Hi,
I would like to point to a feature in NA that is a bit hidden and may help to those who do not like the Ribbon. The feature is called Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) and as the name states, it provides quick access to selected tools. You may add buttons and Ribbon groups to this toolbar.
The result may look like this:
or even more like a separate toolbar:
To add a button to the QAT, right click on the button, and select "Add to Quick Access Toolbar". To add a Ribbon group to the QAT (like in the first picture), right-click on the group's caption and select "Add to Quick Access Toolbar". Buttons and groups can be removed the similar way.
To hide the ribbon, right-click on the empty space reserved for the Ribbon tabs (right of the "Help" ribbon tab) and select "Minimize the Ribbon". You can also choose whether to show the QAT below or above the Ribbon.
Please note that the customized layout may not persist after you upgrade.
I hope this helps :)