add connections no longer lets me add a list of email addresses

I'm a legacy systems person, and use VMS (DEC now HP VAX/Alpha). It doesn't support .csv or anything else microsoft-like. It uses the DCL interface, and plain text files for just about everything.

I never had any problem inputting one of my distribution lists before when it was of this form:

john.smith@aol.com
john.doe@yahoo.com
mary.adams@sbcglobal.net
...
bozo@prodigy.net

What can you say about an environment that has been virus free for over 3 decades?

Seriously, EVERY CHANGE that I've seen since last week is a MAJOR PITA, and not in any way an improvement. ***PLEASE*** Put everything back the way it was before someone decided to break everything that worked!

Much respect for the old skool! Sadly, I've been stuck in MS windows now for years.

Anyway, a lot of our less-technical members were having problems with that page because it's just a big text box without much guidance on what to do with it.

I do have a work-around for you, though. If you put the email addresses in a text file you should be able to import the file using the "Don't use webmail?" link. It should accept just about any format -- a space between the addresses, a comma, a new line, etc.

Hope that helps!

Chris

Chris Richman - thank you for your reply, but as to your point of "a lot of our less-technical members were having problems with that page because it's just a big text box without much guidance on what to do with it" and that is why you removed this useful feature = Wrong Answer.

This is simply another case of LinkedIn unnecessarily yanking away useful functionality from their users.

If "a lot of our less-technical members were having problems with that page because it's just a big text box without much guidance on what to do with it." the Correct Answer is to provide some additional guidance on that page - it is not to remove it entirely.

Also, you already had the "enter six email addresses in one field at a time" page as the default page - so those mythical users who had a problem with the "big text box" page had to have first clicked past your default page to get to the "big text box" page - so your whole line of argument is BS (because the only people on the "big text box" page would thus have been advanced users who were looking for such a tool or "less-technical" users who were confused with the default "enter six email addresses in one field at a time" page in the first place - so, by killing this useful feature you have, by definition, not solved the supposed "less-technical members" problem and have only made it worse for everyone else).

Having a text entry form along with a file upload form costs LinkedIn exactly zero (you already had it in your system!) and provided a useful tool for your users.

Please restore it and please stop patronizing your users by trying to convince them that less functionality is better and that they should be happy that you replied to them after they had to resort to posting here to get a "work-around" tip for something that they should not have had to "work-around" in the first place.

Also, please feel free to provide some real answers over on the New LinkedIn Group Issues thread. Thank you.

The number of people who used this page previously was incredibly small. Most "advanced" users who upload in bulk prefer the CSV upload or the various forms of import available. This is not a case of removing "advanced" functionality, it's a case of simplifying the product, which is an essential part of rationalizing the user experience and technology platform.

There are very real costs to keeping, translating, and maintaining pages and application code. It does not cost "exactly zero".

I understand your frustration with some of the recent issues, particularly around groups, but I have to say that antagonizing and attacking employees who take the time to post answers to questions here on GetSatisfaction is not a great way to engage in dialog.

I'm not sure if it is intentional, but the hostile language in your posts is fairly consistent. We're real people here, too, and I think you'll find that a more civil approach will yield a much better discussion.

Take care,
Adam

Adam Nash-

Thank you for your reply and for a real answer.

I agree that the upload page is a minor point and your latest explanation does make sense.

And, in the end, this is just one of many many other issues which are significantly more important, but at least one of them has now been addressed. Thank you.

I appreciate your comment of "We're real people here, too, and I think you'll find that a more civil approach will yield a much better discussion" - but please note that if LinkedIn had taken that approach with its users before these changes were made, none of this "discussion" would have been necessary in the first place.

As to your point of "I understand your frustration with some of the recent issues, particularly around groups" - thank you again.

Now is there any chance that anyone at LinkedIn will actually help and do something to fix the problems instead of just scolding us for jumping up and down to try to get your attention to give you the gift of the details of how your last "upgrade" is serious impacting your users?

Thank you in advance for giving me hope that I will not have to be as provocative to get LinkedIn to pay attention to the serious problems its last "upgrade" has created for its users.

Thanks, Chris. I'll try that next time. I didn't realize that the upload function would take plain text instead of csv or other formats.

Now, if it would just upload directly from my VAX :-)

Hi again,

Bob: I'm glad that Chris was able to help here.

Linkedout: Thank you for that post. I'm really hopeful that we can turn some of these GetSatisfaction threads into productive and collaborative discussions. Your help in that regard is definitely appreciated.

The groups team has been working around the clock to diagnose all of the issues that have been reported, and to work out a quick action plan to fix as many of them as quickly as possible. They've been inundated on all sides, but they are planning to discuss and communicate the issues AND the fixes as soon as they can.

I apologize for not being able to provide more detail right now, but in the end, it's best if the answer comes from the people who know the issues best.

I also apologize again for the frustration and for the relative lack of communication on the issues with the new Groups platform.

Take care,
Adam

Adam Nash-

Thank you again.

Allen Blue's reply on a different thread addresses much of this.

It is a huge relief that it finally appears that y'all are indeed listening and working to make things right.

Thank you.

No problem. Allen runs the product team responsible for Groups, so I'm very glad he was able to post here and answer questions.

Take care,
Adam

Adam Nash - Thanks again!