Software giant acts on complaints about oversized 'ribbon' feature

Microsoft is changing the new user interface for its forthcoming Office 2007 productivity suite.

The application will introduce a new feature dubbed the 'ribbon' which replaces the current menus and tool bars in the top of a window. The ribbon will change depending on the task that a user is performing.

The technology aims to better present the application's features which could previously be buried deep in the menus.

Testers had complained that the ribbon in its current version takes up too much screen 'real estate'.

Users in the next test version will be able to permanently minimise the ribbon, and the application will display a mini toolbar with tabs that lets the user perform basic tasks.

"When you wanted a maximum amount of screen real estate in which to work with your document, you could get all of the user interface out of your way at once, " Jensen Harris, a lead programme manager for Microsoft Office user experience team, wrote on a company blog.

Users can expand the ribbon if needed. But in a second new feature, they also will be able to access the full menu as a temporary pop-up by right clicking on a tab. The menu will automatically disappear after the required task has been selected.

The tab feature was part of the original design plan but was cut because the development costs were too high, Jensen said.

Office 2007 is currently in a Beta 2 testing phase. The changes will be added to the next update, a so-called Technical Refresh.

The productivity suite is slated for release in early 2007. Microsoft delayed the introduction last month due to performance issues.