Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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58 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A major upgrade but steep learning curve, 13 Mar 2007
I'd describe myself as an expert Word user. I've been using it since its DOS days, through Word For Windows and right up to the most recent version. The upgrade to Word 2007 has to be the greatest leap since the one from DOS to Windows. The new features of Word are proving useful, such as the new approach to styles, the grid for positioning objects, and improved publishing and reviewing tools. Instant preview of formatting features is very useful to me, as it dispenses with the annoying try-undo-try method of experimenting in a document. However, I wasn't prepared for the huge changes Microsoft has made to the interface - the menus and toolbars.
The new user interface dispenses with familiar pull-down menus and rows of icons stacked into toolbars, and presents instead an entirely new approach to the presentation of tools, using a single 'ribbon' of controls where toolbars used to be, grouped into named collections, such as Clipboard, Font, and Styles. Above the ribbon is what looks like pull-down menu titles, but these just swap the ribbon's content to suit the chosen activity. This seems like a clunky way of doing things, but the ribbon manages to make far more tools available and visible at a time, meaning an end to trawling through menus and submenus. If the ribbon is in the way, you can collapse/hide it.
Also new to 2007 is the Office button - which is home to many file-related tasks such as opening, saving, printing and publishing. (Oddly it isn't used in the main Outlook 2007 window!)
The down-side of all this novelty is that activities that used to be second nature to me I now have to re-learn using the new methods. For example, document properties are now in the Prepare section of the Office button menu. It has taken me a couple of weeks to get used to working with the new interface, but I like it because, once you get used to it, it is actually a nicer way to interact with Word.
I write a lot of software for Word too, using the built-in VBA programming language. Thankfully, almost all my old code works fine in word 2007. As Word no longer supports toolbars, you'll find your toolbar icons now appear in the Add-Ins ribbon. Unfortunately, as usual, Microsoft has done almost nothing to improve VBA, but at least compatibility is not a problem. I've heard that Word 2007 runs some code slower than previously, though Word generally seems to make the computer work a bit harder. Personally, my code works just as fast as it used to.
Some reviewers have howled about file incompatibility, but they are mistaken. Word 2007 can easily be configured to save old style DOC files. I publish all my work as DOC, but all my pre-published documents are stored in DOCX files, which are much smaller and more stable than DOC ever could be.
Due to a spat between Microsoft and Adobe, Word doesn't support 'Save as PDF' out of the box, but this feature is a free download from Microsoft's website, along with the (also free) 'Save as XPS' feature.
Overall I'm pleased with the upgrade. Microsoft has done a grand job on it, but if you take the plunge and upgrade, allow a week or two to become familiar with the new interface!
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Out with the old...., 27 Mar 2008
I must say that I DID (read underlined and bold) agree with the comments about it being a terrible system, until that is, I really practiced with it. At first it is very difficult to switch from a previous version of Office to this one, but, with a little practice and a lot of, initial, patience, I feel that the rewards of this system far outweigh the hassles!
I LOVE the new flexibility that has been added to the various parts of the system, and the way the 'Ribbon' (after initially being a bit frustrating due to my using 2003) puts all the tasks you are used to, and more, in easy access tabs. I know that there are those out there who want it to look like the 2003 system as that is the system they are used to (go do a search on the net and you'll find lots of free add-in downloads to do exactly that for you!!). And if you are one of those who likes to move all the icons around, or add your own, then you'll either need to learn how to write in XML, or just add them to the quicktask menu (no different than adding them to a toolbar in 2003!!).
And there is the fact that you can make template packages (Themes) that you can use across the board (Excel, PP, Word, Publisher, et al), the 'Live Preview' function to see what the formatting will look like in your document (it changes the formatting in the document as you hover over the options, not changing it until you click it), et. al.
And don't even get me started on the amazing capabilities of One-Note!! I have a PDA and can now chat away, draw diagrams and scribble notes while away from my computer, then have them import automatically when I cradle it. I have to say that this is one of the most amazing tools I have used for my project work and personal study that I have ever found - It alone makes the price of this worth it to me!
In conclusion, just take your time - leave 2003 installed until you get used to this version (all the programs in the suite will run side-by-side without conflict, bar Outlook) - and get to know the new system! You'll be amazed at the power that has been added ....
.... if you let yourself! ;-)
CJ
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80 of 96 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not worth the money, 29 Aug 2007
As a business user I don't really have anything good to say about Office 2007. The new interface now requires 3-4 mouse clicks where 2-3 were needed previously. Many of the keyboard shortcuts no longer work or don't work the way they used to (I don't use the mouse very often). It's not possible to customise the menu structure to any extent as Microsoft have imposed the "ribbon" structure with it's fixed content.
Many of the highlight colours just don't stand out e.g. highlighting text is pink on a white background but highlighted buttons are a sort of yellow colour. There are also only 3 colour schemes available, blue, silver or black. None is particularly attractive and none is particularly clear. Differentiating between several windows often not easy because they are all similar colours.
As a heavy office user, I found the new version of office restrictive and un-instinctive, as if Microsoft have told me how i will work and what commands I will have easily available instead of me being able to select my own. Oh, and you can't even customise a macro button image now! Instead you have to use the ones provided which are an anonymous bunch at best.
you are restricted to a single row of custom buttons - the "quick access toolbar" but if you want the traditional icons on the bar (font, size, style) then you can only fit another 10 or so on the bar - which is restricted to a single line only. when visible, the ribbon occupies a massive amount of space (about 30mm of vertical height) thus restricting the amount of text that can be seen. There appears to be no option to relocate the ribbon, it's always along the top. Hiding the ribbon then needs a double click to bring it back.
I am struggling to express how frustrating I find this software. I am currently in the process of requesting a refund from MS and going back to Office 2003. Note that I can't find anything that 2007 does which 2003 didn't already do for me.
If you are the sort of person who needs to have a new ringtone every week then you might like the interface but it's very poor for business and serious users. Should have been issued with the option for reverting to the 2003 interface - oh, but then it would not have been and "upgrade" at all.
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