document elements (et. al.) toolbar in Word 2008

[Carl]

I may be in the minority here, but I happen to love the Ribbon UI on
the PC version. It can collapse down to nothing when needed, and
expand out (and even be customized I hear in 2010). That's on the PC.
On the Mac I want a Mac-like UI. The Document Elements bar is so out
to planet Jupiter on both functionality and as an accelerator into
functions writers need most that it's laughable it made it into a
release. (I'd much rather have a Mac ribbon that the Document Elements
toolbar since at least the ribbon exposes USEFUL functions.) I mean,
really — how many UPS or Del Monte, or Sysco Food Systems ask for WORD
ART to always be persistent as a toolbar? As a feature more useful
than bulleted lists, or tab stops, or print preferences? It doesn't
take a rocket scientist to conduct a 10-person usability test to
determine an amicable UI and feature set.

I should know. I'm one of the leading UX and UI experts in the world.


— Carl Antone

 

[Rob Schneider]

I'd be surprised if UPS, Del Monte, or Sysco Food uses Mac as their
standard corporate desktop. Do they?


--rms

www.rmschneider.com

 

[Phillip Jones, C.E.T.]

Would be wonderful if they did.

I'd be surprised if UPS, Del Monte, or Sysco Food uses Mac as their
standard corporate desktop. Do they?


--rms

www.rmschneider.com

 

[John_McGhie_[MVP]]

Hi Carl:

Yeah, you and I are in a minority The Ribbon is hiding a really good
idea in there. Pity it is so appallingly implemented.

In Word 2010, you have the chance to properly customise the Ribbon. That
makes a huge difference. It still comes out of the box plastered with
inanities, but now we can delete them

I just suffered a two-gig download today to get Visual Studio so I can saw
away at the ribbon to my heart's content.

Marketing never ceases to get us frothing at the mouth with the eye-candy
they put on the UI to attract the easily-impressed. It previous versions of
Word, it was easy to get rid of the crud and put useful stuff in its place.

In Word 2007, they had the idea that they were not going to allow
customisation. Right.... I think they sold "one" copy... Hopefully they
have learned that lesson now...

Cheers

I may be in the minority here, but I happen to love the Ribbon UI on
the PC version. It can collapse down to nothing when needed, and
expand out (and even be customized I hear in 2010). That's on the PC.
On the Mac I want a Mac-like UI. The Document Elements bar is so out
to planet Jupiter on both functionality and as an accelerator into
functions writers need most that it's laughable it made it into a
release. (I'd much rather have a Mac ribbon that the Document Elements
toolbar since at least the ribbon exposes USEFUL functions.) I mean,
really ‹ how many UPS or Del Monte, or Sysco Food Systems ask for WORD
ART to always be persistent as a toolbar? As a feature more useful
than bulleted lists, or tab stops, or print preferences? It doesn't
take a rocket scientist to conduct a 10-person usability test to
determine an amicable UI and feature set.

I should know. I'm one of the leading UX and UI experts in the world.


‹ Carl Antone

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410 | mailto:[email protected]