Comment on new automated setting in Gmail

Google announces that in Gmail they are now automatically converting addresses and phone numbers into clickable links. I am not happy about this; in my experience, such automatic links cause more trouble than they are worth. However, I understand that it looks sexy and makes people feel that the computer is providing service.
I submitted this comment to the GoogleCloud discussion board:

I think this should be an optional setting (perhaps turned on by default, with a checkbox to allow the admin to turn it off, analogous to the recently-introduced QuickAccess function).

Setting default actions for phone and e-mail are not terribly obvious in the Mac OS,

and some organizations allow or encourage members to use different VOIP or mail apps, particularly in an international setting like mine.

For example, Apple really wants everyone to use Apple Mail. But AppleMail connects with gmail via imap, which does not actually delete messages -- our users are frustrated with this, so I encourage them to use the Gmail app instead. But then they would have to change their default Mailto: behavior if they (purposely or accidentally) click on the Mailto link (which will now be more automatic than before).

Please allow us to turn this "helpful" function off; at least in the overall Admin/App level, if not also at the org level.

thanks

--j.t.

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