Get rid of the ribbon!

[Kraig]

I just tried the test drive of Office 2007. The programs are all good except
for the damn "ribbon". I had heard about this but I was hoping it was just a
rumor. I am extremly dissapointed with you for this reason. I want to be
able to customze as well as hide my toolbars, yes, I want toolbars! I do not
need or use half the features on the "ribbon" in Word yet there are some
features that I do use that were not on the ribbon (Word Count?). Make the
damn thing customizable! If there are not some drastic changes to the
"ribbon" in the final release then I will NOT be purchasing this peice of
junk!

----------------
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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...-5416095b49ec&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Looks like you'll be saving money. The ribbon is staying.

(I don't like it either but if I'm going to continue using Office, then I'll
have to learn to adapt.)

 

[Patrick Schmid]

Hi Kraig,

I can assure you that you will be saving a lot of money next year.
Microsoft will not change the ribbon as drastically as you are asking
for.
I actually suggest that you take another longer test drive. It took me
around a month to get familiar with the new Ribbon and realize that it
is for the most (there are some exceptions) better than the old UI.
The ribbon is somewhat customizable, but you'll need 3rd party software
to do so. Subscribe to the blog on my website and you'll find out when
my add-in to do so will be available (it will be available soon).

Patrick Schmid

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

I had to convert the Help file telling me where the new commands are to a
..pdf, then sent that to my husband's office so he could print it for me. The
darned thing is 72 pgs long and I didn't fell like emptying my new ink
cartridge. He did it double-sided for me so I don't need a big binder for
it.

Now maybe I can start to give it a work out. I have some forms that need to
be revised. This could be the perfect test for them.

 

[rocky]

Read Jensen Harris's blog on Office Customization:
http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh/comments/648269.aspx

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Kraig,

You can send feedback, including screenshots and the reason for your suggestions directly to the 2007 Microsoft Office Product team
using the 2007 feedback tool from the link below.

======
Get rid of the ribbon!>>

--
I hope this helped you,

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office system products MVP

LINKS for the 2007 Office System

1. Read about it, try it, or watch the movie
the 2007 Microsoft Office system iinfo is at
http://microsoft.com/office/preview

2. Already have 2007 Office System Beta 2?
Send Microsoft your feedback (with pictures)
http://sas.office.microsoft.com/

3. Use the 2007 OfficeOnline website without Office2007

a. Install the ActiveX access control
http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?AssetID=XT101650581033
b. then visit http://officebeta.iponet.net

 

[Kevin]

The Ribbon is awesome! We've been dealing with those archaic menu's and
tool bars for far too long. I love the new U/I.

 

[roman modic]

Hello!

I just tried the test drive of Office 2007. The programs are all good except
for the damn "ribbon". I had heard about this but I was hoping it was just a
rumor. I am extremly dissapointed with you for this reason. I want to be
able to customze as well as hide my toolbars, yes, I want toolbars! I do not
need or use half the features on the "ribbon" in Word yet there are some
features that I do use that were not on the ribbon (Word Count?). Make the
damn thing customizable! If there are not some drastic changes to the
"ribbon" in the final release then I will NOT be purchasing this peice of
junk!

"Eric Faller and Savraj Dhanjal - Ribbon Extensibility in Office 2007"
http://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=208537
"Scoble sits down with a few of the members of the Office 2007 Extensibility team: Eric Faller and Savraj Dhanjal. Their technology
allows developers to build new types of apps on top of Office 2007. Get the details here (as always ;-) )"

Direct download (239 MB)
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...12e6bdc1/office_ribbon_extensibility_2006.wmv


Cheers, Roman

 

[cocomputerguy]

I have read that you can't revert back to the "File" menu system and
you have to use the "Ribbon." I have also read that you have to use a
"third-party" product to customize the "Ribbon." What I really want to
know is why does Outlook and Publisher use the old "File" menu system?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

There are so many changes and work involved in the new interface that
Microsoft opted to devote the time on the four most-widely used products.

 

[cocomputerguy]

Outlook is not one of the most widely used? So much for seamless UI in
the corporate environment. So many changes and work? Maybe they
should slow down their releases in order to fully implement the new UI
next time.

