I actually like global menus ... (Score: 3, Insightful) by danieldvorkin@pipedot.org on 2014-02-21 20:03 (#45) ... but I like choice even more. I really wish interface designers (or their bosses) would get this through their heads: when people are used to doing something a certain way, don't force them to do it a different way, unless it's absolutely necessary for the application to function. If you come up with a new way that you think is better, great, make it an option or even set it as the default--but always offer your users a choice of switching back to the behavior they're used to, preferably without jumping through a lot of hoops, or you will accomplish nothing good. Re: I actually like global menus ... (Score: 2, Interesting) by hyper@pipedot.org on 2014-02-21 23:54 (#4B) Options options options. Give users a choice if possible. The heart of enlightenment.Speaking of changes, I am looking at the latest OpenOffice.org Calc. It has the standard dropdown menus at the top starting from the left, File Edit Insert Format Tools Data Window Help, and on the right a large ribbonesque properties box taking up 1/7 of the screen showing icons for text alignment orientation cell border etc. I am not offended by this. It has been sitting there for the last few hours. I haven't used any of the options in this spreadsheet. It isn't offensive. It has an x in the top right corner for closing it.I find the MS Office ribbon highly offensive. I don't find this offensive. I can't quite put my finger on why.Your comment has inspired a theory: In OpenOffice Calc I can close this large panel of icons down easily. In MS Office I can't. Perhaps this simple ability to be able to remove the parts of the interface makes it more appealing.Or maybe that it is taking up horizontal room for which I have lots and not crowding the screen vertically. Re: I actually like global menus ... (Score: 1) by danieldvorkin@pipedot.org on 2014-02-22 01:04 (#4D) >Your comment has inspired a theory: In OpenOffice Calc I can close this large panel of icons down easily. In MS Office I can't. Perhaps this simple ability to be able to remove the parts of the interface makes it more appealing.Yep. I'm pretty sure that's it.
Re: I actually like global menus ... (Score: 2, Interesting) by hyper@pipedot.org on 2014-02-21 23:54 (#4B) Options options options. Give users a choice if possible. The heart of enlightenment.Speaking of changes, I am looking at the latest OpenOffice.org Calc. It has the standard dropdown menus at the top starting from the left, File Edit Insert Format Tools Data Window Help, and on the right a large ribbonesque properties box taking up 1/7 of the screen showing icons for text alignment orientation cell border etc. I am not offended by this. It has been sitting there for the last few hours. I haven't used any of the options in this spreadsheet. It isn't offensive. It has an x in the top right corner for closing it.I find the MS Office ribbon highly offensive. I don't find this offensive. I can't quite put my finger on why.Your comment has inspired a theory: In OpenOffice Calc I can close this large panel of icons down easily. In MS Office I can't. Perhaps this simple ability to be able to remove the parts of the interface makes it more appealing.Or maybe that it is taking up horizontal room for which I have lots and not crowding the screen vertically. Re: I actually like global menus ... (Score: 1) by danieldvorkin@pipedot.org on 2014-02-22 01:04 (#4D) >Your comment has inspired a theory: In OpenOffice Calc I can close this large panel of icons down easily. In MS Office I can't. Perhaps this simple ability to be able to remove the parts of the interface makes it more appealing.Yep. I'm pretty sure that's it.
Re: I actually like global menus ... (Score: 1) by danieldvorkin@pipedot.org on 2014-02-22 01:04 (#4D) >Your comment has inspired a theory: In OpenOffice Calc I can close this large panel of icons down easily. In MS Office I can't. Perhaps this simple ability to be able to remove the parts of the interface makes it more appealing.Yep. I'm pretty sure that's it.