Aug 14, 2007 03:22 AM
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(Updated Aug 14, 2007 03:23 AM)
*Alta-la-VISTA baby …
*First look at the MS-Office 2007
Looks like the beta version of Office 2007 has been around for a long time and many would have already had many looks at the product. However, since I added this product on to Mouthshut, let me maintain this as first look! I always give this caption in every thing that I write on Softwares. I am not an expert, so that saves me a bit for not making any elaborate comments that suit experts or if something I say turns into mere blabbering. The theory what our own aam admi calls as ‘anticipatory bail’!
The first machine that I used had a 486 processor, Monochrome monitor, 4MB RAM and a 256 MB Hard disk! Now, just my RAM is 512 MB. In my childhood, I have seen software like Wordstar(word processor), Lotus-123(Spreadsheet), etc. Then came windows 3.1, which was just an application and not an OS! Then came the Windows 95, 98, ME, Xp and the most recent Vista. There were also software updates that could be at par to the improvements to the OS. From the times of Wordstar(Ofcourse, not Microsoft’s) to MS-Word 2007 all that Microsoft could drastically change from every release is the looks(primarily). We all know that. But, is there anything special on offer on this release, is what I wanted to find out.
I did not want to install the trial version, but I did want to check out how the new stuff is. MS gives an option for this, to operate MS-Office straight through the browser. It was almost like using it on the desktop. So, that helped me peep into how the new version was.(Link: https://office.microsoft.com)
What stands out …
Stylish appearance, menus just coming out from behind the screen like a bubble, the theme, and overall look and feel in Office 2007, one should say is a complete kick-ass. Though nothing is revolutionary, the look and feel has improved drastically.
Just modifying the look has been Microsoft’s tradition and it has been consistent in improving on the look yet again. However, on a quick look, it does appear like even the usability has improved for a change! This time Microsoft groups the menus into more logical entities. For instance, in Word 2007 inserting a comment would appear in a ‘Reviewing’ menu rather than the Insert menu. There are also quick menus that bubble out with relevant functions. And for any change we are about to apply through menus, the preview can be seen straight away on the document. There is no need to apply it to see how it has changed.
Overall, what I liked is the look and the increased in ease of usability. MS also provides ability to post blogs straight out from the document. So, it appears like everything will be simpler for sloggers at office and bloggers at home and vice-versa:)
Whats all new …
On a quick look, I could see:
Different and easy to use menus The menus are not drop downs any more, but palettes from where you can select straight away.
Ability to save the documents as pdf
Post to blogs straight away from documents
Previews straight away on the documents, even before applying the formatting and things
Small things which were missing have been included, like say to insert a sheet in Excel you just have to click on the tab near the existing sheets. These make life easier than a right click or Insert menu to add a sheet
Smart-art: a way to create graphs and diagrams and flowcharts quickly on the click of a button. It just inserts a template flowchart, which you can modify on a click.
This time around looks like MS(not Mouthshut; Micro Soft!) has given a thought for compatibility for older version of Office as well.
On Excel 2007, we can create something that MS calls as conditional formatting; like shading on a selected color for selected conditions(we should be writing macros on earlier version)
On Outlook 2007 we could set customized out of office replies for internal contacts and external contacts
You can imagine similar features I guess. The features, which we would have thought missing on older versions, now appear to be present and give a satisfying feel. And for core techies, looks like there is good integration of Word into Infopath and Sharepoint and things(Sorry I don’t know what these are!)
Microsoft sells the package(Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook) for around 400$ which is pretty costly. Just seeing all the features and on a best guess, I think the machine should have at least 1GB RAM to operate comfortably(Can only been known if we install it and check. I just tried the software online on the browser) If you can afford a machine with 1GB RAM, I think you would have the potential to buy Office worth$400:) … but there are always trial versions before you actually buy. Remember to keep you old MS-Office disks safe before you actually install. You cannot just uninstall Office 2007. You might have to re-install your older one, if you prefer not to buy.
If you did not understand a bit of what I was speaking about in the previous para, you should have been using pirated software throughout your life! Please learn from this moment that we can actually buy software:) Let us stop piracy on all counts, be it movies or music, or software.
To conclude …
I have not been a great fan of Microsoft and its products so far. The product that I have liked so far of all MS products would be this recent Office 2007. Remember this is not a complete review, but just an overview in these early days of the product release. And because I liked it, I recommend you buy the software and tell me how it works;)
Smiles,
Envyram*
