How do I get rid of ribbons and go back to old office menus?

Microsoft has the audacity to foist a very dubious GUI improvement on their loyal customers and then when that decision is roundly repudiated, MS basically tells them to "deal with it".  What an abuse of a monopoly!  My productivity with the Office apps featuring the ribbon are nowhere near what they were with the more primitive GUIs, and I'm a software engineer with 15 years of experience.  I normally love new tech and innovative ideas.  I don't mind so much the attempt at innovation on MS's part.  It's their arrogance in telling customers to "stick it" if they don't like the new ways.  That's a very socialist way of making software -- automatically assuming that the common man is too simple and lacking in sophistication to appreciate the care and structure that is forced upon them.  I want freedom.  I want choice.  Have the ribbon if you must MS, but give your users the freedom to choose the GUI that is more productive for them.  That part about other software producers adopting the ribbon is pure bullsh*t.  They adopt it so that they can get the "blessed by Microsoft" decal on their box.

This is the capitalist way, I'm afraid, doing what you think will bring the most in sales and profit.

You have plenty of choice, you do not have to choose to buy this Microsoft product or any. Despite their wishes, MS does not have a monopoly, certainly not in the word processing arena. Consider Word Perfect or Office Libre. That, too, is the capitalist way. Not one company meeting everyone's needs, but different companies trying to outdo each other in attracting customers.

The other software I've seen adopt the ribbon are not blessed by MS. Some are direct competitors. The most recent one I've notices is the Snagit Editor.

Microsoft has the audacity to foist a very dubious GUI improvement on their loyal customers and then when that decision is roundly repudiated, MS basically tells them to "deal with it".  What an abuse of a monopoly!  My productivity with the Office apps featuring the ribbon are nowhere near what they were with the more primitive GUIs, and I'm a software engineer with 15 years of experience.  I normally love new tech and innovative ideas.  I don't mind so much the attempt at innovation on MS's part.  It's their arrogance in telling customers to "stick it" if they don't like the new ways.  That's a very socialist way of making software -- automatically assuming that the common man is too simple and lacking in sophistication to appreciate the care and structure that is forced upon them.  I want freedom.  I want choice.  Have the ribbon if you must MS, but give your users the freedom to choose the GUI that is more productive for them.  That part about other software producers adopting the ribbon is pure bullsh*t.  They adopt it so that they can get the "blessed by Microsoft" decal on their box.

Many thanks for your replies. I have downloaded a little tag as suggested and can now see something that looks a little like previous menus which is a big help.

I am interested in reply which tells me the following:-

"The ribbon is not going away - on the contrary, other software producers are adopting it "too.

"As will all new things, it seems confusing and intimidating at first, but if you try it, you'll find that it quickly becomes familiar."

As I have said, I work in IT and am very used to dealing with new products and with learning to exploit new functionality. There is however another side to the idea of "new". Think for a second on respecting previous customers, backwards functionality and here is a novel idea, giving customers what they actually want and not what is dreamed up by software developers, salesmen and senior managers who "think" they know what customers want. It is also interesting to note what big blue chip companies might make of a product which isn't immediately intuitive and would require tools and courses to help maintain staff productivity. Be aware that out there in the real world you will find many examples of companies using old software they are comfortable with, many IT companies still have NT boxes on the floor, we have just been given Office 2003 at work and are pleased to have that update and the company standard browser is IE version 6.

Although I have downloaded a little patch to let me see a menu which helps me do my work, I would actually much prefer if Microsoft would just simply offer customers a choice. Here are ribbons but customers are able to customise product and if they prefer menus then what is wrong with that? Aren't they still loyal customers who deserve respect?  Doesn't this sound more reasonable rather than "The ribbon is not going away - on the contrary, other software producers are adopting it too.".

Again thanks for advice and the interesting points you raise.

How about Microsoft producing a KISS version of Word for folks like her? Apple's mantra is 'one click-make it easy for the user, and wow! They have 100 billion in the bank.

I think that KISS version is called Microsoft Works. It will produce most documents but does not have the features (or complexity) of Word.

The Ribbon was designed to be easier for new users to use. I suspect it is. The idea is to have most features at the one or two click level rather than buried in the menus.

For those of us who have been using the menus for a long time it comes as a real shock.