Office 2007 interface

[S. Smith]

I just upgraded Office 2003 to Office 2007, but I do not like the
new interface and menus of Office 2007 at all.

Is there any way to get Office 2007 to use the traditional type
of menus and toolbars, rather than the new button style of
interface and menus?




- Scott Smith: (e-mail address removed)
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/choppersmith

 

[JoAnn Paules]

There are several add-ins available for simulating the old interface (check
Google). FWIW, I'd suggest using the new interface. It's not going away and
that will put you ahead of others who will be using it down the road. Think
of it as another skill set to add to your work experience.

 

[Gemini]

Unfortunately, there's no way to "turn off" the Ribbon (that's what it's
called) and bring back the classic UI. MS is bent on pushing this down the
users' throats.

You can either get third party add-ons (one such site is www.addintools.com)
and of course, pay for the "privilege" or you can get rid of Office 2007 and
go back to Office 2003, as I (and many others) have done. If you check this
and TechRepublic sites, you will see quite a few others feel the way you do.

Be warned that MS will be using the Fluent User Interface more in upcoming
Windows versions, per Bill Gates. As far as I'm concerned, that means
sticking with the existing versions of Windows as long as possible and
evaluating non-MS options in the interim.

HTH!

-- Gemini

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Gemini,

While the add-in you mentioned from AddinTools.com is a try-then-buy shareware version, (and who doesn't like to be compensated for
their time and efforts <g>) there are also 3rd party add-ins for Office 2007 to provide legacy menus that have both shareware and
unpaid versions available, including:

http://toggletoolbar (lite edition)
http://pschmid.net/office2007/ribboncustomizer (Starter edition)

So far, neither Internet Explorer v8 (beta1) or MS Windows Server 2008 include ribbons

There are also apps and tools for creating Ribbon interfaces and not just in the Office apps, and there are folks who do find the
Ribbon easy to use, but it's certainly not to everyone's liking, and that's also the case with the differences in user interfaces in
different cell phones, smartphones, tv remotes, MP3 players and the 'simple' microwave oven and VCR/DVD players <g>. Whatever tool
works for what you need is the right one <g>

As mentioned previously, folks who come to technical related news and discussion groups tend to do so more when in an
'I have an issue/problem/question/how do I' than to just drop in to say everything is fine, and that's basically just the nature of
these types of sites no matter what the product

For folks who don't need a lot of the features in the Office apps, or even those in the two you mentioned there are (along with
other Office-like apps available for download (they've been around for awhile <g>) there's Google Docs at http://docs.google.com

=============
Unfortunately, there's no way to "turn off" the Ribbon (that's what it's
called) and bring back the classic UI. MS is bent on pushing this down the users' throats.

You can either get third party add-ons (one such site is www.addintools.com) and of course, pay for the "privilege" or you can get
rid of Office 2007 and go back to Office 2003, as I (and many others) have done. If you check this and TechRepublic sites, you will
see quite a few others feel the way you do.

Be warned that MS will be using the Fluent User Interface more in upcoming Windows versions, per Bill Gates. As far as I'm
concerned, that means
sticking with the existing versions of Windows as long as possible and
evaluating non-MS options in the interim.

HTH!

-- Gemini >>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[Gemini]

Hi Bob! Yes, I am aware of the try-then-buy deal addintools.com. I did try
that out. However, since I decided to remove Office 2007 completely, there
wasn't much point in buying that. Thanks for that info about the free
add-ins. I'm sure that'll help those who don't like the Ribbon and are stuck
with Office 2007.

Bob, I'm well aware some people like the Ribbon. However, I've observed that
newbies and light users are typically the ones who fall in that camp, whereas
long time/power users don't like the Ribbon. I'm aware that the Ribbon can be
customized. IMHO, it was a very arrogant move on MS's part not to provide an
option to switch to the classic UI. IBM had the same arrogance with OS/2,
once upon a time. MS, of all companies, ought to have learned from that. Why
would I want to spend time customizing a UI I find illogical and
counterproductive in the first place?

You're right in that people who come here do so because they have an issue.
I've observed quite a few who want to "turn off" the Ribbon. I've seen posts
on sites such as TechRepublic where companies have decided to either retain
Office 2003 and/or start evaluating other (non-MS) options, rather than
"upgrade" to Office 2007. I personally know that a very large financial
institution (thousands of seats) has decided to hold off moving to Office
2007, based on the feedback from their employees.

