What do you think about the Ribbon in AutoCAD?

At first I did not like it because everyone complained about how much space it wasted. When I finally tried it out, I found that it is better than toolbars and menus because I can set it up to be autohidden to the left of my screen, and it doesnt waste any space when it's hidden. I only use it for commands I cant remember anyway, or for our office custom commands.

What those of us who like our customized ribbon but hate the OOTB ribbon?

Comand line is just better that toolbars. Toolbars tends to eat screen space while not being used. Ribbon it's like a toolbar in square.

Still women somehow loves it.

I do not like the Ribbon at all. I don't like Toolbars that much either, I'm a keyboard junkie mainly. But I do have my one toolbar with a few icons that span across the toolbar for the commands I don't use very often, or that are too long to type and I don't feel like customizing the PGP file or creating a LISP.

The ribbon is simply not for me. May work for others, but it hinders speed and efficiency.

The most annoying thing about the Ribbon is to me its like Autodesk is saying that they have this great new way of making life easier, better, more efficient when in fact in my line of work is simply does not work. Period.

To me there are many different ways you can structure an interface. One way doesn't mean its necessarily the wrong way, but I believe that most applications and most hardcore speedy drafters this Ribbon interface cripples the ability to be the fastest as possible. My $0.02 :-)

Like StykFacE, I'm from the old school and love the Keyboard (much prefer to deal with 101 keys than 1000 Icons). The keyboard's perfect for the common commands that we always use 1000 times plus a day(Line, Circle, Copy, Move, etc).

That being said, the lesser used commands are great with the Ribbon Menu. Particularly where they are interactive according to what you do (i.e. in the Block editor). Hey, 2009 did a half baked version - 2010 brought it all together and it works well - try it, you may find you like it too...

Simply put, the ribbon is too slow. It is just too time consuming to have to click between tabs to find the tool you need. A toolbar (and even the command line) provide direct access to program functions, while the ribbon buries functionality under the guise of an attractive interface.

The ribbon is really no different than using drop down menus for accessing tools. I'd be quite impressed to see anyone capable drafting more efficiently using the ribbon or drop down menus versus using toolbars or the command line.

I don't like it. The old pulldown men is much more simple. Why complicate life?

I've tried it - and hate it - takes too long to find your commands, can't anchor them like in 2009. I have both version installed and prefer working in 2009.

One of AutoCAD's greatest strengths (and, for that matter, one of it's greatest weaknesses...) is that it gives the user six (or more) ways to do stuff.

Command Line. Toolbars. Pull-downs. PGP Command Aliases. Pop-Up Dialog Menus. Palettes. And now, the Ribbon.

And it's all user customizable - or - user ignore-able. The user, if he-or-she chooses, can work just about any way they want.

Of course, AutoCAD being AutoCAD, some commands are more (shall we say) "full featured" in one menu interface than another.

The new PDF stuff is fuller featured in Ribbon (just see Lynn Allen's recent column...). I personally prefer the XrefManager Palette... But I've always liked the command-line Layer Command.

The individual user just needs to work however they like best - while acquiring just enough familiarity with the other modes so as to know that some commands might be better actuated by the Ribbon...or whatever...

And, if you're an Olde CAD Dogge like me, and you can remember the side-bar menu...and Tablet Digitizer Menus... and when the Toolbars were "new"...

...As for the current "emphasis" on the Ribbon...Well folks, this too shall pass...