type of same over marketing crap.

[DeanBlackburn]

How about this:

1) Zimbra Desktop with NO BRANDING included with ZCS open edition, that only works with ZCS;

2) Zimbra Desktop with CUSTOM BRANDING included with ZCS paid edition, that works with any account;

3) Zimbra Desktop with YAHOO BRANDING downloadable as it is now, that works with any account;

4) Zimbra Desktop with CUSTOM BRANDING as a standalone "purchasable" product (maybe configure/customize online, then DL a zip/dmg of the custom version) - I'd already call the client good enough as a separate product, and it may be worth it for a company to, say, pay $99-250 for the branding capability... Especially if it could be "locked" to the corporate mailserver (whatever that is). Maybe $99 for branding, and $250 for branding + lockdown? This option may sound weird, but it's a Zimbra "foot in the door", as well as a chance for small companies to have a little more control over look and feel.

Or maybe I'm the only one who poked at the CSS files and had his eyes light up?!?

But, not that it really matters, but I don't think it's so terrible to have to integrate in this kind of buyout situation... But definitely do agree with the posters that the Yahoo! branding just comes off as incredibly un-professional.

Then again, It's more that it's "Zimbra Yahoo!"... If it was called "Yahoo! Business Desktop", I might be able to get people to respect it more?

What I see now, though, is people calling me to say "My Yahoo is broken", and me having to slowly coax "which" Yahoo they mean - their Yahoo webmail, Yahoo search, Zimbra, or something else...

[uxbod]

Personally if you are able to rebrand the web client if you have purchased the NE version, it would be nice to be able to do the same for the desktop client.

[drexia]

I registered for this forum specifically to post in agreement with this thread.

The Yahoo branding on Zimbra is really lame. It's not generating goodwill for Yahoo or the Zimbra project and should be removed immediately before this turns into another one of Yahoo's marketing department foibles.

[uxbod]

Appreciate your post but remember Yahoo! now own Zimbra. Though personally I do agree to a certain extent why I have said if you own a NE license you should be able to brand the product to how you feel approciate eg. company branding with the ability only to connect to a ZCS server.