This is great. Kudos for having the guts to radically innovate while everybody else just complains.
A few notes:
The interface seems very cluttered. I know you have lots of exciting features, but if you want to make it about the content, then you need to find a way to hide this complexity. On my mind: http://uxhero.com/ux-theory/ipad-pages-vs-microsoft-office/
The right bar is really distracting and throws off the weight of the page. I really don't care what other random folks have read the document. Not really relevant until I'm tied in via FB.
I don't really understand why there are the different modes. Slideshows should be in slideshow mode; text should scroll. I still have to scroll with book mode, so what benefit does it offer?
That is great feedback. With an undertaking such as this, UX is definitely going to be a big issue. While we were careful and thoughtful in creating the current interface, we surely have plenty of work to do in terms of the overall experience. That's one of the aspects I am most excited about, though. We have so much more to work with - we will be able to make great strides in usability over the coming weeks and months.
That's a good screenshot comparison. I type documents in OpenOffice and have literally every toolbar disabled. If I need to change some text I use the right click menu or a hotkey.I also have my OS bar at the top of the screen to put the remaining clutter in the same area.
A few notes:
The interface seems very cluttered. I know you have lots of exciting features, but if you want to make it about the content, then you need to find a way to hide this complexity. On my mind: http://uxhero.com/ux-theory/ipad-pages-vs-microsoft-office/
The right bar is really distracting and throws off the weight of the page. I really don't care what other random folks have read the document. Not really relevant until I'm tied in via FB.
I don't really understand why there are the different modes. Slideshows should be in slideshow mode; text should scroll. I still have to scroll with book mode, so what benefit does it offer?