There are so many changes and work involved in the new inte rface that
Microsoft opted to devote the time on the four most-widely used products.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I have read that you can't revert back to the "File" menu system and
you have to use the "Ribbon." I have also read that you have to use a
"third-party" product to customize the "Ribbon." What I really want to
know is why does Outlook and Publisher use the old "File" menu system?

 

[cocomputerguy]

Which are the most widely used? Word, Excel, Powerpoint..and?

There are so many changes and work involved in the new interface that
Microsoft opted to devote the time on the four most-widely used products.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I have read that you can't revert back to the "File" menu system and
you have to use the "Ribbon." I have also read that you have to use a
"third-party" product to customize the "Ribbon." What I really want to
know is why does Outlook and Publisher use the old "File" menu system?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Access

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Which are the most widely used? Word, Excel, Powerpoint..and?

There are so many changes and work involved in the new interface that
Microsoft opted to devote the time on the four most-widely used products.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I have read that you can't revert back to the "File" menu system and
you have to use the "Ribbon." I have also read that you have to use a
"third-party" product to customize the "Ribbon." What I really want to
know is why does Outlook and Publisher use the old "File" menu system?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

I'm only telling you what I heard. Not my decision.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Outlook is not one of the most widely used? So much for seamless UI in
the corporate environment. So many changes and work? Maybe they
should slow down their releases in order to fully implement the new UI
next time.

There are so many changes and work involved in the new inte rface that
Microsoft opted to devote the time on the four most-widely used products.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I have read that you can't revert back to the "File" menu system and
you have to use the "Ribbon." I have also read that you have to use a
"third-party" product to customize the "Ribbon." What I really want to
know is why does Outlook and Publisher use the old "File" menu system?

 

[cocomputerguy]

I'm not flaming you, I know you have nothing to do with the decisions.
I just don't see more people using Microsoft Access than Microsoft
Outlook. Yet another dissappointment with Microsoft. I'll be holding
off on installation and I'm sure the legal industry will have a lot to
say about the changes in Office, especially customizing the toolbar
(Ribbon.)

Access

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Which are the most widely used? Word, Excel, Powerpoint..and?

There are so many changes and work involved in the new interface that
Microsoft opted to devote the time on the four most-widely used products.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



I have read that you can't revert back to the "File" menu system and
you have to use the "Ribbon." I have also read that you have to use a
"third-party" product to customize the "Ribbon." What I really want to
know is why does Outlook and Publisher use the old "File" menu system?

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Wrong, the decision to not customize the main Outlook window (all items
opened from the folders display the new Ribbon format) is due to the
complexity of menu options available right now in Outlook.

Since you don't use Outlook, just take a moment to consider. Use Tools menu
choice and then Options, for instance, then view the myriad options
available. Open any tab and see how deep say the Preferences tab is for
options. Pick the Email Options and you have even more choices, such as
Advanced Email Options and Tracking Options. From there you have further
nested options.

Cleaning up Outlook to share the same Ribbon as the rest of Office would
take an entire Office release on its own. Therefore, the Office UI team
chose to spend its efforts where it would get the most return on its
investment of time and talent.

Read Jensen Harris' blog - http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh for a better
understanding.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, JoAnn Paules [MVP] asked:

| There are so many changes and work involved in the new interface that
| Microsoft opted to devote the time on the four most-widely used
| products.
|
|
| || I have read that you can't revert back to the "File" menu system and
|| you have to use the "Ribbon." I have also read that you have to use
|| a "third-party" product to customize the "Ribbon." What I really
|| want to know is why does Outlook and Publisher use the old "File"
|| menu system?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Like I said, I don't like the new ribbon because now I can't find anything I
need. I had to save the Help file (telling me where to look for my commands)
as a .pdf so my husband could print it. I'm talking about a 72-page
document! I understand *why* they are doing it but I wish it could have been
something a bit more gradual.

