[ Poll ] Do you like the Ribbon in Windows 8?

[Grunt]

Personally, i see no requirement for this. Most of the commands can be done with keyboard combinations or using right click menu. I've rarely used toolbars in explorer since XP came out. Only to get Folder Options or Map Network Drive

[The_Decimator]

I reserve judgement until after having been able to try it out. Here's hoping for a public preview build to be released at BUILD two weeks from now.

Take it from someone who has, even with some of the basic functions disabled. (Can't say why I've used it, I got my warn increased last time I did, although think about it a little, it's not that hard to figure out.) It's fine.

[BoneyardBrew Member]

I don't like it in this state. Adds way too many functions that could be neatly stored away in menus.

My ideal Explorer would be the Back/Forward Buttons, a combined Address/Search Bar, and a nice compact icon that triggers a menu.

[Roxkis]

From just looking at it; I don't like it. Like others have said it seems like a masive waste of space. I can't say I won't change my mind after using it tho.

And for god sakes its still no ****ing tabs for explorer!? It's 2011 and MS still hasn' added tabs!? With all there groups of people working on this OS, no one thought adding tabs was a good idea!? Really!?...

[FMH]

MS should allow the user to customize it 100%.

They probably will, for the most "controversial" features.

[Zain Adeel]

i voted for will wait for RTM. How it looks right now its pure ugly. I dont think microsoft are just gona let it be like this. They are going to work or unveil a new UI. if they dont...

ill have to theme this all and make it somehow pretty when it will most likely still look ugly as it is :(

[~Johnny]

"Absolutely LOVE it! (like every other thing that comes out of Microsoft)"

Can there not just be a general "like it" option instead of being forced to be lumped into liking everything Microsoft does?

Anyway, I think it's a good idea. Power users on this site might not find it much use, but a lot of less-well-educated PC users, most of the population, will probably find it very helpful to have these features all nicely exposed to them and very clearly labelled.

Plus, most importantly, if we'll be using this on a touch screen & tablets, easy-to-press ribbon buttons beats commands all being stuck in little menus or hidden behind right click context menus. <img>

[Zain Adeel]

Why cant the Windows Phone 7 design team work on Windows 8??

im pretty sure they know the meaning of consistency.

[-KJ]

Is it customizable? I would like a no text option; that would drastically lessen the clutter and wasted space.

[FMH]

i voted for will wait for RTM. How it looks right now its pure ugly. I dont think microsoft are just gona let it be like this. They are going to work or unveil a new UI. if they dont...

ill have to theme this all and make it somehow pretty when it will most likely still look ugly as it is :(

But you are a PC.

[Zain Adeel]

number

1: 3 icons on the top left? WHAT? i hated the 1 in windows 7 and vista. now we get 3? and those too in windows explorer which was the only place there were none and no title and i loved it.

2: Why does the library tools indicating have to live on the glass bar just next to the title? What is this? i seriously dont understand if this was a joke or what.

3: These icons look pathetic. Windows XP icons were better. On one hand you simplify everything with windows 7. And now you are moving in reverse? Making it all look like cartoon network?

4: Come on. no IE9 back forward buttons? This really makes me think if the design team has not gone over this at all and a major overhaul is to be unveiled. Huge disappointment if no such plans :(

5: View options in the ribbon. and those 2 buttons below. Why crowding the interface with different buttons that will do the same thing? This is too cluttered.

[Gaffney]

My gran might use it, not me. Good for people who have problems with shortcuts. Imagine if word didn't have any buttons for most of it's features.

[Zain Adeel]

im a PC because of Windows 7

:(

i have a great idea for microsoft.

i am thinking they are doing all this to make it easy for touch based devices.

Why dont they just remove all this as soon as windows 8 recognizes a keyboard attachment and actually teach everybody to use easy shortcuts for copy paste?

when no keyboard is detected they can implement a smooth drop down ribbon on the press of a button with all the buttons equally sized and like a horizontal swipable menu...

it will look classy!

[Jan Veteran]

It's still very early Zain, expect a lot to change. Look at Office 2012's ribbon for what it might look like.

[FMH]

im a PC because of Windows 7

:(

i have a great idea for microsoft.

i am thinking they are doing all this to make it easy for touch based devices.

Why dont they just remove all this as soon as windows 8 recognizes a keyboard attachment and actually teach everybody to use easy shortcuts for copy paste?

when no keyboard is detected they can implement a smooth drop down ribbon on the press of a button with all the buttons equally sized and like a horizontal swipable menu...

it will look classy!

You have some good points, but I think there will be major improvements as the beta progresses. I don't think this is the final design at all. Look at this below, you probably have seen it. This is what they have been aiming for, but will show the final look at the BUILD. This may just be a show of concept. Don't be disheartened(....yet!).

[Zain Adeel]

any hi res shots of what you posted?

also i havent seen the new office ribbon im stuck on Office 2007 :p

[Zain Adeel]

and what you posted looks very neat actually. I cant find a hi res shot. But it looks really nice. If thats what they are aiming for then that pretty good.. :)

[Jen Smith]

So far I'm liking it, not sure why some are making a stink about it. I'm all for a consistent interface, and besides the thing can be collapsed anyway, or flat out replaced via a shell extension when the modding community gets ahold of it. Have to wait and see how the final version looks of course. Not keen on the idea of a tabbed file manager, I never use the thing on my BSD boxes, had it on my old XP install but never used it there either. Just don't see how it would help the workflow in any way. Now a dual-pane file browser on the other hand I can see, but with Aero snap I haven't really missed it there either, haven't fired up FreeCommander since the XP days.

