Webuilder: Ribbon interface and new logo

[windjl]

Hello. I've two requests for Webuilder.

First: a ribbon interface like in Office 2007: tabs give quick access to many tasks.
Second: another logo; the present logo looks too much like Word's logo.
Windjl

[mwb1100]

Second: another logo; the present logo looks too much like Word's logo.

I agree with this - it may sound petty, but during my try out of WeBuilder 2008 when looking at the taskbar I found myself wondering several times what the heck I had open in Word...

[chrisjlocke]

The ribbon interface has been mentioned already, and Karlis wasn't impressed at the time.

http://forums.blumentals.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2066
.

[ringoffire]

Ribbon interface may need some efforts to include but it should be the way to go. WeBuilder (and RapidPHP) has a lot of functions and it is difficult to be aware of where they can be found.

MS Office has tons of features and for that reason they have developed the Ribbon interface, in order to reduce clutter (32 toolbars in Office 2003 and long lists of menu entries) and help users search less for the feature that they need. If you have time, here is good source for the Story of Ribbon Interface, very informative: http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh/archive/2 ... ibbon.aspx

Current toolbar design is good for software that has limited functionalities (2-3 toolbars) however, Webuilder-like applications need to invest on the Ribbon interfaces, otherwise all new features added to the current interface:

• New users will get lost.
  Good features won't be easily known.
  Even simple things will get complex.
  and so on...

[syrupcore]

the logo in the alt+tab menu looks way too much like photoshop cs3's logo. confuses my little brain.

[chrisjlocke]

With the help of a resource editor, you can change the logo / program icon to whatever you want!
Maybe I should set up an online service where I can change the logos for people!

[multifarious]

Interesting post by ringoffire.

But IMO you're comparing two different kinds of applications.
Office applications are inherently simple in their interface. Why? They aren't really dedicated tools, more like all-purpouse tools. They should be accessable to the lowest common denominator (being your and my granny).

IMHO it's better to compare WeBuilder to applications like PhotoShop, Eclipse or Visual Studio. Highly dedicated applications for people who know what they are doing. Not for the faint at heart.

Really, when WeBuilder will turn out like any of the other feature-saturated newbe-safe toys out there it's appeal will be lost to me very soon. To be honest: I hardly use any of the toolbars provided save for one which I've placed at the side of my screen (see here). I don't even use the splitscreen or preview options. All I want to see in my IDE is code and when I'm working opn code my hands are on the keyboard, not the mouse, so I have no need for quick access to buttons. I'd rather have a better interface to define keyboard shortcurts, that (again IMHO) would be far more logical then having a button ribbon...

just my two cts...

edit: come to think of it, the people I know DO use ms Office to it's fullest extend (these are secretaries and office managers and project manager types) are all complaining about how unusable office has become for them. Because all those ready-for-access buttons aren't really made for them either...