Google Docs: Now with more Word 2003

Google today updated the menu structure of the word processor in Google Docs. Gone are the menus that change the toolbars underneath. Gone are the useful but unusual "revision" and "tag" items. What we have now is familiar to anyone who's used Microsoft Word 2003. In fact, the five menu items have the same names as items on the menu bar of Word 2003.

Meet the new Docs.

Google is saying that Microsoft got it right in 2003. Ironically, with the 2007 Office suite, Microsoft itself has moved on to a prettier, but not universally loved menu structure that is reminiscent of Google Docs' first versions: you select a general function category and the toolbar buttons on the "ribbon" underneath the menu change.

Word 2003: The last version of Word before it dropped the old menu standard entirely.

Hopefully, Google will stick with this scheme for a while. The frequent changeups in the user interface for Google Docs are distracting.

Updates to the other Google Docs apps--the spreadsheet and presentation app--will come later.

Via: Google Blogoscoped, which has historical screenshots of the Google word processor menus.

[madcasey]

This is great news. I've been bemoaning the "Vista Ribbon" since it came out -- the only thing that's more annoying is Microsoft's complete disregard for compatibility between Word 2003 in XP and Word in Vista.

I think it's clear that Google is trying to *wink* at users of Google docs, letting them know that they're not the only ones who are frustrated with Microsoft trying to force an unwieldy and difficult upgrade onto the entire market at once.