(And I'm tickled that Pub 2007 doesn't have it. Plus I think it has some
nice new features.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I'm not flaming you, I know you have nothing to do with the decisions.
I just don't see more people using Microsoft Access than Microsoft
Outlook. Yet another dissappointment with Microsoft. I'll be holding
off on installation and I'm sure the legal industry will have a lot to
say about the changes in Office, especially customizing the toolbar
(Ribbon.)

Access

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Which are the most widely used? Word, Excel, Powerpoint..and?

JoAnn Paules [MVP] wrote:
There are so many changes and work involved in the new interface that
Microsoft opted to devote the time on the four most-widely used
products.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



I have read that you can't revert back to the "File" menu system and
you have to use the "Ribbon." I have also read that you have to use
a
"third-party" product to customize the "Ribbon." What I really want
to
know is why does Outlook and Publisher use the old "File" menu
system?

 

[cocomputerguy]

In the legal industry, we have numerous programs that "plug-into"
Outlook and other Office products. The reason we "had to" go with
Outlook/Exchange was due to the integration with our accounting/time
management software. The software we were using required Exchange in
order to be "fully-functional." Every user (aside from the attorneys)
has a customized toolbar. Ask around in the legal field and you will
find that this is the norm.

Maybe I will wait for Microsoft Outlook (Ribbon edition.) If Microsoft
has made the Outlook Tools>Options menu too large to customize in the 3
year development time, then imagine what a problem users have finding
the button that they want to press.

We will still install Office because we don't have another choice.
However, I'll let SP1 for Vista and SP1 for Office be released before I
even consider touching them. Of course, once the users get a hold of
the product, it will be time to go back and train them how to use the
new software.

I appreciate the reasons that have been given for the "unseamless new
UI" but there just is no excuse, unless it is to satisfy the Software
Assurance customers that signed up.

Wrong, the decision to not customize the main Outlook window (all items
opened from the folders display the new Ribbon format) is due to the
complexity of menu options available right now in Outlook.

Since you don't use Outlook, just take a moment to consider. Use Tools menu
choice and then Options, for instance, then view the myriad options
available. Open any tab and see how deep say the Preferences tab is for
options. Pick the Email Options and you have even more choices, such as
Advanced Email Options and Tracking Options. From there you have further
nested options.

Cleaning up Outlook to share the same Ribbon as the rest of Office would
take an entire Office release on its own. Therefore, the Office UI team
chose to spend its efforts where it would get the most return on its
investment of time and talent.

Read Jensen Harris' blog - http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh for a better
understanding.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, JoAnn Paules [MVP] asked:

| There are so many changes and work involved in the new interface that
| Microsoft opted to devote the time on the four most-widely used
| products.
|
|
| || I have read that you can't revert back to the "File" menu system and
|| you have to use the "Ribbon." I have also read that you have to use
|| a "third-party" product to customize the "Ribbon." What I really
|| want to know is why does Outlook and Publisher use the old "File"
|| menu system?

 

[Patrick Schmid]

Outlook actually received the most UI development effort, more than
Word, Excel, PPT and Access combined probably. Outlook has 10+ different
ribbons, one for each type of item you can have in Outlook (e.g. mail
read is different from mail compose). MS just didn't have the resources
to do the extremely complex main Outlook windows as well.

Patrick Schmid
--------------
http://pschmid.net

I'm not flaming you, I know you have nothing to do with the decisions.
I just don't see more people using Microsoft Access than Microsoft
Outlook. Yet another dissappointment with Microsoft. I'll be holding
off on installation and I'm sure the legal industry will have a lot to
say about the changes in Office, especially customizing the toolbar
(Ribbon.)

Access

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Which are the most widely used? Word, Excel, Powerpoint..and?

JoAnn Paules [MVP] wrote:
There are so many changes and work involved in the new interface that
Microsoft opted to devote the time on the four most-widely used products.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



I have read that you can't revert back to the "File" menu system and
you have to use the "Ribbon." I have also read that you have to use a
"third-party" product to customize the "Ribbon." What I really want to
know is why does Outlook and Publisher use the old "File" menu system?

 

[Kraig]

Thanks Bob, Ive done that! And also a thanks to everybody else who wants the
old UI back....