We all know that Windows 7 is on its way, planned for release somewhere late 2009 or early 2010. We already know it will have a multitouch framework, no major kernel and/or driver framework changes, and a new taskbar people at Microsoft are not supposed to talk about right now. The firs two milestone releases didn't appear to be very exciting, but now there is - supposedly - a milestone 3 (build 6780) release, and there is a screenshot, and more information on UI changes. According to Microsoft blogger Stephen Chapman, the ribbon will make its way to Windows 7.
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Member since:2005-11-09
Member since:2006-01-17
Member since:2005-07-07
I don't know if you're being sarcastic, but I find the ribbon a very useful UI invention. Granted, I wouldn't go so far as to call using a ribbon UI a dream (which could easily turn into a nightmare!).
Still, it's is a very clever way of making the functionality of a complex application easily accessible without cluttering up the screen with toolbars/coolbars/palettes/etc.
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-11-10
This actually gives me hope.
The Ribbon is the first seriously long, hard look at the whole concept of the WIMP interface in 20 years.
The Office team managed to remove the menu, entirely, from one of the worst possible programs that you could have taken as an example. Office had hundreds of menus, approaching a hundred toolbars - it would be the equivalent of redesigning Photoshop to have no menu or toolbars, or Maya, or 3D Studio Max. That is the level of complexity they had to approach, and succeeded.
The Ribbon is proven by user testing to be better. The only users who suffer with it are, guess who, indignant old users who prefer the old model and are unwilling to adapt. It's like MFC runs through their veins.
Using the ribbon for 7 gives me hope it might just make Windows functionality up-front and accessible to all users.
Edited 2008-09-18 20:21 UTC
Member since:2005-11-29
Member since:2005-07-06
The Ribbon is the first seriously long, hard look at the whole concept of the WIMP interface in 20 years.
Agreed. I was waiting for a moment when someone would finally come up with an alternative to the jungle that is menu's and toolbars. The problem is that the old way of doing things just isn't scalable - or worse, what happens is that the end user assumes that the feature doesn't exist but it does - but hidden behind layers of menus.
The Ribbon is proven by user testing to be better. The only users who suffer with it are, guess who, indignant old users who prefer the old model and are unwilling to adapt. It's like MFC runs through their veins..
When one talks to the 'little people' - the real people out there who use Microsoft software, day in and day out; they're bloody happy with the new interface. The only people who hate it are those self appointed 'power users' - I'm sure you've seen them in businesses, a mouse with 1000 buttons, thinks they're computer genius's because they remember 100 short cuts off by heart.
For me, I've got Office 2008 on my Mac, and the ribbon work has even found its way in (to some degree) their Office 2008 for Mac - and believe me, having used all the versions prior, it makes a HUGE difference when it comes to usability.
I want to see the WHOLE interface WPF based and using Ribbon everywhere. I want one consistent user experience right through out the operating system rather than the a hodgepodge of the different UI experiences so far with the the current operating systems.
Edited 2008-09-18 21:19 UTC
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2007-08-22
The Ribbon is the first seriously long, hard look at the whole concept of the WIMP interface in 20 years.
True.
Perhaps true in complexity level. I don't think they necessarily succeeded in every aspect yet though...
No, I adapt quite well. For example, I really can't stand MFC and love Qt. I'm also eagerly awaiting KDE4; and primarily use OpenOffice.
I have also used Office 2007, and it drives me nuts. My wife (who had to use it at her last jobs) love it; but I much prefer the older UI as it actually had things that made sense and were practical. I don't like have to scroll through numerous tabs just to find the one function that was easily accessible before.
Fortunately, I'll be able to install Office 2007 SP1 on her laptop too, and then she'll be able to natively use ODF again.
Windows is far from being "up-front and accessible to all users" any more. Yes, they are still one of the few that support both keyboard & mouse out-of-the-box (short-cuts, etc.); but they're fast falling behind. The requirements of Vista show that very well.
Now, if they managed to get Win7 to have an default install-base of < 200 MB (with GUI and basic applications), improve performance, etc. then I'll be impressed.
Member since:2005-07-06
The problem is that MS will not force app developers (be it 1st or 3rd party) to use Ribbon eg by removing the classic toolbar implementations (there are several part of Windows already). This means that the Windows GUI will be further diversified. Some apps use the toolbar implementation that first shipped with Win95, others use the toolbar that's also available since IE4, other's use Window.Forms from .NET, and many other are using custom widgets (Firefox, OpenOffice, MS Office, WordPerfect Office, Photoshop,...).
Member since:2006-05-13
Member since:
2005-12-04
Just imagine Windows Explorer with ribbon UI.
Scares me..