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#1
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
With Word 2007, Microsoft has jumped the shark.
I think the Word community, led by the MVPs--and I've seen several MVPs openly express their unhappiness about 2007—needs to communicate with Microsoft and tell them that Word 2007 is UNACCEPTABLE. Acting as a group we need to ask MS, among other things, to restore basic features that have been removed such as the Menu bar, the Toolbars, and custom menus and toolbars; to give users the ability to opt out of the Ribbon (not just to minimize it temporarily, but get rid of it); and to restore the ease of accessibility of various important dialog boxes that have now been hidden away in the most senseless locations. |
#2
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Been there. Done that. Been slapped down.
-- Terry Farrell - MS Word MVP "Larry" wrote in message ... With Word 2007, Microsoft has jumped the shark. I think the Word community, led by the MVPs--and I've seen several MVPs openly express their unhappiness about 2007—needs to communicate with Microsoft and tell them that Word 2007 is UNACCEPTABLE. Acting as a group we need to ask MS, among other things, to restore basic features that have been removed such as the Menu bar, the Toolbars, and custom menus and toolbars; to give users the ability to opt out of the Ribbon (not just to minimize it temporarily, but get rid of it); and to restore the ease of accessibility of various important dialog boxes that have now been hidden away in the most senseless locations. |
#3
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Sat, 7 Apr 2007 13:35:10 -0400 from Larry :
With Word 2007, Microsoft has jumped the shark. Yawn. I think the Word community, led by the MVPs--and I've seen several MVPs openly express their unhappiness about 2007?needs to communicate with Microsoft and tell them that Word 2007 is UNACCEPTABLE. Yeah, like *that's* gonna have any effect. -- Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com/ |
#4
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Larry wrote:
With Word 2007, Microsoft has jumped the shark. I think the Word community, led by the MVPs--and I've seen several MVPs openly express their unhappiness about 2007—needs to communicate with Microsoft and tell them that Word 2007 is UNACCEPTABLE. Acting as a group we need to ask MS, among other things, to restore basic features that have been removed such as the Menu bar, the Toolbars, and custom menus and toolbars; to give users the ability to opt out of the Ribbon (not just to minimize it temporarily, but get rid of it); and to restore the ease of accessibility of various important dialog boxes that have now been hidden away in the most senseless locations. Try WordPerfect X3. You can customize the menus and toolbars to your heart's content. |
#5
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Stay with an earlier version ??
"Larry" wrote in message ... With Word 2007, Microsoft has jumped the shark. I think the Word community, led by the MVPs--and I've seen several MVPs openly express their unhappiness about 2007—needs to communicate with Microsoft and tell them that Word 2007 is UNACCEPTABLE. Acting as a group we need to ask MS, among other things, to restore basic features that have been removed such as the Menu bar, the Toolbars, and custom menus and toolbars; to give users the ability to opt out of the Ribbon (not just to minimize it temporarily, but get rid of it); and to restore the ease of accessibility of various important dialog boxes that have now been hidden away in the most senseless locations. |
#6
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
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. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org Larry wrote: With Word 2007, Microsoft has jumped the shark. I think the Word community, led by the MVPs--and I've seen several MVPs openly express their unhappiness about 2007—needs to communicate with Microsoft and tell them that Word 2007 is UNACCEPTABLE. Acting as a group we need to ask MS, among other things, to restore basic features that have been removed such as the Menu bar, the Toolbars, and custom menus and toolbars; to give users the ability to opt out of the Ribbon (not just to minimize it temporarily, but get rid of it); and to restore the ease of accessibility of various important dialog boxes that have now been hidden away in the most senseless locations. |
#7
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
We spent a fortune training our users in Office 97 (switched from WordPerfect
and Lotus 1-2-3), and then the new features in Office 2002. We are staying in 2002 until it is no longer viable for us and will then consider going back to WordPerfect or to Open Office, unless MS wises up - and considering the arrogance of that organization, wiseing up is highly unlikely. "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. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org Larry wrote: With Word 2007, Microsoft has jumped the shark. I think the Word community, led by the MVPs--and I've seen several MVPs openly express their unhappiness about 2007€”needs to communicate with Microsoft and tell them that Word 2007 is UNACCEPTABLE. Acting as a group we need to ask MS, among other things, to restore basic features that have been removed such as the Menu bar, the Toolbars, and custom menus and toolbars; to give users the ability to opt out of the Ribbon (not just to minimize it temporarily, but get rid of it); and to restore the ease of accessibility of various important dialog boxes that have now been hidden away in the most senseless locations. |
