In fairness it should be mentioned that the ribbon in x2 can be "minimised" so it only displays fully when you want it, so the screen-space considerations are not as extreme as you painted. Of course, in this state it's really nothing more than a cut-down "alternate menu" system, which seems counter-productive, but some people like it.
That said, for a man in fear of his testimonials, even splitting hairs (heirs?) could be seen as a threat.