Don’t Look for MS’ “ribbon” in OpenOffice.org
Microsoft wants everybody to use it’s new “ribbon” UI. Well, almost everybody.
Microsoft is licensing its new UI to companies in hopes that it will become more common and users will find it more comfortable and easy to navigate.
The company plans to let outside developers license the on-screen interface from the upcoming versions of Word, Excel and other core Office programs, royalty free . . . Microsoft wants to see the elements of its revamped interface become more familiar to PC users . . . The company named 15 initial companies that plan to license the interface for their applications . . .
Click on the thumbnail to view a screenshot of the ribbon in Microsoft Word 2007
Photo from Microsoft
However, Microsoft is being careful not to let any competitors use “their” idea. They aren’t letting any software makers use the ribbon who compete directly with the Office programs. This would include OpenOffice.org, the free, open-source office suite. But it appears that the OpenOffice.org team wouldn’t be interested anyways. Like any self-respecting open source geek would want anything to do with Microsoft.
It’s not apparent that rivals would want to directly license the interface even if Microsoft offered. A leader of the OpenOffice.org project, which makes a competing set of free programs, wasn’t overly impressed when Microsoft unveiled the ribbon last year.
“Microsoft’s innovation here, if you want to call it that, is fine, but it’s not anything that we haven’t discussed or looked at,” said Louis Suarez-Potts, community manager for OpenOffice.org, when asked about it at the time.
So, look for a lot of people to be very confused when they can’t figure out how to copy and paste in their new $300 copy of Microsoft Word and many happy people quickly and freely getting their work done in OpenOffice.org.
technorati tags: microsoft, office, microsoftoffice, ribbon, ui, openoffice.org, openoffice, opensource, open, source, design
OpenOffice.org and other free software must explore other, more modern and more visually pleasing design. Evolve the UI like Microsoft’s Office suite.
Comment by Aleksandersen — 11.27.06 @ 3:01 pm
I totally agree. I have said before that I think that open-source software needs more eye candy to be more successful. Some people think it justs bloats the software, and they are probably right, but a normal user is mostly concerned about ease of use in a GUI and how the software looks. If it doesn’t look professional, people aren’t going to think it is professional.
Comment by Hogg — 11.27.06 @ 10:23 pm
I think OpenOffice.org have done a fantastic job in providing a robust, feature filled office package that doesn’t cost a cent.
From those of us that can’t afford to keep buying new versions of software every year especially when you get “damaged goods” that have the promise of service packs and patches that will eventually, several months to years later give you what you paid for.
OpenOffice.org is always evolving and will continue to deliver as an excellent software package should.
Comment by Fernando — 11.28.06 @ 12:56 am
I don’t think it matters. All OOo needs is a robust themes system (if it doesn’t already) and sit back and wait for someone to make their own “ribbon” plugin. No big deal.
The only big thing is most noobs who see the ribbon will probably go back to thinking open-source software is inferior. Even though MS office has hardly seen any innovations since its first versions. And ignoring the fact that the ribbon would never have happened if it weren’t for innovations from open-source projects and Apple…
…As they go out to upgrade their computers of course.
Comment by Dagibit — 01.6.07 @ 6:28 pm
” Like any self-respecting open source geek would want anything to do with Microsoft. ”
Are you freaking kidding me? The whole “Desktop Linux” uses concepts ripped from other OSes.
Comment by SF — 04.19.07 @ 1:53 am
“Some people think it justs bloats the software, and they are probably right, but a normal user is mostly concerned about ease of use in a GUI and how the software looks. If it doesn’t look professional, people aren’t going to think it is professional.”
I personally use the “Classic Skin” on my XP and have no plans to upgrade to Vista.
Eye candy is OK as long as it doesn’t make the software look like a circus. MS Office 2003/2007 look = ok.
The usual problem with OO apps is that they DO look like a circus on Linux because most Linux distros feature ugly skins.
Comment by SF — 04.19.07 @ 1:58 am
“Are you freaking kidding me? The whole “Desktop Linux” uses concepts ripped from other OSes.”
I don’t know what you mean, Linux doesn’t even have a standard desktop enviromment, you can use whatever you want, and Linux got a graphical interface before Windows appeared
another noob trying to look intelligent
Your statement is simply pointless
Comment by I hate noobs! — 04.21.07 @ 8:59 am
Personally, I hate the Office 2007 Ribbon. If contributing developers of OOo decide to implement their own version of that useless thing, PLEASE don’t remove the choice of using real menus and toolbars.
Comment by Mike — 06.22.07 @ 11:52 am
I think the ribbon was just the start of a major change in GUI’s. The iPhone has actually brought into perspective a different way of handling things. As far as the ribbon being so “innovative”, I remember ribbon-style interfaces since music trackers were becoming common in ‘85 or thereabouts.
I think interfaces for programs are going to change radically over the next three years. The ribbon is just the beginning.
3d flipping/rotating menu extensions that are part of a ribbon-like system that you can flip through using the middle mouse button and dragging up or down, similar to how the desktops in Beryl flip like a cube but this would be vertically. Dragging and dropping one option onto another option. Possible use of more than one pointing device at a time. Pressure sensitive mouse buttons. There are a lot of things coming.
There is enough experience in game interfaces to now know what is more intuitive and what forces people to think very structured and rigid, and fruits of that knowledge is starting to finally make its way into the GUI’s of operating systems. I think it’s exciting.
Comment by Kizzume — 08.6.07 @ 2:35 am
use pie menus!
Comment by thor — 09.8.07 @ 2:00 am
To much eye candy for me! I am a Command line guy that feels KIS is the best motto. Give me what I need to get the job done quick and easy and then and get out of my face. Watching things flip around spin to the point of being dizzying and confusing is fine if you are watching The Wall with a hit of acid but this should not be the case when trying to figure out a word possessor. If Open Office things of going this rout I may be forced back to something easy to figure out like LaTeX.
Comment by Jason — 03.4.08 @ 3:46 pm
The ribbon interface is disgusting. It makes me want to puke.
Comment by Jim — 03.6.08 @ 8:09 pm
They can’t actually patent the “ribbon” interface (in the UK, at least), since they made the invention public before getting a patent.
Comment by beojan — 04.3.08 @ 11:15 am