#8
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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. |
#9
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
I suspect more will upgrade to Office 2007 than everyone thinks. Not
complete speculation on my end, the majority of our state agencies are making the switch, many of them from Office 2000 to Office 2007. Until now there weren't enough persuading factors to make a version switch. With Office 2007 there are many benefits for those who use SharePoint and the developer aspect for XML is pretty exciting. Personally, I plan on sitting back and watching the naysayers come around and realize how advantageous the change really is and how it's supplied answers to a number of requests. I'm a former naysayer, it happened to me and I've witnessed it happen to others: Those adamantly against the switch will one day actually learn more about the application they are forming opinions on and much like the change from WordBasic to VBA, will realize the power of XML and will wish they made the change sooner. Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Daiya Mitchell" wrote in message ... 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. |
#10
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Make it possible to put the QAT vertically and add another one and I will be
happy. With 16:9 monitors, that would make far better use of the available real estate than having it across the top of the screen. -- Hope this helps. Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my services on a paid consulting basis. Doug Robbins - Word MVP "Beth Melton" wrote in message ... I suspect more will upgrade to Office 2007 than everyone thinks. Not complete speculation on my end, the majority of our state agencies are making the switch, many of them from Office 2000 to Office 2007. Until now there weren't enough persuading factors to make a version switch. With Office 2007 there are many benefits for those who use SharePoint and the developer aspect for XML is pretty exciting. Personally, I plan on sitting back and watching the naysayers come around and realize how advantageous the change really is and how it's supplied answers to a number of requests. I'm a former naysayer, it happened to me and I've witnessed it happen to others: Those adamantly against the switch will one day actually learn more about the application they are forming opinions on and much like the change from WordBasic to VBA, will realize the power of XML and will wish they made the change sooner. Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Daiya Mitchell" wrote in message ... 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. |
#11
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Agreed. This wouldn't be difficult with say, a customizable task pane. They
can be docked, floated, resized, etc. Floating toolbars are the biggest thing I miss the most and have not found a suitable alternative. I believe MS has "heard" this request loud and clear and I would be very disappointed if this capability were not included in the next version. Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Doug Robbins - Word MVP" wrote in message ... Make it possible to put the QAT vertically and add another one and I will be happy. With 16:9 monitors, that would make far better use of the available real estate than having it across the top of the screen. |
#12
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Yes, but on present showing, no sooner has this been done than MS will
introduce another completely different and non-compatible version and cease support of Word 2007, so that everyone will have to relearn and buy the new product again! Oh, and BTW a new operating system that will not allow any of the old versions to work... "Beth Melton" wrote in message ... I suspect more will upgrade to Office 2007 than everyone thinks. Not complete speculation on my end, the majority of our state agencies are making the switch, many of them from Office 2000 to Office 2007. Until now there weren't enough persuading factors to make a version switch. With Office 2007 there are many benefits for those who use SharePoint and the developer aspect for XML is pretty exciting. Personally, I plan on sitting back and watching the naysayers come around and realize how advantageous the change really is and how it's supplied answers to a number of requests. I'm a former naysayer, it happened to me and I've witnessed it happen to others: Those adamantly against the switch will one day actually learn more about the application they are forming opinions on and much like the change from WordBasic to VBA, will realize the power of XML and will wish they made the change sooner. Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Daiya Mitchell" wrote in message ... 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. |
#13
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Sun, 8 Apr 2007 11:57:41 -0500 from Beth Melton :
