Sorry I bought Office 2013

I think I made a huge mistake. At least, I see it as such right now. Maybe, someday, in the far distant future, I might think on it differently. I managed to get MS Office 2013. I hate it. I can't figure it out. They took all the functionality out of it. It opens to some stupid blue and white page that says Open, and has an arrow facing left. I can't find how to find my documents to view or work on. And that ugly, horrid, absolutely stupid "ribbon" is the worst mistake they have ever made -- except maybe for Vista. And there's something on here about "account". Whatever that is. When I did find a way to find a document to look at, half the page was taken up with that "ribbon" thing that is absolutely ugly and a waste of space. What was wrong with the nice little tool bar that had what was needed on it? Is there a way to set up my own personal toolbar? I haven't found a way yet. I tried to do a personalization, and manged to hide that ridiculous "ribbon" so it's not cluttering up my screen. I added the icons I want on the top, but when I click the folder that is supposed to show me my documents, it takes me out to that blue and white page, but not to the documents. I have to figure that out, someday. Otherwise, this is a complete waste of money. I really should demand my money back.  And I haven't even looked at Excel yet.

I'd love to get rid of the ribbon thing and get my toolbar back.  And, have a way of finding my documents without having 5 steps to get there.  I want to just open the little folder and have my documents there to search through.  Is there a way to do this?  If not, I would gladly trade Office 2013 for Office 2003!  At least that was a very functional, easy to use program.  This is one definitely not intuitive.  I'm not an amateur with computers.  I think of myself as being relatively competent.

I have written at least five letters to Microsoft and have written more blogs than I can count on this very subject. The ribbon shove down our throats is absolutely wrong and has taken power users and dumbed us and office to a slow unproductive program. If Bill Gates was still involved in day to day Opps. I’m sure we would have had a classic interface Office button. What was one click has become two, three and four clicks. Lost wasted space has overwhelmed the top of our screens with this ribbon. What is the most insulting is being that Microsoft could care less what we think? They do not even respond. Thay do not care about the very folks who stuck with them and where loyal users. Not to take into account the thousands of new office products they would sell if they would just give us back the OPTION of the classic interface. I have removed Office Pro 2013 on two computers and reload my old copies of Office 2003. I am back to full production again. It was a waste of close to $800.00. You will never hear from Microsoft about out plight. They DO NOT CARE!!!

I believe they are in a situation that they can’t go back without looking like a complete failure. They built this mess for the folks who were afraid to use office so they dumbed it down and killed the power user. Millions of us where "one click" productive. Now we have to resort to 2,3, and four click for the same functions. I wasted over $800.00 for two copies of Office Pro Plus 2013 as I went back to 2003 to be productive again. Just give us a Classic Interface button. PLEASE. PLEASE!! LISTEN TO US PLEASE!!! WE WONT TELL ANYBODY IF THAT WILL HELP.

Great suggestion about the Classic Interface button.  I have now had to work a lot in office 2013 and I still hate it. If I could I still would go back to Office 2003 in a heart beat.

Just a note: There are several very well respected programs that now use ribbons" so to be in step with Microsoft. I know by experience three that actually have an optional Classic Interface button. One of them is AutoCAD. I love that fact. I have reverted to the classic UI in AutoCAD and so thrilled that I have my production back. If only wish Microsoft would listen to its customers. The so-called Office ACT bar only allows for one custom tool bar and even then you can no longer drag & drop commands. They actually  went backwards to the old way of loading commands. You can't fix stupid' You can also no longer make custom tool Icons after making a macro. like we all say " OFFICE HAS BEEN DUMED DOWN" for the dumb.

>wish Microsoft would listen to its customers

It's never going to happen. They are too arrogant and controlling. All of the things we hate in post-2007 Office are there in Windows 10. Screen-wasting tiles and oversized taskbars, and a deliberate erosion of user configurability.  Windows 10 + Office 2016 = productivity hell. It makes me yearn for Wordstar on CP/M.