Menu bar in Office 2007

[jeet]

This question might sound crazy, but is there any way to disable the ribbon interface and get back the old Menu system in office 2007 ?

thanks,

jeet

[CoffeeFiend]

You're just going to have to get used to it (or stick to an old version forever). But once you do, you won't want to go back. I think it's pretty slick.

The concept of ribbons seems to be catching on too, MS even licenses the interface to other devs, so likely you'll see this used in many apps in the near future.

[MGadAllah]

I think MS is trying to make the interface unique

[BraytonAK]

This question might sound crazy, but is there any way to disable the ribbon interface and get back the old Menu system in office 2007 ?

thanks,

jeet

You cannot use an old menu style in Office 2007. You can Auto-hide the ribbon, but that's as close as you'll get. I'm quite fond of the ribbon, myself, and would like it see it appear in other places.

The only thing customizable about the new interface is the tiny little row of user-selectable icons at the top left of the entire window. (Just to the right of the Office button. Default icons are for Save, Undo, Redo.)

[WATYF]

This question might sound crazy, but is there any way to disable the ribbon interface and get back the old Menu system in office 2007 ?

thanks,

jeet

I don't think it's crazy at all... I can't stand the new GUI (and "just getting used to" a slower and less efficient interface isn't a very enticing alternative), so I wrote a little script to display the "old look" in the Add-Ins ribbon. It's a clunky work-in-progress, but it might help you a little.

http://www.musicalnerdery.com/nerdery/gett...07-sort-of.html

WATYF

[spacesurfer]

So you spent a week trying to make Office 2007 look like Office 2003!! You could have used that time to customize the ribbon the way you want in 1 day.

Here a link on how to customize the ribbon: How To Modify Word's Ribbon..

In my opinion, the ribbon is so much better than Office 2003's menus. Everything is right there. If you have the patients to learn where things are, you'll be able to figure out what you use most and just add it to the Home tab.

Anyway, everyone has their preferences. I've gotten used to the Ribbon now. It's hard to go back.

[MGadAllah]

How To Modify Word's Ribbon..

Thanks

[WATYF]

So you spent a week trying to make Office 2007 look like Office 2003!! You could have used that time to customize the ribbon the way you want in 1 day.

I spent a couple of days looking into how to customize Office they way I want to, because I'm going to have to install and use it on at least five different machines in the near future. Finding a *quick* and easy way to apply a bulk customization to Office's interface was in my best interest. Now that I've written the script, applying it to any future installs will literally take seconds.

Here a link on how to customize the ribbon: How To Modify Word's Ribbon..

You may want to take a look at the CustomUI Editor. It's a bit easier than manually modifying the XML file (changing extensions, etc).

In my opinion, the ribbon is so much better than Office 2003's menus. Everything is right there. If you have the patients to learn where things are, you'll be able to figure out what you use most and just add it to the Home tab

That's great. I'm glad you like it... but I don't. Everything isn't "right there". With the old toolbar, everything was "right there", but now, everything is scattered across 8 different ribbons (and sometimes in a dropdown list). Things that used to take me one click (i.e. *everything* I commonly did) now take me 3-4 clicks, not to mention trying to remember which Ribbon they're on. And yeah... I tried to get used to it for a few days to see if it would stick... it didn't. Maybe using the same interface for 15 years is a little harder to "turn off" then they're implying.

WATYF

Edited January 4, 2007 by WATYF

[RAPC]

"You're just going to have to get used to it (or stick to an old version forever). But once you do, you won't want to go back. I think it's pretty slick" from CoffeeFiend

and "In my opinion, the ribbon is so much better than Office 2003's menus. " from SpaceCadet oops sorry spacesurfer

Naaaah , I'm with you WATYF, it sucks, and sucks the life out of personal productivity.

We deployed it 6 months ago and still we regularly get totally frustrated people who can't find the function they want to use and when they do find it, it has often taken a few go's to get it.

The interface is obviously not intuative when even the quickest and brightest get hamstrung with it.

I'm going to try out a freebie called Word Menus and if it's any good I reckon I'll make myself a hero.

[tum0r]

There is an add-in called Classic Menus for Office 2007, but it's not free.

[spacesurfer]

There is an add-in called Classic Menus for Office 2007, but it's not free.

You mean http://www.addintools.com/english/menuoffice/default.htm. This has been discussed here many times.

All it does is add a tab that mimics the classic menus. It's still a ribbon.