I suspect more will upgrade to Office 2007 than everyone thinks. I think you're right. In large organizations, software is typically deployed by IT departments, and the decisions are typically made by people who don't actually use the software in question. For some reason the decision- makers seem to believe that "newer is better", even if they have to pay to upgrade. I'm not saying Office 2007 is a bad thing; I think it's too early to say (aside from obvious flaws like slow graphics and slow calculations in Excel 2007). But I'm saying that the quality of Office 2007 will have only a minor impact on the level of adoption. -- Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com/ |
#14
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Umm... you can't just throw out some speculation out and expect everyone to
take it at face value. Where's your supporting evidence of this? Here's Microsoft's Support Lifecycle Index, you can see for yourself the plan Microsoft has for supporting previous versions of Office and how long they will continue to support them. (I don't think Office 2007 is in there yet): http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselectindex As for support of older versions on a new OS, I know for a fact there is careful consideration of older versions of applications on new operating systems. I haven't tested this for Windows Vista but on Windows XP I had Word 2.0 - Word 2003 installed and they all ran fine with the exception of minor conflicts with shared files since they were all installed side-by-side. I would expect similar results on Windows Vista. Like Windows XP, it has Compatibility Mode for older applications. Here's a non-MS reference for you: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...tibility-mode/ As for Office document compatibility, I'm very impressed with how documents created in the Word 97-2003 file format are handled in Word 2007. Compatibility was a primary focus of the Word dev team and I think they did a great job - at least from what I could ascertain from my rigorous testing - they promised full compatibility and I was determined to hold them to their word. ;-) They actually went beyond what I expected. The Compatibility Checker can be ran any time and it will tell you exactly what will happen to features that aren't supported in earlier versions. And it can be set to run automatically when saving in an older file type so you don't accidentally overlook running it. Many of the documents I work with are those that were created using previous versions of Word, some from Word 6, which are shared with others using older versions of Word. They don't encounter any problems and I don't encounter any problems. Not to mention the old interface has been around since 1989, that's 18 years of the same UI. There are very valid reasons behind the change to the UI - they didn't do it to just to "mix things up". Take these numbers for starters: Word 1.0: Around 49 menu commands, 2 toolbars Word 2.0: Around 80 menu commands, 2 toolbars Word 6.0: Around 120 menu commands, 8 toolbars Word 95: Around 125 menu commands, 9 toolbars Word 97: Around 210 menu commands, 18 toolbars Word 2000: Around 249 menu commands, 23 toolbars Word 2002: Around 260 menu commands, 30 toolbars, 8 task panes Word 2003: Around 275 menu commands, 31 toolbars, 19 task panes In a short time the number of commands and toolbars doubled. Added functionality means more menus and toolbars. Where were they going to put all of it? More menus? More toolbars? More task panes? More clutter? Something had to change. The original UI was created for the days of 1989 - a LOT has changed since then. Plus Microsoft has invested numerous years on Office 2007. If you're interested in seeing more, here's a good PowerPoint presentation that Jensen Harris put together, and where I obtained the numbers. They may be a little off since I just now jotted them down for this post so if you want more accuracy you can take a look for yourself: "OFF201 ''Office 12'': Introduction to the Programmable Customization Model for the "Office 12" User Experience (Part 1)" http://blogs.msdn.com/erikaehrli/arc...pdcslides.aspx It's too bad you don't get the dialog with the presentation - a bit of the rationale is lost without it. But in the various screen shots of the Word window, you'll see some of Microsoft's failed attempts to make the numerous commands more compact and later how many user's Word screens end up looking after using it for awhile. (I've witnessed similar examples in various office environments.) Also note the screen shots aren't from the RTM version so some things, such as the appearance and terminology, have changed slightly. Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Aalaan" wrote in message ... Yes, but on present showing, no sooner has this been done than MS will introduce another completely different and non-compatible version and cease support of Word 2007, so that everyone will have to relearn and buy the new product again! Oh, and BTW a new operating system that will not allow any of the old versions to work... |
#15
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
On Mon, 9 Apr 2007 04:21:02 +1000, "Aalaan"