After reading about the data MS used (including Jensen Harris' blog), I've
concluded that the data used by MS to track usage patterns as well as the
"research" to measure user acceptance of the Ribbon, are both flawed. Whether
this is intentional or accidental, I cannot say at this point.

I also posted a question to Jensen Harris - had there been a classic UI
option available, how many users would have used the Ribbon voluntarily?
Needless to say, he hasn't responded to that question. The lack of response
is quite telling.

Yes, I've looked at Google docs as well. I am still evaluating the web-based
apps, as and when I have some spare time. In other words, the evaluation
process is proceeding rather slowly.

Now that MS plans to use the Fluent UI more in future Windows versions, I
plan to start evaluating other (non-MS) options in that area as well. As far
as I'm concerned, the Fluent UI is anything but fluent and definitely doesn't
work well for me.

--Gemini

 

[Alpha]

Hi Bob! Yes, I am aware of the try-then-buy deal addintools.com. I did try
that out. However, since I decided to remove Office 2007 completely, there
wasn't much point in buying that. Thanks for that info about the free
add-ins. I'm sure that'll help those who don't like the Ribbon and are
stuck
with Office 2007.

Bob, I'm well aware some people like the Ribbon. However, I've observed
that
newbies and light users are typically the ones who fall in that camp,
whereas
long time/power users don't like the Ribbon.

Well I will chime in here: I have used Word since version 1. I love the
ribbon....it is great.

 

[Gemini]

Alpha, I'm glad you like the Ribbon and it works well for you. Notice I used
the word "typically" in my post.

In my case, like you I've used Word since the 1.0 days. Thanks to the
Ribbon, MS has lost a long time customer in me and in thousands of other
users, mostly long time ones. Despite many requests from the latter group, MS
has decided against providing a classic UI. In other words, MS is clearly
telling the long time users, "We don't care what you want, learn to use what
we give you". Not a smart strategy, IMHO.

-- Gemini

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Gemini,

FWIW, I recall similar comments and postings when companies first deployed Windows where folks had DEC, or Wang or MS-DOS or CP/M
running and there were similar complaints when MS went from Win 3.1 to Win 95/98/NT <g>.

Personally, I can adapt to most interfaces (probably goes back when I started taking apart clocks and train engines at the age of 3,
I'm told <g>). What would be really nice is that if when you clicked on the button in any of them it always did what you wanted,
instead of the 'learning experience' of the depth of the available 'error' dialogs built into programs of all types

I used to have folks call me in panic when they got a message that said 'Fatal Error' wanting to know if it was hazardous to their
health, if they needed a new computer, etc. Even was asked when a 'Fatal Error 171' message was seen - 'what happened to the first
170 fatal errors?' <g>

=================
Alpha, I'm glad you like the Ribbon and it works well for you. Notice I used
the word "typically" in my post.

In my case, like you I've used Word since the 1.0 days. Thanks to the
Ribbon, MS has lost a long time customer in me and in thousands of other
users, mostly long time ones. Despite many requests from the latter group, MS
has decided against providing a classic UI. In other words, MS is clearly
telling the long time users, "We don't care what you want, learn to use what
we give you". Not a smart strategy, IMHO.

-- Gemini >>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[Shah Shailesh]

Besides you can download free addins to use old classic menu of office-2003
in Office-2007, from below page.


http://in.geocities.com/shahshaileshs/menuaddins


Regards,
Shailesh Shah
http://in.geocities.com/shahshaileshs/
If You Can't Excel with Talent, Triumph with Effort.


Free Addins Office Menu-2003 for Office-2007
http://in.geocities.com/shahshaileshs/menuaddins

 

[va]

There is a simpler SOLUTION for less than $20 that fits everyone's needs!
At ToolbarToggle, we have created an add-in for Word, Excel and PowerPoint
that brings back the original Office 2003 menus and toolbars into Office 2007
for less than $20.

Besides floating and docking the menus and toolbars anwhere, you can turn
the Ribbon on or off, turn the commandbars and menus on or off as well
REPLACE the Ribbon entirely.

Please try the demo let us know if you feel this helps solve your problems.

You can download ToolbarToggle from:
http://www.toolbartoggle.com
!

 

[va]

At ToolbarToggle, we have created an add-in for Word, Excel and PowerPoint
that brings back the original Office 2003 menus and toolbars into Office 2007
for less than $20.

