Vista and Office 2007 Preview - Part 2

I have been wanting to continue with this topic immediately after the first one but other matters arise :) Better late than never, here it is...

After tea break, the Microsoft reps showed Windows Vista to the group. The login screen is different. The desktop looks different and they try to provide as many tools as possible so we don't have to install other software and freeware on Vista. One of the improvement showed are the Date and Time on the taskbar can now be used as calendar. The security feature is controlled via Administrator login. If you try to access any Administrator function like changing the system date, you will be prompted with password. Key in the correct Administrator password and you're in. More info here.

I asked whether now they have folder password. The guy goes on and on about how we shouldn't work that way, how everything should be controlled by the login ID and so on and finally I get the point. Actually I got the point earlier when he started beating around the bush about it. Nope. They did not have password on folder feature. They guy started with how Microsoft heard the public views and concerns all these while and they have tried to fulfill it via the many new tools provided in Vista but not folder password. Hmmm... Just take a look at the result for "folder password" search in Google to see how much people want it or there will be no shareware and freeware for it.

"Networking and information sharing is a breeze with Vista." Someone is not being very realistic here. It is rare to find an organization where everyone has the same PC spec with the same OS and Office version. Even if they use the same version, not everyone would install the latest patch. I'm sure Microsoft has a dream or thought of an ideal situation where everyone would use one version of Windows and Office. They thought every one would upgrade whenever a new version is released. They are going to get very disappointed. I can still find PC with Windows 95 in my organization. Try doing a peer-to-peer connection between Vista and 95 or 98, or 98 SE and then use the word 'a breeze' to do.

With Google Spreadsheet and Writely, and many more web office applications available, users have more options to choose from. OpenOffice.org is free. No matter how beautiful the package is, any organization would look at the dollars and cents. Would it improve productivity? With training and a more streamlines work process, maybe. But to just purchase the latest of everything without analyzing how the current job is done is not a good idea at all. If all you ever do is memos and letters, you don't need all the extra functions.

Anyhow, I have the beta version of both. Just have not decided to install it yet. Vista, not very likely. Office 2007, maybe.

Previous entry: Vista and Office 2007 Preview - Part 1