wrote: Yes, but on present showing, no sooner has this been done than MS will introduce another completely different and non-compatible version and cease support of Word 2007, so that everyone will have to relearn and buy the new product again! Oh, and BTW a new operating system that will not allow any of the old versions to work... Just because you're paranoid doesn't meant they aren't really after you... :-) Beware of black helicopters, and always wear your tinfoil hat. -- Regards, Jay Freedman Microsoft Word MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so all may benefit. |
#16
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
In the scenario I'm encountering it's not so much "newer is better", like I
noted, some are still using Office 2000! The descision was based on what Office 2007/SharePoint 2007 has to offer. Also, if you are encountering slow graphic and recalculations, I suspect it might be your computer. If you only meet the minimum requirements then you'll experience what you've described. Here's an article that provides the system requirements: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/pr...668651033.aspx If that's not it then if you have Adobe's PDF Add-in its known to cause sluggishness. (Heh, now I've done it - I've just provided more material for the "debate" on Office 2007. GRIN) Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Stan Brown" wrote in message t... Sun, 8 Apr 2007 11:57:41 -0500 from Beth Melton : I suspect more will upgrade to Office 2007 than everyone thinks. I think you're right. In large organizations, software is typically deployed by IT departments, and the decisions are typically made by people who don't actually use the software in question. For some reason the decision- makers seem to believe that "newer is better", even if they have to pay to upgrade. I'm not saying Office 2007 is a bad thing; I think it's too early to say (aside from obvious flaws like slow graphics and slow calculations in Excel 2007). But I'm saying that the quality of Office 2007 will have only a minor impact on the level of adoption. -- Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com/ |
#17
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Ok and thanks for reasoned reply Beth. But I am basing this general feeling
on other MS products too. In particular Visual Basic 6 which was a brilliant product attracting millions of developers, now abandoned by MS (leaving them all high and dry). Nearly all compatibility links have been broken. Might I respectfully suggest that as co-author of that book, at the same time as you are knowledgeable you are not entirely without a natural affinity for the new product and the MS philosophy! "Beth Melton" wrote in message ... Umm... you can't just throw out some speculation out and expect everyone to take it at face value. Where's your supporting evidence of this? Here's Microsoft's Support Lifecycle Index, you can see for yourself the plan Microsoft has for supporting previous versions of Office and how long they will continue to support them. (I don't think Office 2007 is in there yet): http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselectindex As for support of older versions on a new OS, I know for a fact there is careful consideration of older versions of applications on new operating systems. I haven't tested this for Windows Vista but on Windows XP I had Word 2.0 - Word 2003 installed and they all ran fine with the exception of minor conflicts with shared files since they were all installed side-by-side. I would expect similar results on Windows Vista. Like Windows XP, it has Compatibility Mode for older applications. Here's a non-MS reference for you: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...tibility-mode/ As for Office document compatibility, I'm very impressed with how documents created in the Word 97-2003 file format are handled in Word 2007. Compatibility was a primary focus of the Word dev team and I think they did a great job - at least from what I could ascertain from my rigorous testing - they promised full compatibility and I was determined to hold them to their word. ;-) They actually went beyond what I expected. The Compatibility Checker can be ran any time and it will tell you exactly what will happen to features that aren't supported in earlier versions. And it can be set to run automatically when saving in an older file type so you don't accidentally overlook running it. Many of the documents I work with are those that were created using previous versions of Word, some from Word 6, which are shared with others using older versions of Word. They don't encounter any problems and I don't encounter any problems. Not to mention the old interface has been around since 1989, that's 18 years of the same UI. There are very valid reasons behind the change to the UI - they didn't do it to just to "mix things up". Take these numbers for starters: Word 1.0: Around 49 menu commands, 2 toolbars Word 2.0: Around 80 menu commands, 2 toolbars Word 6.0: Around 120 menu commands, 8 toolbars Word 95: Around 125 menu commands, 9 toolbars Word 97: Around 210 menu commands, 18 toolbars Word 2000: Around 249 menu commands, 23 toolbars Word 2002: Around 260 menu commands, 30 toolbars, 8 task panes Word 2003: Around 275 menu commands, 31 toolbars, 19 task panes In a short time the number of commands and toolbars doubled. Added functionality means more menus and toolbars. Where were they going to put all of it? More