How many of us where in the Raptor Beta?
I was one of those tester that was excited when I saw the first few Photoshop UI mockups, then got more and more disappointed with each beta build.
Yes the ribbon can be turned off (actually closed), but it's probably no too good of an idea. Some new features have to have it on like the Action recorder.
I liked the dashboard too, so I'll be docking my ribbon in the vertical state. Then it's basically the dashboard++ You get some nice little tabs across the top, so it's like having multiple dashboard.
The look CUI is the same but now it has some more nodes, Ribbon Tabs, Ribbon Panels, Quick Properties, Rollover tooltips.
You can fully customize the ribbon in the CUI, but I think it's still buggy.
The Quick Prop's is cool, but I think it will annoy a lot of people. You select an object and a mini Properties panel pops up.
It's quicker then moving your mouse all the way over to one side of your screen, since it pops up right next to your mouse.
But they should of made it transparent, then turn solid when your mouse moves over it, like the MS Office Quick Prop's. & that's why I think it will be annoying to most people.
The nice thing is you can CUI the objects that show the Quick prop's & what prop's to show for each object type.
The rollover tooltips are also cool and can be CUI'ed just like the Quick Prop's. Basically you hover over an object & a tooltip pops up with that object prop's. No need to LIST anymore.
Overall I give 2009 a thumbs down. I don't think it will do very well when it ships & will be the next R13. Notice there hasn't been as much blog traffic on the day the NDA's where lifted as the last few years.....
Hmmm I wonder why.... But that's just my 2 cents, I hope they prove me wrong, since I'm normally an Autodesk fanboy
(you guys want more screen shots)
