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Microsoft shows off Windows 8 ribbon interface
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER Microsoft has confirmed that Windows Explorer will use its ribbon interface in its upcoming Windows 8 operating system.
Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system isn't scheduled for release until next year but that hasn't stopped the firm from trying to generate buzz. The company has been keen to show off the tiled interface but also turned its attention to the mundane Windows Explorer, which will now incorporate Microsoft's Marmite ribbon interface.
It seems Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky wasn't entirely sure about the firm's decision himself, saying, "We knew that using a ribbon for Explorer would likely be met with scepticism by a set of power-users (like me)." But he went on to explain that the interface would provide easier access to more functions.
Sinofsky said that the ribbon interface in Windows 8 will provide simpler access to third-party add-ons to Windows Explorer. Initially people familiar with the ribbon interface from Microsoft's Office suite will think that it is a flagrant waste of screen space, but Sinofsky says that more files can be viewed in a Windows Explorer window in Windows 8 than in Windows 7.
Microsoft's decision to include the ribbon interface in Windows Explorer is likely to raise the ire of some users despite Sinofsky's insistance that it better serves users. To please advanced users, Microsoft has incorporated more keyboard shortcuts for commands such as move to, rename and new folder.
Ever since Microsoft introduced the ribbon interface with its Office 2007 productivity suite, it was only a matter of time before it added that to its Windows operating system. The big surprise was that Windows 7 didn't have it, but it looks like by 2013 the user interface of Microsoft's two biggest products will finally be unified. µ
Tags: Microsoft
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Don't worry power users. For you there is always 3rd party software. I'm sure FreeCommander, Explorer++, Xplorer2 or something else will satisfy your needs.
And in other news, the latest version of the LoseDoze Operating System (O/S) - "8" - will allow users to install the internet onto their computers / tablets / smartfones, so the the users can browse the web and point and click and cut and paste and multitask and do all of the things that are so DIFFICULT if not outright IMPOSSIBLE to do with any other O/S.
And what happened to A: and B:, anyway?
@ Mick
"Not doubt Notepad etc will be like this too?"
Already halfway there... have you seen Wordpad on Windows 7?
@ Mitchell
You're obviously too young to have ever used Office 2003, because it had all the "ribbon features" you describe without taking up the top 30% of your screen.
The ribbon was a good idea on paper, but doesn't work well with the modern trend of super-wide 16x9 screens. On a low resolution laptop, the ribbon takes up far too much real estate.
I'd like to see Microsoft evaluate the current widescreen trend and shift interfaces toward the left and right edges of the screen, as the sides are often wasted space in many applications.
And Microsoft's new motto: "We don't care where you want to go today, we're going where we want to go whether you like it or not."
The one thing Microsoft never considers when changing the interface of Windows or Office is the cost of retraining the millions of business users who are forced to work with their products. Well, that' not strictly true; after all, Microsoft does make hundreds of millions of dollars annually from selling training course to their captive customers.
So I think that's the real reason for the change; Microsoft doesn't expect to make as large a profit from Windows 8 as they did from Windows XP, so they're planning to make it up by charging for the training.
Ugh, but at least this article points out that Microsoft have added new keyboard shortcuts (seriously, there wasn't one for new folder before?).
"Sinofsky says that more files can be viewed in a Windows Explorer window in Windows 8 than in Windows 7."
That's because you've moved the File Info panel, not because of the Ribbon. Without the ribbon you could show even more files.
Luckily the Ribbon is customisable, so you can indeed set it up in this desirable manner.
Worse is the cruft around the ribbon, the multiple icons and tabs...
The ribbon is great just create a custom ribbon one of all the items you use daily and then they are one click away. This is much better than right click option sub option or going up to file and where it that again?
Those who complain about the ribbon never take the time to understand it and surely never realized they can create a customized one of all the stuff they could ever want in a click. Its like creating your own custom interface for the application.
As for the complainers that cry about it taking up screen space never discovered the little button on the right that allows you to hide the ribbon.
Having Explorer looking similar to any version of word etc is stupid. Not doubt Notepad etc will be like this too?
What are all these filenames doing in my word document? delete delete delete!
If the Ribbon was a Star Trek character, it would be Wesley Crusher, no question. It's teeth-clenchingly annoying, a total waste of space, thinks it's a lot smarter than it actually is and everybody hates it except for its creator.