menus? More toolbars? More task panes? More clutter? Something had to change. The original UI was created for the days of 1989 - a LOT has changed since then. Plus Microsoft has invested numerous years on Office 2007. If you're interested in seeing more, here's a good PowerPoint presentation that Jensen Harris put together, and where I obtained the numbers. They may be a little off since I just now jotted them down for this post so if you want more accuracy you can take a look for yourself: "OFF201 ''Office 12'': Introduction to the Programmable Customization Model for the "Office 12" User Experience (Part 1)" http://blogs.msdn.com/erikaehrli/arc...pdcslides.aspx It's too bad you don't get the dialog with the presentation - a bit of the rationale is lost without it. But in the various screen shots of the Word window, you'll see some of Microsoft's failed attempts to make the numerous commands more compact and later how many user's Word screens end up looking after using it for awhile. (I've witnessed similar examples in various office environments.) Also note the screen shots aren't from the RTM version so some things, such as the appearance and terminology, have changed slightly. Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Aalaan" wrote in message ... Yes, but on present showing, no sooner has this been done than MS will introduce another completely different and non-compatible version and cease support of Word 2007, so that everyone will have to relearn and buy the new product again! Oh, and BTW a new operating system that will not allow any of the old versions to work... |
#18
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
What Stan has just said cancels out volumes of electrons justifying each new
MS innovation on the basis that "This is what people want," "MS tested thousands of Word users and found that they don't use Feature X or Feature Y," "MS is seeking to maintain and expand its market for Word, and it can only do so by appealing to the broadest possible user base," etc. etc. No. The reality is that MS comes out with a new version of Office, and the corporations either buy it outright or get it automatically the next time they buy new computers, and so everyone ends up with the new version of Word. Period. Individual desires of users, collective desires of masses of users, have nothing to do with it. MS puts forth what MS wants to put forth, and the world buys it. MS got rid of toolbars and the menu bar, MS replaced the File menu with the "Microsoft Office button," because MS got onto a kick and decided that these were neat ideas and that everyone had to conform to them, not because there was some demand or need for the "Microsoft Office Button" in the real world. , so MS eliminated it in the interests of "Stan Brown" wrote in message t... Sun, 8 Apr 2007 11:57:41 -0500 from Beth Melton : I suspect more will upgrade to Office 2007 than everyone thinks. I think you're right. In large organizations, software is typically deployed by IT departments, and the decisions are typically made by people who don't actually use the software in question. For some reason the decision- makers seem to believe that "newer is better", even if they have to pay to upgrade. I'm not saying Office 2007 is a bad thing; I think it's too early to say (aside from obvious flaws like slow graphics and slow calculations in Excel 2007). But I'm saying that the quality of Office 2007 will have only a minor impact on the level of adoption. -- Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com/ |
#19
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Yep, you can suggest it - everyone is entitled to their own opinion. :-)
Too bad you don't have access to the now defunct beta newsgroups (and access to a few choice emails I sent) you might have a different option after hearing me sing a different tune many moons ago...if you think Larry is harsh... ;-) Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Aalaan" wrote in message ... Ok and thanks for reasoned reply Beth. But I am basing this general feeling on other MS products too. In particular Visual Basic 6 which was a brilliant product attracting millions of developers, now abandoned by MS (leaving them all high and dry). Nearly all compatibility links have been broken. Might I respectfully suggest that as co-author of that book, at the same time as you are knowledgeable you are not entirely without a natural affinity for the new product and the MS philosophy! "Beth Melton" wrote in message ... Umm... you can't just throw out some speculation out and expect everyone to take it at face value. Where's your supporting evidence of this? Here's Microsoft's Support Lifecycle Index, you can see for yourself the plan Microsoft has for supporting previous versions of Office and how long they will continue to support them. (I don't think Office 2007 is in there yet): http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselectindex As for support of older versions on a new OS, I know for a fact there is careful consideration of older versions of applications on new operating systems. I haven't tested this for Windows Vista but on Windows XP I had Word 2.0 - Word 2003 installed and they all ran fine with the exception of minor conflicts with shared files since they were all installed side-by-side. I would expect similar results