Microsoft Office's "ribbon" user interface is apparently overrated — according to its open-source (and free) LibreOffice rival

An ongoing rivalry between Microsoft Office and the open-source alternative LibreOffice remains heated, with arguably no clear winner. Many lean toward Office, even if only in part, for its ribbon UI, first introduced in 2007 and significantly overhauled in 2021.

LibreOffice doesn’t share the same view. The open-source alternative to Microsoft Office recently emphasized its advantages, arguing that users who prefer Office’s ribbon UI are “demonstrating incompetence regarding formats on one hand, and subservience to proprietary marketing on the other.”

It further argues that Microsoft Office’s ribbon UI should not be considered “a standard nor a good example of ergonomics.” Unsurprisingly, the open-source suite seized the chance to promote its own design, describing its interface as “more thoughtful,” with greater flexibility and customization compared to Office’s one-size-fits-all ribbon approach (via Neowin).

LibreOffice argues that the characterization of the ribbon UI as modern or standard by users isn't based on an objective usability parameter or design principle.

Instead, it pointed its finger at "Microsoft's dominance in the market and the huge investments made when the ribbon was introduced in Office 2007 as a new paradigm for productivity software."

According to LibreOffice:

"The idea that "modern" equals "similar to a ribbon" is a normalisation effect: the Microsoft interface has become a benchmark because of its ubiquity, not because of its proven advantages in terms of usability. Added to this is the fact that many users evaluate office software through the lens of familiarity with Microsoft Office and consider deviation from it as a problem rather than a design choice."

🗨️ Does LibreOffice have a point?

This isn't the first time LibreOffice has been throwing punches at Microsoft. Last year, LibreOffice accused Microsoft of deliberately making its Office XML file format “artificially complex” as a way to lock users into Microsoft Office and discourage adoption of open-source alternatives (via XDA).

It further argued that the complexity is by design, and is leveraged by Microsoft as a lock-in strategy, ensuring documents created in Microsoft Office don't work seamlessly anywhere else outside Microsoft's ecosystem.

What matters most to you in an office suite’s interface? Let me know in the comments.

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