LibreOffice takes another swing at Microsoft, claiming the Office Ribbon isn't as good as people say it is

Published Aug 25, 2026, 2:18 AM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Summary Microsoft 365's Ribbon suits intermediate users; LibreOffice claims beginners get lost, and power users lose screen space. LibreOffice adapts to users with Tabbed/Compact, Groupedbar, Sidebar, and Single Toolbar menus LibreOffice will add a Ribbon-like Tabbed mode in 26.8 while keeping all other UI choices. A few times now, the LibreOffice blog has been a platform for people to argue that Microsoft's practices with Office 365 are detrimental to the development of productivity apps. Now, a new post has been uploaded that specifically targets the Office suite's Ribbon that goes across the top of the window. While it may be fine for intermediate users, it argues, it leaves beginners and power users wanting more, something that LibreOffice is working toward fixing. Office 365's Ribbon is not the peak of UI design, says LibreOffice It argues that there is no one true 'peak UI design' Over on the LibreOffice blog, founding member of The Document Foundation, Italo Vignoli, made a post calling out Microsoft's practices. The last time we heard from him, he was writing a post about how Office 365's file formats were creating a walled garden to keep people from using competitor products; this time, he has his sights set on the Ribbon that Microsoft uses in its productivity software range. "It has become a commonplace to describe the Microsoft 365 Ribbon as the finest office interface available — the most polished to look at and the most ergonomic to use. The claim is repeated so often that it tends to pass unexamined. It deserves examining, because hidden inside it is an assumption that quietly does most of the work: the idea that there exists a single best interface at all." Vignoli​ argues that the Ribbon is well-designed, but only for intermediate users. It's good for people who know what they want and want to get there as soon as possible, he argues. However, it's not the best option for beginners who may get lost, nor is it ideal for power users who want to perform all the tasks via keyboard commands and don't like the vertical screen space the Ribbon takes up. Vignoli then says the ideal solution is a UI you can customize to your heart's content. He says that The Document Foundation's own productivity suite, LibreOffice, features plenty of ways to tweak the UI, including "a traditional menu-and-toolbar layout, the Tabbed interface, Tabbed Compact, the Groupedbar, a Sidebar, and a Single Toolbar mode." On top of that, LibreOffice 26.8 will feature an improved Tabbed interface which is akin to Office 365's Ribbon, although Vignoli is quick to tell people that the introduction of a Ribbon-like option is not an admission that LibreOffice's other options were subpar, nor does it mean that they'll be deprecated. It'll simply be another option people can pick if they want it. Vignoli rounds off the post by saying that, while Office 365 asks people to adapt to the tool, LibreOffice has the tools adapt to the user. That level of choice is important in a software suite, he says, and it should never be treated like an optional feature.