Comments on: Microsoft Office 12, so far http://niklasblog.com/?p=774 Giddup-a! Geddondown-a! Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:52:31 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Niklas http://niklasblog.com/?p=774&cpage=1#comment-56566 Niklas Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:47:47 +0000 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774#comment-56566 I'll be the Devil's Advocate this time around: speaking of MS Office, the interface hasn't changed this much for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_word#Word_1990_to_1995" rel="nofollow">18 years</a>; there haven't been anything like The Ribbon and the Floaty in previous versions of MS Word before, and do note that this way of working even differs from other applications by Microsoft. Seeing that they're doing their best to integrate all of their applications into each-other, it will be very interesting to see whether more applications by Microsoft will adhere to the new way MS Office looks and works, or if they will choose to go different ways on that one. On the other hand, I must say I still am not fully at home with the new way MS Office looks and works, and I've worked as an MS Office support specialist full-time at Ericsson/Compaq for 1½ years, and am still educating people in MS Excel - plus, I've now been using MS Office 2007 for appx. two years, since the alpha-phase. The learning-curve hits a steeper hill when faced with another reality: I think quite few people who are using MS Office are using the very latest version. This causes all kinds of problems, from compatibility issues to some having to work in different ways, depending on which version of Office they're using at the moment. At work, we've almost completely migrated from v97 (which is unsupported by Microsoft since a few years back) to v2007, but there are still a lot of third-party kinks to work through. <a href="http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa338205.aspx" rel="nofollow">The new, XML-based file formats</a> have come with MS Office 2007. Even though they're causing a bit of compatibility problems with older versions of MS Office, there are free add-ins available for Office 2000/XP/2003 right <a href="http://tinyurl.com/3yzz8e" rel="nofollow">here</a>. As far as SolidWorks seems concerned, it seems useless under <a href="http://winehq.org" rel="nofollow">Wine</a>, even though I wonder how it would work on Ubuntu, under VMWare. That would, however, require a license for running Windows, which spoils the entire idea, I guess. I’ll be the Devil’s Advocate this time around: speaking of MS Office, the interface hasn’t changed this much for 18 years; there haven’t been anything like The Ribbon and the Floaty in previous versions of MS Word before, and do note that this way of working even differs from other applications by Microsoft. Seeing that they’re doing their best to integrate all of their applications into each-other, it will be very interesting to see whether more applications by Microsoft will adhere to the new way MS Office looks and works, or if they will choose to go different ways on that one.

On the other hand, I must say I still am not fully at home with the new way MS Office looks and works, and I’ve worked as an MS Office support specialist full-time at Ericsson/Compaq for 1½ years, and am still educating people in MS Excel – plus, I’ve now been using MS Office 2007 for appx. two years, since the alpha-phase.

The learning-curve hits a steeper hill when faced with another reality: I think quite few people who are using MS Office are using the very latest version. This causes all kinds of problems, from compatibility issues to some having to work in different ways, depending on which version of Office they’re using at the moment. At work, we’ve almost completely migrated from v97 (which is unsupported by Microsoft since a few years back) to v2007, but there are still a lot of third-party kinks to work through.

The new, XML-based file formats have come with MS Office 2007. Even though they’re causing a bit of compatibility problems with older versions of MS Office, there are free add-ins available for Office 2000/XP/2003 right here.

As far as SolidWorks seems concerned, it seems useless under Wine, even though I wonder how it would work on Ubuntu, under VMWare. That would, however, require a license for running Windows, which spoils the entire idea, I guess.

]]> By: What is Open Office? http://niklasblog.com/?p=774&cpage=1#comment-56564 What is Open Office? Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:02:08 +0000 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774#comment-56564 We've looked briefly at online docs (Google, specifically) but we'd prefer to keep an documents in-house. I'm surprised that you feel that MS Office enhances work. I personally find that it gets in the way of my work, with the interface and file format switching every two or three years. Recently we've been floating the idea of moving all workstations to Ubuntu, but we're stuck with Solidworks (CAD software) that won't run in Linux. We’ve looked briefly at online docs (Google, specifically) but we’d prefer to keep an documents in-house. I’m surprised that you feel that MS Office enhances work. I personally find that it gets in the way of my work, with the interface and file format switching every two or three years.

Recently we’ve been floating the idea of moving all workstations to Ubuntu, but we’re stuck with Solidworks (CAD software) that won’t run in Linux.