on Windows Vista. Like Windows XP, it has Compatibility Mode for older applications. Here's a non-MS reference for you: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...tibility-mode/ As for Office document compatibility, I'm very impressed with how documents created in the Word 97-2003 file format are handled in Word 2007. Compatibility was a primary focus of the Word dev team and I think they did a great job - at least from what I could ascertain from my rigorous testing - they promised full compatibility and I was determined to hold them to their word. ;-) They actually went beyond what I expected. The Compatibility Checker can be ran any time and it will tell you exactly what will happen to features that aren't supported in earlier versions. And it can be set to run automatically when saving in an older file type so you don't accidentally overlook running it. Many of the documents I work with are those that were created using previous versions of Word, some from Word 6, which are shared with others using older versions of Word. They don't encounter any problems and I don't encounter any problems. Not to mention the old interface has been around since 1989, that's 18 years of the same UI. There are very valid reasons behind the change to the UI - they didn't do it to just to "mix things up". Take these numbers for starters: Word 1.0: Around 49 menu commands, 2 toolbars Word 2.0: Around 80 menu commands, 2 toolbars Word 6.0: Around 120 menu commands, 8 toolbars Word 95: Around 125 menu commands, 9 toolbars Word 97: Around 210 menu commands, 18 toolbars Word 2000: Around 249 menu commands, 23 toolbars Word 2002: Around 260 menu commands, 30 toolbars, 8 task panes Word 2003: Around 275 menu commands, 31 toolbars, 19 task panes In a short time the number of commands and toolbars doubled. Added functionality means more menus and toolbars. Where were they going to put all of it? More menus? More toolbars? More task panes? More clutter? Something had to change. The original UI was created for the days of 1989 - a LOT has changed since then. Plus Microsoft has invested numerous years on Office 2007. If you're interested in seeing more, here's a good PowerPoint presentation that Jensen Harris put together, and where I obtained the numbers. They may be a little off since I just now jotted them down for this post so if you want more accuracy you can take a look for yourself: "OFF201 ''Office 12'': Introduction to the Programmable Customization Model for the "Office 12" User Experience (Part 1)" http://blogs.msdn.com/erikaehrli/arc...pdcslides.aspx It's too bad you don't get the dialog with the presentation - a bit of the rationale is lost without it. But in the various screen shots of the Word window, you'll see some of Microsoft's failed attempts to make the numerous commands more compact and later how many user's Word screens end up looking after using it for awhile. (I've witnessed similar examples in various office environments.) Also note the screen shots aren't from the RTM version so some things, such as the appearance and terminology, have changed slightly. Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Aalaan" wrote in message ... Yes, but on present showing, no sooner has this been done than MS will introduce another completely different and non-compatible version and cease support of Word 2007, so that everyone will have to relearn and buy the new product again! Oh, and BTW a new operating system that will not allow any of the old versions to work... |
#20
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
I suppose you would class me as a 'naysayer' - but Office 2007 is simply an
answer to a question I haven't asked, so I have not been in any hurry to embrace it - particularly as the interface is so radically different that it will for some time seriously inhibit (my) productivity. I do, however, have a copy on my laptop which I dip into from time to time. It's a trial copy, but I suppose I will upgrade to a full version in due course. The trial installation was not without issue. I live in some far flung backwater and trying to persuade the web site to give me a product number for the trial took a whole morning. It insisted that I live in America and was steadfast in refusing to accept my true location - until I accessed the site from a magazine cover disc copy of the trial, which was configured for the UK, but which allowed me to change the country. I am probably more skilled than Word's 'average' user, but I am finding it heavy going - even though the problems are merely those of finding where Microsoft's programmers have hidden things. Had I been coming to it as a new product without years of history, then it might be a different story - but I, and thousands of others like me, are not. You can learn any new piece of software if you have the time and inclination, but I don't really see why we should have to. Given Microsoft's profitability, one might assume that it knows what it is doing, in radically changing the world's most popular word processing software, so that all its body of users will require retraining. Presumably they have crunched the numbers and found it to be viable? I just hope that this step does not prove to be a step too far. Interesting that the 'State Agencies' are adopting 2007 with some relish. They of course have the bottomless tax pit to dip into to fund the exercise. Real business on the other hand may not be so enthusiastic, when it has to dip into its profits. It should be an interesting twelve months. