Vista and Office 2007 Preview - Part 1

I went to Windows Vista and Office 2007 preview about 2 weeks ago. The targeted audience is mainly HR people. Since our training center is part of HR department, I was selected to preview the software. The consultant figured that if HR people thought it is a good software, they can persuade the IT and Finance department people to support and purchase it.

We were first introduced to Office 2007 applications by the consultant. The layout looked different. What do you expect? This is from Microsoft. Of course they’re going to change the layout. Gone are the toolbars. In it's place, they called it ribbons. Icons are placed on the ribbons and you have to scroll up, down, right to look at all the icons on the ribbon.

He then continued telling the audience about some features that has always been there but never used by many normal users. Most of them are common to me; some are not available in Office 2000 and below or hidden. I asked him about a feature that I have seen in other software before but highlighted in the 2007 version and I want to know if it is available in the older version because I sure would have noticed it if it is on the Menu. He said it is available in the older version and I have to take his word for it. Later I double check and couldn't find Comparing Document Side By Side on Office 2000 Menu but the Help mentioned that Track Changes could be used to perform this function. Not similar at all.

I mentioned how Office likes to hide Menus that we would miss a command if we did not expand the hidden Menu using the arrow. He pointed that now Microsoft has solved that problem with the use of ribbons. "Yeah it took them so long to solve it", I remarked and he laughed while highlighting this to the Microsoft representatives also present during the preview. The thing is, I have met many users who didn't notice the arrowhead pointing down on the Menu indicating that you can click on it to expand and reveal more options.

While some of the audiences go ooohhh and aaaaahhh at some of the function and features he showed, I'm not impressed. It just shows how normal users knew very little tricks on using Office applications and a newer, better, more-tricks version does not give additional value to them. All the while, the consultant always refers to Office 2003 features as his 'older' version. The thing is, I have not seen Office 2003 installed on any PC in my organization. Why pay for the license when the older version can do the job? Besides, we're going the OpenOffice.org direction now.

During tea break, the consultant shared a table with me. Probably he wants to find out why I'm resistant to Office 2007. I'm not resistant. I'm just not impress. He praises the new Office's ability to convert document to PDF document and I told him OpenOffice has that feature since many moons ago. Don't get me wrong. After getting use to the new UI, it is probably interesting to use it with more colorful icon and automatic formatting on table or instant charting options for example, but you are practically doing the same old thing with a new toy. What's the point? Doesn't make much economic sense.