]]> By: Niklas http://niklasblog.com/?p=774&cpage=1#comment-56562 Niklas Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:41:56 +0000 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774#comment-56562 True, a lot of people have major problems with MS Office 2007; I use both OpenOffice and MS Office 2007, and both suites have things that the other lacks. While I'm happy with both of them for different reasons, I must say I like the idea with the MS Office 2007 ribbon. In terms of productivity, I'd say it enhances work, especially in combination with quick finger-action as far as keyboard shortcuts are concerned in MS Office 2007. A lot of our users at work love the online functionalities that MS Office 2007 brings, such as automatic searches for new templates, clip-art and dictionary searches. On the other hand, one does not pay for OpenOffice. Therein lies the catch. Personally, I think Microsoft has to come up with a lot more nifty features/offers in order to get the big customers to bite. On the other hand, a lot of professional systems integrate with MS Office, which gives them the upper hand in the bitter end - today. As systems become more and more standardised and open, however...we'll just have to see what happens as a lot of Office-suites are online, e.g. <a href="http://docs.google.com" rel="nofollow">Google Docs</a>, and <a href="http://www.news.com/Microsoft-Office-heads-to-the-Web/2100-1012_3-6210696.html" rel="nofollow">MS Office</a>. P.s. I like the beta of <strike>Virtual Ubiquity</strike><a href="http://preview.getbuzzword.com" rel="nofollow">Adobe Buzzword</a>, which is an online word-processor. True, a lot of people have major problems with MS Office 2007; I use both OpenOffice and MS Office 2007, and both suites have things that the other lacks. While I’m happy with both of them for different reasons, I must say I like the idea with the MS Office 2007 ribbon. In terms of productivity, I’d say it enhances work, especially in combination with quick finger-action as far as keyboard shortcuts are concerned in MS Office 2007.

A lot of our users at work love the online functionalities that MS Office 2007 brings, such as automatic searches for new templates, clip-art and dictionary searches.

On the other hand, one does not pay for OpenOffice. Therein lies the catch. Personally, I think Microsoft has to come up with a lot more nifty features/offers in order to get the big customers to bite. On the other hand, a lot of professional systems integrate with MS Office, which gives them the upper hand in the bitter end – today. As systems become more and more standardised and open, however…we’ll just have to see what happens as a lot of Office-suites are online, e.g. Google Docs, and MS Office.

P.s. I like the beta of Virtual UbiquityAdobe Buzzword, which is an online word-processor.

]]> By: What is Open Office? http://niklasblog.com/?p=774&cpage=1#comment-56561 What is Open Office? Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:33:38 +0000 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774#comment-56561 After some initial testing, we found that _everyone_ at our office hated MS Office 2007. We’ve all switched to Open Office. Not only is it easier to use, but it cost us nothing to setup and install. The $12400 that was saved went right into our pockets: every employee got an Open Office bonus of $250 in their paycheck last August, with an additional $1650 used to refurnish the office kitchen. After some initial testing, we found that _everyone_ at our office hated MS Office 2007. We’ve all switched to Open Office. Not only is it easier to use, but it cost us nothing to setup and install. The $12400 that was saved went right into our pockets: every employee got an Open Office bonus of $250 in their paycheck last August, with an additional $1650 used to refurnish the office kitchen.

]]> By: Niklas’ blog » Blog Archive » Computer World reviews MS Office 2007 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774&cpage=1#comment-18341 Niklas’ blog » Blog Archive » Computer World reviews MS Office 2007 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 11:45:36 +0000 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774#comment-18341 [...] Office 2007 has been built through a process where Microsoft have, for the very first time, really watched how users work when using ye olde Office-suite: which menus and buttons don’t they use? How can we decrease the number of clicks needed for users to perform tasks? Should we concentrate on user productivity? New functionality? Why do users have to wade through loads of menus to find what they need? Those questions really, really needed answers, not only to make people buy the next version of MS Office (and to accept the fact that it will require more of the computer, e.g. processing-power and hard-disk space) but to break the Microsoft development curse: they haven’t delivered a new product in a very long time, and by that, I mean it’s been ten years since the Exchange, Office, VB, server-platforms and so forth jumped out of the bag, so there’s no real ring to it, right? No, shiny new versions don’t count, and neither is stealing everything new from OSX to Windows Vista. But this is shiny new in a nice way, so let’s see what’s up and has happened since my review a year ago. [...] [...] Office 2007 has been built through a process where Microsoft have, for the very first time, really watched how users work when using ye olde Office-suite: which menus and buttons don’t they use? How can we decrease the number of clicks needed for users to perform tasks? Should we concentrate on user productivity? New functionality? Why do users have to wade through loads of menus to find what they need? Those questions really, really needed answers, not only to make people buy the next version of MS Office (and to accept the fact that it will require more of the computer, e.g. processing-power and hard-disk space) but to break the Microsoft development curse: they haven’t delivered a new product in a very long time, and by that, I mean it’s been ten years since the Exchange, Office, VB, server-platforms and so forth jumped out of the bag, so there’s no real ring to it, right? No, shiny new versions don’t count, and neither is stealing everything new from OSX to Windows Vista. But this is shiny new in a nice way, so let’s see what’s up and has happened since my review a year ago. [...]

