Microsoft Details Ribbonised Explorer for Windows 8
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Mon 29th Aug 2011 22:27 UTC
Windows Ah yes, Windows Explorer. One of the oldest parts of Windows, and yet, it's far from perfect. It's hated less than, say, the Finder (but that's no achievement), but most geeks I know aren't particularly fond of it either. For Windows 8, Microsoft is going to make the biggest change ever to Explorer's interface: it's getting the ribbon treatment.
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RE[2]: LALALALA I can't hear you
by steogede2 on Tue 30th Aug 2011 12:36 UTC in reply to "RE: LALALALA I can't hear you"
steogede2
Member since:
2007-08-17

"Microsoft, "The telemetry data here shows that 54.5% of commands are invoked using a right-click context menu, and another 32.2% are invoked using keyboard shortcuts (“Hotkey” above) while only 10.9% come from the Command bar, the most visible UI element in Explorer in Windows 7 and Vista."

And what improvements then does the right-click context menu have? It's like they ignored the most important telemetry data, and focus on the unused ribbon instead.


They have addressed it - they've realised that the features end users want are residing in the right click menu when they should be front and centre in an easy to access location rather than requiring the number of clicks today that is required. The conclusion, get these features in a place where you don't have to go through several layers of menus hence there is the ribbon. "

No that is not what they found. They found that users most frequently access the features they need using the context menu. Users do this not because the toolbars and menus are insufficient. They do this because it is the most efficient route:
i.e. you select the files using the mouse and right click or you select the files with the cursor keys and press the context menu key.

The most commonly used features are already on the context sensitive toolbar - people don't use it because it is a long way from the files they just selected. What isn't on the toolbar is the more powerful, less frequently used features - this is where the ribbon improves things (especially for capable users). The OP was right when he says they should have concentrated on the context menu - to some extent. That said, it is probably less in need of improvement.

Improving the right menu - how? it is a friggin right click menu there is nothing you can do it with apart form re-arrange somethings and that is about it.


Really? You could say the same about the toolbar. Everything they have done to the toolbar/ribbon can be done to the context menu. Having watched the video, I think the new ribbon is great, but I for one hope that most of the new features make it to the context menu.

Edited 2011-08-30 12:42 UTC

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