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org Beth Melton wrote: I suspect more will upgrade to Office 2007 than everyone thinks. Not complete speculation on my end, the majority of our state agencies are making the switch, many of them from Office 2000 to Office 2007. Until now there weren't enough persuading factors to make a version switch. With Office 2007 there are many benefits for those who use SharePoint and the developer aspect for XML is pretty exciting. Personally, I plan on sitting back and watching the naysayers come around and realize how advantageous the change really is and how it's supplied answers to a number of requests. I'm a former naysayer, it happened to me and I've witnessed it happen to others: Those adamantly against the switch will one day actually learn more about the application they are forming opinions on and much like the change from WordBasic to VBA, will realize the power of XML and will wish they made the change sooner. Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Daiya Mitchell" wrote in message ... 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. |
#21
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Sun, 8 Apr 2007 14:29:41 -0500 from Beth Melton :
If that's not it then if you have Adobe's PDF Add-in its known to cause sluggishness. Really? Just by being installed? I do have a PDF writer installed, as it happens; I think it's Adobe's. It wil be interesting to benchmark it without. -- Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com/ |
#22
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
If the PDFMaker add-in is also installed, yes, it's know to cause issues.
Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for assistance by email can not be acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Melton Microsoft Office MVP Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out: http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/boo...x#AboutTheBook Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/ MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/ "Stan Brown" wrote in message t... Sun, 8 Apr 2007 14:29:41 -0500 from Beth Melton : If that's not it then if you have Adobe's PDF Add-in its known to cause sluggishness. Really? Just by being installed? I do have a PDF writer installed, as it happens; I think it's Adobe's. It wil be interesting to benchmark it without. -- Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com/ |
#23
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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Word 2007 is unacceptable and must be changed
Larry
I like the new look.. everything is out there, plain as day.. no more searching through drop down menus, moving the mouse onto arrows while try to select a function.. it doesn't take too long to get used to it.. what is the real difference between clicking on the Office button as opposed to the old FILE tab? You have obviously never used Lotus WordPro.. now that was a confusing app if ever there was one, yet after a little use, one could start to see the value in context sensitive boxes.. "Larry" wrote in message ... What Stan has just said cancels out volumes of electrons justifying each new MS innovation on the basis that "This is what people want," "MS tested thousands of Word users and found that they don't use Feature X or Feature Y," "MS is seeking to maintain and expand its market for Word, and it can only do so by appealing to the broadest possible user base," etc. etc. No. The reality is that MS comes out with a new version of Office, and the corporations either buy it outright or get it automatically the next time they buy new computers, and so everyone ends up with the new version of Word. Period. Individual desires of users, collective desires of masses of users, have nothing to do with it. MS puts forth what MS wants to put forth, and the world buys it. MS got rid of toolbars and the menu bar, MS replaced the File menu with the "Microsoft Office button," because MS got onto a kick and decided that these were neat ideas and that everyone had to conform to them, not because there was some demand or need for the "Microsoft Office Button" in the real world. , so MS eliminated it in the interests of "Stan Brown" wrote in message t... Sun, 8 Apr 2007 11:57:41 -0500 from Beth Melton : I suspect more will upgrade to Office 2007 than everyone thinks. I think you're right. In large organizations, software is typically deployed by IT departments, and the decisions are typically made by people who don't actually use the software in question. For some reason the decision- makers seem to believe that "newer is better", even if they have to pay to upgrade. I'm not saying Office 2007 is a bad thing; I think it's too early to say (aside from obvious flaws like slow graphics and slow calculations in Excel 2007). But I'm saying that the quality of Office 2007 will have only a minor impact on the level of adoption. -- Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com/ -- Mike Hall MS MVP Windows Shell/User http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/ |
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