Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

re: Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

jpattrappaport — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:23:28 GMT

For some users, the ribbon works well. For others, it doesn't. What I don't understand is why Microsoft doesn't give us a choice: use the classical menu interface, or use the ribbon interface. Allowing such a choice would not present a technical challenge, it seems to me. Menu items would function the same as a Ribbon icon.

re: Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

jpattrappaport — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:15:31 GMT

The response to the ribbon seems to be "bi-modal": you love it or you hate it. I imagine the same will prove true with Backstage. Personally, I hate the ribbon. (But I also greatly value some of the functional changes in 2007).

What I have never understood is why Microsoft doesn't give the user a choice on which interface to use. It seems to me there could be a simple check box in each application's options section to use one or the other. Adoption of the ribbon by users who ultimately will prefer it would probably be slower. But this would seem an acceptable consequence for allowing millions of dedicated Office users to continue to make the Office applications dance.

re: Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

Brian Coverstone — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:47:51 GMT

I really like the splitting of "IN" and "OUT" features, though the idea that Microsoft is splitting those features isn't very intuitive. Now that I've read this article, I see Outlook 2010 in a different light.

But one big problem I see is the 3rd party support. The option has been removed to have floating toolbars in lieu of limited ribbons. I work for a company that has written an extensive Outlook plugin to embed our software into Outlook. Most of our users that turn to Outlook need our software and want a dash of Outlook. Now they are forced to need Outlook with a dash of our software. Though have updated to the new ribbon style, it isn't as accessible to our users as the floating toolbar was. Everything they do requires one more click now.

Now if Microsoft were to allow a floatable ribbon... Maybe the quickaccess toolbar could be made to show a floating ribbon below it? That would solve the UI issues.

re: Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

suzi — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 16:26:42 GMT

this redefines TMI. I just need to see how to quickly view backstage area to, hopefully, apply a digital signature. <sigh>

re: Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

starmonche — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 05:15:24 GMT

NathanD: Shh. Yes, one can eventually grow accustomed to the Ribbon but there's no REAL reason to have to. The Ribbon doesn't connect to anything that the 2003 menu couldn't and it was a terrible decision on Microsoft's part to cripple something that worked just "because they could". My company will stick with Office 2003 for as long as possible solely because M$ got rid of the familiar menu style. You're calling people lazy for resisting a change that was put in place by a marketing person's whims. fail.

re: Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

Bruce Ferguson — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 02:21:00 GMT

While I understand and acknowledge for some users the issue is finding stuff, but for seriously advanced users of office:

eg) financial analysts, management consultants, engineers and the like, the system should also have the tools like the CAD cam systems, where you can place the most often used tools anywhere you want around the screen and have the non used ones (and the ribbon disappear). The current customisation is too limited (two few buttons, and locations to have the personalisation)

re: Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

thenonhacker — Sat, 01 May 2010 19:13:23 GMT

This is about Excel 2010 Print Preview.

How come in Excel 2010 Print Preview, you still have to click the "Show Print Preview" button in the backstage?

In Word 2010, there is no need for this -- you got the Print Preview right after clicking "File -> Print".

But in Excel 2010, you gotta do "File -> Print -> Show Print Preview".

re: Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

Suresh Kumar Udatha — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 07:05:47 GMT

Even-tho we are most familer with Office 2007, we didn't know why microsoft change from menus to ribbions.

Really this article clear everything regarding UI for Office Application.

The idea of IN and OUT features was owesome.

Excellent work Mr.Clay, hope we'll get you like this in future.

re: Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

iRollyRomero — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:30:56 GMT

Yo si que estoy sorprendido, me encanta como ha ido evolucionando Microsoft Office, a comparación del 2003, que era deprimente, aburrido y nada simplista, ahora si estoy convencido que estan trabajando duro para mejoramiento de recursos; en el 2007 tenia que buscar aplicaciones de complemento para guardar en XPS o PDF y ahora esto vuela:

Solo una cosa y espero que presten ATENCIÓN, a mi como a muchas personas nos encanta la iconografia, (como el boton inicio [Start] de la ventana de Windows) asi como el de office 2007 y me encantaria como a muchos que existiera una opcion de personalizar la opciones de uso o de la barra de herramientas, digo sería super moderno no? Buen dia!!!.

re: Microsoft Office Backstage (Part 1 – Backstory)

Ha di — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 06:24:41 GMT

感觉不如07的运行速度！