Just wondering what you guys think of the ribbon UI in Microsoft Office 2007/2010. A number of people I know have complained about it but I can't see anything particularly wrong with it. People are just disgusted that they have to learn where the stuff has been moved to. I am considering using the ribbon in a personal project of mine. What do you think of it?
Office's ribbon isn't so bad (in fact, I like it), but Live Movie Maker's and Paint's ribbons are the greatest abominations Microsoft has ever cooked up.
I rather like the new ribbons because they have a clean consistency across the operating system now. I hated the ribbon at first though.
I will tell you what I do hate though, is whenever people try to duplicate the ribbon and fail completely because it was either completely unnecessary, cluttered, or just doesn't function or look right, down to the subtle detail. So I would advise not using it.
I've gotten used to the ribbon in Office 2007/2010. It actually is easier to find the more obscure features. My problem at first was mostly that it wasn't used consistently in Office 2007, but 2010 fixed that.
I don't like the ribbon in most other programs though, because it's usually poorly designed, or the program just doesn't have enough different buttons.
So unless you have more than 25-ish options in your program, I'd say you shouldn't use a ribbon.
Originally Posted by X_Sheep I've gotten used to the ribbon in Office 2007/2010. It actually is easier to find the more obscure features. My problem at first was mostly that it wasn't used consistently in Office 2007, but 2010 fixed that.
I don't like the ribbon in most other programs though, because it's usually poorly designed, or the program just doesn't have enough different buttons.
So unless you have more than 25-ish options in your program, I'd say you shouldn't use a ribbon.
I think you hit the nail on the head.
They did fix that up with Paint by adding in a lot more features which is nice, I just feel like the Ribbon, a part from the benefit of consistency across the operating system, hurts Paint because it's actually more disorderly than orderly. I mean in Office, what do you have? A tab for pretty much any first word to any phrase you might want to do. I want to Insert a picture. I want to Format my smart graphic. I mean they did a good job with that. These other programs with the ribbon seemed to have been built under the philosophy of "Okay well people obviously don't hate it and a lot of people like it, so lets put it everything without actually considering why people liked it..."
I hate it, why change something that everyone has got used to. Sure I can do basic things quicker, but less used features I used to use for acadmic documents I find a PITA to find.
I hardly use Office anymore anyway. LaTeX for the win!
Open Office is almost usable (the text based equation editor is quite nice actually) then when you try to do a drawing or a diagram and its like you have gone back to Windows 3.11 (well its drawing capability is actually worse than Word 6).
Sure you can use Inkscape or something I guess, but it should have at least some decent drawing tools inbuilt.
Originally Posted by PhizzyPhan69 Microsoft Office? You mean the software you have to pay for to do the same stuff that OpenOffice does for free?
I paid $20 for my copy of Microsoft Office because I'm a university student, but I had OpenOffice before and completely hated it. I used Google Docs instead of OpenOffice because I disliked it that much despite the limited features of Google Docs (although it had cloud convenience.) OpenOffice, to me, always seemed very slow and clumsy, and whether I saved a file in .doc or .odt (or whatever that filetype is) it never seemed to be properly formatted when I loaded it up on a school computer or reloaded the saved .doc. I just hated it so much.
The ribbon is okay if you get used to it. Although I'd personally prefer the drop-down menus as its a nice simple vertical list and is consistently used across non-Microsoft products.
Originally Posted by PhizzyPhan69 Microsoft Office? You mean the software you have to pay for to do the same stuff that OpenOffice does for free?
I paid $20 for my copy of Microsoft Office because I'm a university student, but I had OpenOffice before and completely hated it. I used Google Docs instead of OpenOffice because I disliked it that much despite the limited features of Google Docs (although it had cloud convenience.) OpenOffice, to me, always seemed very slow and clumsy, and whether I saved a file in .doc or .odt (or whatever that filetype is) it never seemed to be properly formatted when I loaded it up on a school computer or reloaded the saved .doc. I just hated it so much.
this is MADNESS!!
what is wrong with you jon? openoffice is a godsend.
A godsend as long as you do not care about formatting between Word/OO or diagrams. I know the formatting problem most people would blame on MS - but come on how long has this problem existed?
You can get office for £50 as a student, and IMO its worth it. Not many Uni's have OO installed, so good luck making those last minute changes to your report - "Damn all my formatting has gone screwy! Aieeeeeee"
Office 2003 is still the best. It has a proper interface (none of that ribbon crap you're talking about), 99% of the features found in 2007, good compatibility with other versions (incl. 2007 via a plugin), and you can buy a copy now for £20 - which is easily worth it when you consider how badly the alternative (Open Office) sucks.
This is the UK remember OMC (i.e. a complete and utter rip off) - and it is the full version (not home and student) via the MS Ultimate Steal - although you can get home and student a little bit cheaper. Some microsoft academic alliances do it very cheap or free along with free Windows (usually 7 or XP on offer).
@Sketchy: I prefer 2003 myself as well - who is selling it now? When I built my new PC all I could find was 07
Track? What is this? I do not like the sound of it either...!
Saving as a doc file in OO Writer and opening in MS Word usually looses a lot of formatting and editability for me. I tried doing it for a while on my 3rd degree (with a new PC) but I just gave up with the hassle and brought Office. Maybe okay if your doing simple written documents or if your uni has OO installed as well as office, but try swapping between OO and MS Office with a document full of equations, tables and graphs - its not fun.
Also the drawing tools in OO itself are really quite poor, sure they work but the results look really crude.
I had the exact same experience when I was at Uni (admittedly a long time ago now). I'd prepare my reports at home, using Open Office, and then when I came to try and print them on the Uni computers (running MS Office), the formatting would be all messed up.
If you're like me, sending out resumes to potential employers (who have requested .doc format), it's absolutely vital that the formatting and presentation are perfect (let's face it - they're not exactly going to be blown away by my experience and qualifications ).
If you're just doing stuff that you'll print out at home or whatever, then I guess OO is fine.
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- who is selling it now? When I built my new PC all I could find was 07 
).