ercles on 19/11/2008 at 01:54

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Man, office used to be edgy and alternative, but it has totally sold out to the mainstream user now...

Dario on 27/11/2008 at 01:52

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I've only used Word 2007 in Office 2007, but can't express enough how much I like it.

It has taken all the menus that everyone used to get LOST in (minus the 0.1% of users who actually know the program inside and out), and turned them into actual tool-panels that use a handy hover-help that tells you ALL about each feature simply by hovering over them (a nifty tool-tip popup... then you can just press F1 to jump straight to an in-depth description of whatever you're hovering over).

I've always thought that excessive Menu use was a software-designer's excuse for a lack of designing a good interface (menus are like an ugly closet for stashing junk you don't know what to do with), and in my opinion, Word 2007 proves how much better things can be when the important features are pulled out of menus, and given proper exposure (and a way to learn about them without digging for hours through the help file) in a nice tool-panel.

Now, I don't believe that NOTHING should reside in menus (naturally) but I just can't stand when programs like Photoshop and Word, etc, become over-dependent on them, with each new release adding 9 new menu items, and only 3 new "screen" items.

Photoshop CS4 is finally taking the step away from menus, and moving the most-used menu tools into an on-screen toolbox...
But, of course, I applaud Word 2007 most of all. I literally think it's a revolution in software design, and is going to carry the torch for the death of menu-infested programs, and 1990's interface design.

Now, people who are completely comfortable with Word 2003, like "power users", need not apply... and of course people with tiny monitors, who don't want a giant toolbar covering the top of the screen. (22" monitor here. See setup in sig). I far prefer making something more accessible to the 99.9% of the population who doesn't float well with it, than catering to the 0.1% who must have it a certain way... especially since those top few can always use Word 2003, OpenOffice, etc. That isn't to say Word 2007 is perfect in every regard, but I still think it's taking bounding leaps toward eventual software design perfection...

ilweran on 28/11/2008 at 13:51

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My office has Office 2007. It confuses the hell out of new people when they first see it, but I have no problems with it - I just wish they had changed the whole of Office, as it's weird using Publisher. Ok, I know Publisher is crap, but it's what we have for flyers & newsletters and it would be nice if Microsoft had made it look as shiny and new as the rest.

The only problem is with the new docx format in Word, I keep going round everyones PC's changing the default to doc but somehow people keep switching it back and then calling me for help when they've emailed a file to someone who can't open it.

Of course the whole reason we upgraded was that somebody emailed us an invoice as a docx, they didn't know how to change it - or even what the problem was - and it took me two hours to download the Word reader thing from Microsoft because it wouldn't let me do that without me downloading the latest IE and it wouldn't let me do that without running that Genuine Advantage crap... Once I'd started I thought I might as well finish the job. I'm the only person in my office who ever updates anything on their PC.

dlw6 on 29/11/2008 at 09:52

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Or even 1 click away, if you customized your toolbars in Office 2003. But Office 2007 doesn't seem to have that, except the title bar, and all the buttons I use every day won't fit there. I got a copy of Office 2007 for home use for $25 via a deal my employer made with MicroSoft, so I could use the same thing at home as at work, and even for that price I regret spending the money.

Don

P.S: (http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1886349)

sergeantgiggles on 30/11/2008 at 05:45

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Office 2007: love the new interface, hate the bloat.

I would have stuck with Outlook 2003 if I could have, considering I have it set to run on startup and 2007 increases boot to usable time by at least a minute.