The Document Foundation (TDF), responsible for LibreOffice, has resumed its criticism of Microsoft Office (Microsoft 365), focusing specifically on the Ribbon panel present in Word, Excel, and other applications.
Although the organization acknowledges that this interface has positive aspects, the TDF warned that it is not ideal for users with a higher level of technical knowledge. The TDF already has a history of questioning Microsoft; recently, in July, the Foundation argued that the company uses tactics to keep users locked into proprietary Office formats.
The core of this new criticism lies in the fact that the TDF will implement an alternative. The Ribbon panel, introduced in 2007 and still in use, is characterized by using extensive buttons at the top of the tools, replacing traditional drop-down menus and toolbars.
In the document in question, the TDF describes the Ribbon interface as having a 'competent design,' given that it was conceived to help casual or intermediate Microsoft Office users find functionalities through navigation, without the need for memorization. However, the TDF points out that this same format is less suitable for more advanced usage profiles, such as those who frequently use keyboard shortcuts or who are uncomfortable with the large screen space the panel occupies (even if this can be hidden).
Additionally, the organization suggests that users who rely on assistive technologies, such as screen readers, may also be negatively affected. For the TDF, Microsoft's mistake is offering only one interface for diverse user profiles, favoring some while harming others.
Despite LibreOffice having many followers, there is a group of users who reject the suite due to the visually outdated aspect. The next version of the suite, 26.8, will address this issue by presenting a 'Tabbed' interface (based on tabs) with a look similar to the Ribbon panel, but with the characteristic of being optional.
This ensures that users who prefer the traditional interface can keep it, as there are no plans for its discontinuation. The classic menu and toolbar interface will remain a first-line and fully supported option. The adopted philosophy, which adds options without eliminating existing ones, contrasts with the imposition of a single layout that forces user adaptation.
Italo Vignoli, a member of The Document Foundation and LibreOffice, reinforces that adding an enhanced Tabbed interface while keeping the classic one intact does not represent a contradiction, but rather the planned philosophy. LibreOffice 26.8 is expected to be officially released this week.