RE chessbase light

[tmokonen]

I wasn't suggesting I make up your mind in preferences, just that there be a bit of objectivity regarding the genuine difference in quality of the GUI designs.

Comments that it is hard to find things with it, that it takes up space when activated, supposedly as opposed to menus, which is of course not true, are not valid comments. Ribbons take up space when activated as do menus. Items need to be found in a ribbon, so do they in menus. Etc. This was my comment with Tom, when he suggested it was a ribbon issue that made Aquarium ungainly. It isn't. Stick 100 items into either a menu or a ribbon, and both will be ungainly.

In both cases, the only issue in terms of productivity is learning to use them proficiently, which is much like using anything that is different. Most people are resistant to change, and will fight it tooth and nail. It is common.

I have to side with the ribbons haters on this issue. I HATE HATE HATE this stupid abomination of an "innovation". I hated it when I first saw it in Office 2007, and I still hate it now. All the ribbon does is combine all the toolbars and all of the menus in an application, into a disorganized and monolithic mess.

What was wrong with toolbars and menus? With a menu system, I generally know what to expect. If I am using a new application for the first time, I know that the File menu will have options for loading and saving files. I know that the Edit menu will have function for things like copying, pasting and replacing. Menus provide a logical and EXPECTED organization.

With toolbars, I can turn the ones I use often on, and turn off the ones I don't use. I don't have that option with a ribbon, I get it all whether I want to or not. Toolbars are more flexible than ribbons, and use up much less real estate.

When I used Access 2007 for the first time, it threw me in a complete loop. I'm still constantly clicking around, trying to find that one feature I want when I use that program. The ribbon is too big, unwieldy and hodge-podgey to allow a user to get up to speed quickly. There's no visual consistency to a ribbon; it's all different button sizes, and I think it's this inconsistency and "everything but the kitchen sink" approach that causes the ribbon to be hard to use. It's just too much info to absorb all at once.

I found it hard to articulate exactly what bugs me so about the ribbon, but I hope my point came across.

[tomgdrums]

I wasn't suggesting I make up your mind in preferences, just that there be a bit of objectivity regarding the genuine difference in quality of the GUI designs.

Comments that it is hard to find things with it, that it takes up space when activated, supposedly as opposed to menus, which is of course not true, are not valid comments. Ribbons take up space when activated as do menus. Items need to be found in a ribbon, so do they in menus. Etc. This was my comment with Tom, when he suggested it was a ribbon issue that made Aquarium ungainly. It isn't. Stick 100 items into either a menu or a ribbon, and both will be ungainly.

In both cases, the only issue in terms of productivity is learning to use them proficiently, which is much like using anything that is different. Most people are resistant to change, and will fight it tooth and nail. It is common.

I have to side with the ribbons haters on this issue. I HATE HATE HATE this stupid abomination of an "innovation". I hated it when I first saw it in Office 2007, and I still hate it now. All the ribbon does is combine all the toolbars and all of the menus in an application, into a disorganized and monolithic mess.

What was wrong with toolbars and menus? With a menu system, I generally know what to expect. If I am using a new application for the first time, I know that the File menu will have options for loading and saving files. I know that the Edit menu will have function for things like copying, pasting and replacing. Menus provide a logical and EXPECTED organization.

With toolbars, I can turn the ones I use often on, and turn off the ones I don't use. I don't have that option with a ribbon, I get it all whether I want to or not. Toolbars are more flexible than ribbons, and use up much less real estate.

When I used Access 2007 for the first time, it threw me in a complete loop. I'm still constantly clicking around, trying to find that one feature I want when I use that program. The ribbon is too big, unwieldy and hodge-podgey to allow a user to get up to speed quickly. There's no visual consistency to a ribbon; it's all different button sizes, and I think it's this inconsistency and "everything but the kitchen sink" approach that causes the ribbon to be hard to use. It's just too much info to absorb all at once.

I found it hard to articulate exactly what bugs me so about the ribbon, but I hope my point came across.

Actually I think you managed to articulate EXACTLY what is wrong with the ribbon! You took the words right out of my mouth!! I dsay own with the ribbon!