Reply to: Microsoft Office 10 Beta

[lilelvis2000]

Friggen hell! I'm still using Office 2003! Mostly because my biggest client is still using Office 2003.

[Spacecadet]

Downloaded and installed the full version on a spare laptop and, surprise surprise, it is very similar to Office 2007.

One addition I noticed, was the ability to customise the different ribbon 'tabs' to exactly how you want it.

A good feature for those that have gotten used to the ribbon concept but want more control over its content.

Its not good!
The best thing about the ribbon was that it was static and so if you went and used a brand new installation or had to use someone else's login/machine you knew where everything was.
Being able to customise the layout bring back my biggest bug bear with the old button layouts.

[Clippy]

Have the put the menus back in??

Worst bloody thing ever the ribbon concept. Unlike many others, I can read, and associate functionality with the word it says on the menu bar, as opposed to some fcking obscure icon, on a ribbon I would never have associated with the function that I would like to actually do.

Completely slowed me down and whoever in Microsoft thought it was a good idea to swap it without dual functionality is frankly a paedophile waiting to be caught!!!!

Nope, they are still running with the ribbon concept.

Agree it is a pain to use at first but I jumped from Office 2003 to Office 2007 early on precisely to overcome this learning curve sooner rather than later.

Also, I am not a high level user of Office apps which made the jump easier for me.

[d000hg]

Took me a few uses to get the ribbon basics, and a few weeks to find the things I use often. Some things I forget still, but on the other hand others are much easier that I found hard before.

Note, MS have started using the ribbon is other apps so you will struggle to escape it. On Windows 7, even MSPaint uses it...

When you start resisting change rather than taking it in your stride, it's a bad sign. Ribbon is no bigger a shift than other things, it's you that is different this time round.

[MarillionFan]

Downloaded and installed the full version on a spare laptop and, surprise surprise, it is very similar to Office 2007.

One addition I noticed, was the ability to customise the different ribbon 'tabs' to exactly how you want it.

A good feature for those that have gotten used to the ribbon concept but want more control over its content.

Have the put the menus back in??

Worst bloody thing ever the ribbon concept. Unlike many others, I can read, and associate functionality with the word it says on the menu bar, as opposed to some fcking obscure icon, on a ribbon I would never have associated with the function that I would like to actually do.

Completely slowed me down and whoever in Microsoft thought it was a good idea to swap it without dual functionality is frankly a paedophile waiting to be caught!!!!

[Clippy]

Downloaded and installed the full version on a spare laptop and, surprise surprise, it is very similar to Office 2007.

One addition I noticed, was the ability to customise the different ribbon 'tabs' to exactly how you want it.

A good feature for those that have gotten used to the ribbon concept but want more control over its content.

[JoJoGabor]

When I worked for a MS Gold partner I was asked to test the pre-release beta. The product is really great to use, however, I did lose a days work one day even after saving the document every 1 hour. Every single version was corrupt so I gave up at that point. Will be waiting for full release befire I start using it again.

One feature I loved - Outlook can group emails by conversation a la Google mail

[MPwannadecentincome]

Thats a shame. It took me a few months (maybe almost a year) but the ribbon is now my favourite thing about office 2007.
Once you know how it's organised and how the context sensitive areas work then it does help you concentrate more on your work and less on the toolbars

I'm still waiting for that time to come - in the meantime wasting a lot of time

[Spacecadet]

And you (I presume) work in IT and it took you almost a year to get used to it, now think about your average user and how much help/support they would need

I'm a bad example
When I started using office 2007 I wasn't required to do much in the way of documentation so I was a very light user
Someone who's spending everyday on spreadsheets and word docs will pick it up faster

[Fred Bloggs]

I'm planning on keeping Office 2003 but with the intention of trying the on line version of 2010 when it comes out. I found Google docs mashed up my formatted Word doc CV's etc... but maybe Office on line won't?

I've just gone off that idea..........

From the Office 2010 website-

You must install the Microsoft Office 2010 before using Office Web Apps. Install it today, and then get started using your Office Web Apps.

Ho hum.

[scooterscot]

Is there a source where you don't have to become a hotmail account holder?

[Fred Bloggs]

I'm planning on keeping Office 2003 but with the intention of trying the on line version of 2010 when it comes out. I found Google docs mashed up my formatted Word doc CV's etc... but maybe Office on line won't?

[Clippy]

Anything in particular? I know they're chasing Google to try and catch some of the online market, but what cool things does 2010 add to the desktop experience that I'd actually notice?

Details here.

[d000hg]

Office 10 BetaWorth a look.

Anything in particular? I know they're chasing Google to try and catch some of the online market, but what cool things does 2010 add to the desktop experience that I'd actually notice?

[d000hg]

*will not even look it unless someone can confirm they got rid of/allow you to disable the bloody ribbon*...

most company's I know have refused to upgrade to 2007 because of the cost of user training required due to the bloody ribbon, so doubt they will be in a rush to get 2010 either if it is still forcing users to use it

Are those companies also still using Windows 3.11 because the start-bar is too difficult to understand? I can see why MS don't make it optional - most people would try it for 30s, give up and turn it off forever. If MS truly believe it is a better solution then it's sensible to force users into it.

I think it's less hard to transition as an average user actually. The things I find hard are features most users don't use much.