Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Complete speculation--based on the experience with Word 2002/2003, where
2002 also introduced some significant UI changes and 2003 came out real
fast--I'm thinking that there will be a Word 2009 fine-tuning the 2007
changes--and it's only if take-up doesn't bounce back for Word 2009 that
MS will begin to reconsider. They've got the cash reserves to sit out
one cycle, and 2009 might be long enough for college graduates to be
familiar with the 2007 paradigm by the time they enter corporations,
decreasing the training cost and thus the resistance. I can't imagine
they failed to plan for a poor take-up of Word 2007.
Except, of course, the issue is not Word but Office overall.
Graham Mayor wrote:
The only thing that will convince Microsoft of their folly is if the take-up
of Word 2007 is poor, and/or the corporates move to WordPerfect or Open
Office in significant numbers. There's a huge potential retraining bill
here, and business does not like spending unnecessarily.
Whether this failure to take up is going to happen is anyone's guess. I
suppose that eventually if we wish to stay with the Word product we will
have to adapt. I for one am in no rush.
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