In a rare capitulation to customer demands, the File menu returns to Office 2010 – sort of.
There’s one immediate and noticeable difference in the latest Office 2010 beta – the return of the File menu.
In Office 2007 the old file menu was replaced by the Office button, the large round object on top left. It didn’t look like a menu button and many people didn’t realize they could click on it. The main purpose of the Office button seemed to be annoying customers already frustrated by the ribbon.
Early Office 2010 betas replaced the large button with a more discreet block with the Office logo. This was a more efficient use of screen space but still too obscure for most people despite the addition of the downward ‘wedge’ to indicate a menu.
So after many, many years Microsoft has finally given up and listened to customers – the logo is now replaced by the word ‘File’. Presumably equivalents in other languages.
The fact that it’s taken so long to make this change is an indictment of the decision making process at Microsoft.
Click on the File button to see all the options that were previously under the File menu and more. That’s because ‘File’ is the gateway to a much improved set of ‘whole document’ related features under the marketing banner of ‘Backstage‘.
See Also
- Outlook 2010 – early impressions
- Office 2010 beta available now
- Ribbon customization in Office 2010
- Office 2010 ‘enters’ Technical Preview
- Access 2010 – first look
- Under the Office 2010 ‘Office’ button
- Office 2010 new images and more questions
