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Menu is a standard access method in any windows software. That is what make windows so successful.
When you encounter a software for first time, the common menu organisation helps you to get started.
With ribbon, you have to learn by heart cryptic icons that you will not encounter is any other software, and in another software, the same function is likely to have another icon.
If ribbon is so genius, why VBA editor (in office) still have menus and tools bars ?
Patrice
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” Albert Einstein
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I didn't say that the ribbon was genius but it indeed has obvious advantages over simple menus if you take a closer look, like they're context-aware, for example. When you select a command on a menu, it's gone. Sure, you can deal with context using toolbars, but at some point the UI gets cluttered unless you're someone who really spends a lot of time arranging and customizing the UI to your likes. And after you managed this, imagine you have to work on the PC of someone else for some hours or a day, with a completely different arrangement... To some extend, the ribbon can be customized too, but generally you'll find the things you're looking for always at the same place, and they're easier to discover than through endless cascades of sub-menus. It's kind of the best of both worlds (menus and toolbars), and it's intelligent enough to hide the stuff that is not important in the current context (for example, table tools are only visible if you're working within a table).
Sure, menu is a standard access method, but at the same time it's kind of dogmatic to insist that every application has to stick with them. That's kind of a road-block for progress, and the ribbon is not only change but progress IMO.
The reason why the VBA editor still has menus and toolbars? I don't know, maybe they choose it's not suitable? Not important enough to upgrade because only a minority of people uses it? I mean, you could also ask why Visual Studio didn't embrace the ribbon as well but I guess one point is that it might turn into a nightmare when extensions start to extend the thing...
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FIorian Schneidereit wrote: they're context-aware
I absolutely positively do not want that. I don't like things moving around.
Even in Office 2003 the default is for the menues to only show the "common" parts and add more as you use them, but I always select Tools|Customize|Option|Always show full menus so they always stay the same.
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Okay, so then the ribbon isn't made for you.  But I've never seen stuff moving around, all the context-sensitive stuff appears (and disapperars) always at the end of the normal tabs (?).
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Related to that is in Visual Studio when editing an SSIS project -- some times the Format menu is there, some times it isn't -- depending on context -- but I'd rather it merely enabled/disabled rather than appearing/disappearing. 
Real-world objects like toasters and microwaves don't do this.
Don't try to save me from myself.
Don't try to show how clever you are.
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ppolymorphe wrote: If ribbon is so genius, why VBA editor (in office) still have menus and tools bars ?
Because they ripped off the VB6 (VB5?) editor 20 years ago, but it was written in VB and is such a cluster elephant that they can't figure out how to change anything and the userbase isn't big enough to justify a rewrite?
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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Desperation
See sig ↓
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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Safe Harbor agreement doesn't do enough to protect private data of EU residents. "So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. "
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Sounds like he has something to hide.
Decrease the belief in God, and you increase the numbers of those who wish to play at being God by being “society’s supervisors,” who deny the existence of divine standards, but are very serious about imposing their own standards on society.-Neal A. Maxwell
You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun
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The mills of the Courts grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small...
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
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Everyone has the mornings to themselves. Better yet: if you call morning meetings, bring pillows for everyone
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The Future of Programmers[^]
I'm not entirely convinced but it makes interesting reading.
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare
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I can't even delete my post for some reason 
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare
Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter
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..because someone replied
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Haha of course
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare
Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter
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"We've invented a new method of communication," says Microsoft engineer Vijay Mital, head of the GigJam project. "Hey, girl, I got something I think you ought to know. "
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It is not a new method of communication.
Anything that needs that amount of marketing can be dismissed early. Reading further, that is confirmed. So it is not using the mail protocol, but webservices.
Woooa.
Nearly impressed 
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Interviews are a terrible way to hire tech candidates. Not only do you not get a real sense of the candidate, they often weed out good candidates in favor of bad ones. Don't hire anyone?
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Nearly all bad hires are men. Don't hire men.
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This is one of the best interview techniques I've read, and I'd be happy to have a potential employer use this on me
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare
Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter
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If I were unemployed, I certainly would be thrilled to get paid for my time interviewing. Line up two or three interviews a week and I wouldn't even need a job. Hmmm...I foresee a whole new career path--the professional interviewee! 
Marc
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Sooo... Unemployment collector?
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I have mixed feelings about:
Quote: RULE #1 — Give them the weekend to solve the problem.
This is where I and Eric slightly disagree. 2 hours just isn’t enough time to see how well someone can come up with an appropriate solution.
What I like to do is invite them to the office on a Friday and go over the problem at hand and how I would like for them to solve it. Then I’ll hand it off to them and set up time on Monday to review their solution.
Partly from the potential scope creep in the authors preference. Does 'the weekend' just mean a 3 or 4 hour task instead of 2, or are you expecting me to give up my normal plans and put ~16 hours in on the interview. And partly because having to take at least parts of two days off while still being employed on short notice might not be easy; if the scope is two full days of coding probably take full days off because I've normally got stuff that needs done on the weekend that I can't otherwise put off.
Also from the potential perspective of someone who's employed and looking for a greener pasture is that at my current employer I'm required to disclose any (paid?) side projects to avoid potential conflicts of interest (and because my employer reserves the right to bid on any of them directly; although these'd be small enough that even at $100/h I doubt they'd be interested). I can just imagine how well "I'm being paid to write a code sample as part of a job interview" would go over; probably about as well as using my direct manager as a reference before I've already decided to take the job.  Without rereading the policy, I'm not sure if I could end-run it by counter-proposing the amount either be added to any signing/etc bonus if I got the job or donated to local charity otherwise.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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