Besides being able to customize and add unlimited toolbars and menu items,
ToolbarToggle allows the old style floating and docking anywhere. Through a
key press, you can turn the Ribbon on or off, turn the commandbars and menus
on or off as well REPLACE the Ribbon entirely. ToolbarToggle even accepts
shortcut keys (Alt+F, Alt+E, etc..).

Please try the demo let us know if you feel this helps solve your problems.

You can download ToolbarToggle from:
http://www.toolbartoggle.com

 

[JoAnn Paules]

Reported.

 

[va]

Thats not true - THIS I SNOT SPAM.

Joanne,

just because you prefer the new interface doesn't make a solution people are
looking for "spam"

You should be reported - as a former MVP myself we helped lots of people
including referring softwqare solutions.

Last of all, if its on MS Office Download site its hardly spam.

 

[va]

In fact, what about all the other MVP's who have replied recommending our
software along with Patrick Schmid's Ribbon Customizer .. etc... - thats not
spam either.

Seriously - I think you are way off base and not helping the community with
options because you don't agree with them

 

[JoAnn Paules]

Posting ads for your own product to multiple posts is spam.

 

[va]

In that case, your signature line is SPAM - you are pushing the book you
worked on.

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"

I feel that your defintion of SPAM is not reasonable. If I had multiple
stand-alone posts just advertising - you'd be correct. But I didn't spray
every question blindly (which is what SPAM is) about the product. - I only
answered the ones (3 different ones exactly) where people were looking for a
solution and you telling tem just to use the "Ribbon" is not a solution.

And just for your own info, you are an MS Publisher MVP but I work with
Wallstreet on some pretty heavy BizTalk, C#, C++, SharePoint, Excel and Word
systems and that is another story. The Ribbon is killing their productivty
because of navigation - not unfamiliaraity. On the other side, highly
experienced and good temps are losing jobs because of the years they invested
in smart custom toolbars but now, overnight, must become proficient about
the ribbon which lacks a number of productivity features. Please reconsider
what SPAM is before accusing people of it.

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Where is the URL?

--
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, va asked:

| In that case, your signature line is SPAM - you are pushing the book
| you worked on.
|
|
|| JoAnn Paules
|| MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
|| Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"
|
|
| I feel that your defintion of SPAM is not reasonable. If I had
| multiple stand-alone posts just advertising - you'd be correct. But
| I didn't spray every question blindly (which is what SPAM is) about
| the product. - I only answered the ones (3 different ones exactly)
| where people were looking for a solution and you telling tem just to
| use the "Ribbon" is not a solution.
|
| And just for your own info, you are an MS Publisher MVP but I work
| with Wallstreet on some pretty heavy BizTalk, C#, C++, SharePoint,
| Excel and Word systems and that is another story. The Ribbon is
| killing their productivty because of navigation - not unfamiliaraity.
| On the other side, highly experienced and good temps are losing jobs
| because of the years they invested in smart custom toolbars but now,
| overnight, must become proficient about the ribbon which lacks a
| number of productivity features. Please reconsider what SPAM is
| before accusing people of it.

 

[va]

Mily,

What URL are you referring to? If you mean the book refenece Joanne makes
then - whats the difference. Its not hard to find a the "Microsoft Publisher
2007 For Dummies" title - please.

 

[Bob I]

Before pulling the trigger, you may want to check that you have
chambered a live round.

Mily,

What URL are you referring to? If you mean the book refenece Joanne makes
then - whats the difference. Its not hard to find a the "Microsoft Publisher
2007 For Dummies" title - please.







:

Where is the URL?

--Â
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, va asked:

| In that case, your signature line is SPAM - you are pushing the book
| you worked on.
|
|
|| JoAnn Paules
|| MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
|| Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"
|
|
| I feel that your defintion of SPAM is not reasonable. If I had
| multiple stand-alone posts just advertising - you'd be correct. But
| I didn't spray every question blindly (which is what SPAM is) about
| the product. - I only answered the ones (3 different ones exactly)
| where people were looking for a solution and you telling tem just to
| use the "Ribbon" is not a solution.
|
| And just for your own info, you are an MS Publisher MVP but I work
| with Wallstreet on some pretty heavy BizTalk, C#, C++, SharePoint,
| Excel and Word systems and that is another story. The Ribbon is
| killing their productivty because of navigation - not unfamiliaraity.
| On the other side, highly experienced and good temps are losing jobs
| because of the years they invested in smart custom toolbars but now,
| overnight, must become proficient about the ribbon which lacks a
| number of productivity features. Please reconsider what SPAM is
| before accusing people of it.