1: 3 icons on the top left? WHAT? i hated the 1 in windows 7 and vista. now we get 3? and those too in windows explorer which was the only place there were none and no title and i loved it.

2: Why does the library tools indicating have to live on the glass bar just next to the title? What is this? i seriously dont understand if this was a joke or what.

3: These icons look pathetic. Windows XP icons were better. On one hand you simplify everything with windows 7. And now you are moving in reverse? Making it all look like cartoon network?

4: Come on. no IE9 back forward buttons? This really makes me think if the design team has not gone over this at all and a major overhaul is to be unveiled. Huge disappointment if no such plans :(

5: View options in the ribbon. and those 2 buttons below. Why crowding the interface with different buttons that will do the same thing? This is too cluttered.

1 - That's a shortcut bar of sorts, you can pin commands to that (super handy once you get used to having it), plus you can move it to the bottom or disable it entirely.

2 - Different tabs will create sub-tabs.. they'll appear and disappear depending on context.

3 - They're the same as the Windows 7 icons, no surprise as they're building on Windows 7, and I doubt finalized. Besides.. they're icons, you can replace them.

4 - Again, work in progress, same as 7's as that's not part of the ribbon, that's whole line is a different element.

5 - Not sure what you mean on this one, the view tab brings up an entirely different set of commands; the two below (copy/move) aren't on that tab.

[Zain Adeel]

it was the circle at the bottom.

thank you for explaining it to me.

The problem isnt that if its handy or not.

The thing is ... The title bar shouldnt be the place for it. It can be implemented in some other place where it will look neater. Funtionality never means to sacrifice good and simple design. You just have to find the balance between them. And this certainly in the current form isnt balanced.

[Ci7]

I hate Hate HATE the ribbon UI.

I love windows, and most microsoft products, but this ribbon crap is ugly, bloated, and annoying.

I hated when they implemented it in windows live essentials, (live writer, etc). Just makes it harder to find the options i need, and adds alot that arent needed.

I never understood why some people liked it.

because it expose the buried deep function on the older "menu" system

i like it better!

[Max Norris]

The problem isnt that if its handy or not.

The thing is ... The title bar shouldnt be the place for it. It can be implemented in some other place where it will look neater. Funtionality never means to sacrifice good and simple design. You just have to find the balance between them. And this certainly in the current form isnt balanced.

Why not in the title bar, it's just wasted space otherwise. Besides, you can move it to the bottom or just turn it off if it offends you that bad. For the buttons in the statusbar, that's convenience. Makes it easy to change the view mode without having to hop onto a different tab of the ribbon. That's hardly new either, there's been buttons in the statusbar since Fluent (2007).

[~Johnny]

You have some good points, but I think there will be major improvements as the beta progresses. I don't think this is the final design at all. Look at this below, you probably have seen it. This is what they have been aiming for, but will show the final look at the BUILD. This may just be a show of concept. Don't be disheartened(....yet!).

That shot wasn't what they were aiming for - that was one of their concept design's used early on in creating the new conflict resolution dialog. It evolved into what they showed a few days ago. http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/08/26/designing-the-windows-8-file-name-collision-experience.aspx

<img>

[MS Bob 11]

To be honest, I think a simple *customizable* toolbar would have sufficed. Those who want power user features can add the buttons they want. Those who prefer a clean look don't add any buttons to keep it clean. Ribbon adds complexity and increases number of clicks. But as long as it's minimizable, I see no big problem or interface issue. Just hide it and add whatever commands you need to the Quick Access Toolbar.

[~Johnny]

To be honest, I think a simple *customizable* toolbar would have sufficed. Those who want power user features can add the buttons they want. Those who prefer a clean look don't add any buttons to keep it clean. Ribbon adds complexity and increases number of clicks. But as long as it's minimizable, I see no big problem or interface issue. Just hide it and add whatever commands you need to the Quick Access Toolbar.

For a number of tasks it's going to reduce the number of clicks - simple because so many options are already there and clearly labelled on the first tab of the ribbon, instead of tucked away in menus inside toolbars or buttons. The added benefit of descriptive tooltips for each item on the ribbon too is very helpful, something you don't tend to get with standard toolbar menus.

It's also exposing a number of commands that would have taken drilling down into submenus and popup windows and various other tabs and lists just to find and chage / use.

Useful features like "copy path", which I didn't even know existed in Windows 8, are brought to the forefront, along with things that usually took a while to enable, like show / hide file extensions, etc. As an aside It really is worth people taking the time to browse through the original article Microsoft posted http://blogs.msdn.co...s-explorer.aspx

The new design also allows for more items on the screen, even with the ribbon open.

And for those that aren't fans - minimise, uses Quick Access Toolbar (he's moved the toolbar out of the title bar here, you can put it up there if you want)

<img>

[John S. Veteran]

Wow...really? No I despise it...they ruined the Windows version of Office with it. I was so thankful the latest Mac version of Office doesn't include this mess.