Ribbon! We Don't Want Your Stinkin' Ribbon

Autodesk’s 2010 Product Portfolio Launch
AECbytes Newsletter #39 (February 12, 2009)

The article is about Autodesk’s two webcasts to officially launch the next version of its design software portfolio, one focused on AutoCAD and the other on its building, transportation, and geospatial products.

Quoting the article:-

“With version 2010, Revit sports a slightly different look and feel in contrast to the interface the application has had since it was introduced, so existing users will have to go through an adjustment period to get used to it. Instead of the toolbar on the left, Revit now sports the ribbon-based tabbed UI running at the top of the application window that Microsoft has popularized with its Office 2007 applications (see Figure 4).”

The question has to be WHY?

Why not more content and less cosmetic crap that make you feel like your getting more for your money or subscription. There are lots of add ons for those on subscription and who in there right mind would buy Revit without subscription? It’s the only way of getting what should be a full package anyway.

For too long software companies have got away with, “we will fix that in the next release” or "please download the latest service patch” to fix the buggy software we have just sold you.

It’s got to be said, I used Microsoft Word from the start, and recently I had a new computer with Office 2007 and I hate the bloody Ribbon.

Why move everything around from where I knew where it was, my productivity dropped considerably whilst I looked for the new locations of known features.

There are now software companies offering bolt ons to Word 2007 to replace the known interface. In AutoCAD 2009 they at least provided a Classic AutoCAD radio button to get rid of the Ribbon.

Can anyone please confirm that they have done the same in Revit Structure and Architecture 2010?

From one of the 2010 brochures

“Improved User Interface

• New customizable ribbon toolbar is task-oriented with redesigned, intuitive icons.”

You can smell the marketing bull**** from here.