]]> By: Niklas’ blog » Blog Archive » Windows Vista Beta 2, MS Office 2007 beta 2 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774&cpage=1#comment-6673 Niklas’ blog » Blog Archive » Windows Vista Beta 2, MS Office 2007 beta 2 Tue, 23 May 2006 19:21:51 +0000 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774#comment-6673 [...] On MS Office 2007, it seems that themes, i.e. colour-schemes, are working, which they did not in beta 1. Not forgetting that you can now blog from Word, save files as PDF and a great number of other things that I have covered before. [...] [...] On MS Office 2007, it seems that themes, i.e. colour-schemes, are working, which they did not in beta 1. Not forgetting that you can now blog from Word, save files as PDF and a great number of other things that I have covered before. [...]

]]> By: Niklas http://niklasblog.com/?p=774&cpage=1#comment-4368 Niklas Tue, 09 May 2006 08:04:53 +0000 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774#comment-4368 I am able to create IGX graphics, using Office 2007 TR1. What are your problems, specifically? I am able to create IGX graphics, using Office 2007 TR1. What are your problems, specifically?

]]> By: Roger http://niklasblog.com/?p=774&cpage=1#comment-4363 Roger Mon, 08 May 2006 15:13:14 +0000 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774#comment-4363 Yes it's good - but you don't seem to be able to create IGX graphics which build!!! a serious omission (or maybe that's just the Beta...) Yes it’s good – but you don’t seem to be able to create IGX graphics which build!!! a serious omission (or maybe that’s just the Beta…)

]]> By: Niklas’ blog » Blog Archive » Tech: extensions, PS3, Linux and MS Office 2007 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774&cpage=1#comment-3677 Niklas’ blog » Blog Archive » Tech: extensions, PS3, Linux and MS Office 2007 Mon, 27 Mar 2006 19:32:08 +0000 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774#comment-3677 [...] This is a very interesting page where you can let the top MS Office-honchos show you the great news of MS Office 2007, which of course is the coming version of Office 2007. I’ve written about many of these features before, in the days when Office 2007 was still known as Office 12, all corners were sharp and the graphics-engine wasn’t maxed out the way it is now, and now - things are looking good, and it’s obvious that Microsoft has been studying MS Office-users with great care, to know what to enhance in MS Office. [...] [...] This is a very interesting page where you can let the top MS Office-honchos show you the great news of MS Office 2007, which of course is the coming version of Office 2007. I’ve written about many of these features before, in the days when Office 2007 was still known as Office 12, all corners were sharp and the graphics-engine wasn’t maxed out the way it is now, and now – things are looking good, and it’s obvious that Microsoft has been studying MS Office-users with great care, to know what to enhance in MS Office. [...]

]]> By: Niklas’ blog » Blog Archive » Urgent MS-patch + Office 12 again http://niklasblog.com/?p=774&cpage=1#comment-2789 Niklas’ blog » Blog Archive » Urgent MS-patch + Office 12 again Fri, 06 Jan 2006 01:09:09 +0000 http://niklasblog.com/?p=774#comment-2789 [...] Paul Thurrott has just written a piece on Office 12, check it out here. Personally, I think the hype about the Office 12 ribbon will die quite soon after Office 12 is released, when people realise two things: 1) it’s not worth anybody’s time to be scared of because 2) you’ll realise it will save you lots of time. And there’s a lot under the hood of Office 12, check my old, lengthy post about Office 12 about more on this, plus another one on the new file formats and XML stuff, and there’s even more from this search for it. [...] [...] Paul Thurrott has just written a piece on Office 12, check it out here. Personally, I think the hype about the Office 12 ribbon will die quite soon after Office 12 is released, when people realise two things: 1) it’s not worth anybody’s time to be scared of because 2) you’ll realise it will save you lots of time. And there’s a lot under the hood of Office 12, check my old, lengthy post about Office 12 about more on this, plus another one on the new file formats and XML stuff, and there’s even more from this search for it. [...]

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