Windows 8 Explorer Gets Ribbon UI

We evaluated several different UI command affordances including expanded versions of the Vista/Windows 7 command bar, Windows 95/Windows XP style toolbars and menus, several entirely new UI approaches, and the Office style ribbon.


We knew that using a ribbon for Explorer would likely be met with skepticism by a set of power-users (like me), but there are clear benefits in ways that the ribbon:

* Exposes hidden features that they already use but which require third party add-ons to use in the Explorer UI today.
* Provides keyboard shortcuts for every command in the ribbon, something many people have been asking for.
* Provides UI customization with the quick access toolbar, taking us back to a customization level that is basically equivalent to Windows XP.