News Microsoft lays out plans for new Office

[WilHarris]

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/02...ffice_12_live/

[BioSniper]

I was watching an MS video actually about the new interface for "office 12" the other day. Its really designed with the total new user in mind and its very VERY horrible. Mind you I use open office these days.

[<A88>]

Well I've been using Office for years and there're still bits I'm not aware of or can't use. The idea of having the functions available to you right in front of you so you know excactly what you can do with an element means that I'll probably find myself using a lot more of the application than I ever did before. Personally, I think Office 2007 looks gorgeous

<A88>

[Glider]

It looks good, but at what price does it come? For me (poor student) M$ Office will allways be a huge investment...

[<A88>]

http://channel9.msdn.com/showpost.aspx?postid=114720 Might be worth a look if you're interested in the new UI.
Although it's a tad bit slow, the realtime previewing and new interface, as I said before, does look incredibly handy. Obviously it'll take a bit of adapting to- just like the switch from Windows 9x - XP did, but Microsoft do seem to realise there's a hell of a lot more competition out there now, and are doing something about it

<A88>

[Jordanis3r]

I saw a demo up at M$ in Reading this week - very very very awesome, I am covered by NDA's so I can't spill too much, but it is a great leap forward from Office 2003, and that is just the interfaces and ways you can work - I haven't seen Outlook yet, but again we were assured it would be greatly enhanced, personally I think this year will be a milestone for Microsoft, one where alot of boundaries are pushed further than in previous years ... roll on office 2007!

[Firehed]

Originally Posted by <A88>

Well I've been using Office for years and there're still bits I'm not aware of or can't use.

If by "bits" you mean "any functionality offered beyond what's in WordPad", I totally agree. Sure, making the other stuff more accessable is good, but how many people really have ANY need for those extra features, regardless of how easy they are to figure out.

Honestly, all I do is type and occasionally need to add in an image, and OOo has me mroe than covered, despite how I've started working primarily in Notepad2 because it's just such a lighter footprint.

Somehow I doubt that "It loads slower than Adobe Reader" will be a vaild excuse for returning it, though.

[ajack]

So have they decided to go with the whole Ribbon thing in this release? Not sure if that's cool or not, looked a bit awkward to use from the videos I saw a while back.

[TheEclypse]

Originally Posted by Firehed

If by "bits" you mean "any functionality offered beyond what's in WordPad", I totally agree. Sure, making the other stuff more accessable is good, but how many people really have ANY need for those extra features, regardless of how easy they are to figure out.

Then you shouldnt be using Word should you ? They make a product for a purpose, if you dont require its features use something else.

Originally Posted by Firehed

I've started working primarily in Notepad2 because it's just such a lighter footprint.

Same here, use it all the time!

[MrWillyWonka]

Originally Posted by TheEclypse

Then you shouldnt be using Word should you ? They make a product for a purpose, if you dont require its features use something else.


Same here, use it all the time!

But Word had the extra formatting features which wordpad/notepad doesn't have, although people may not use all the features, they will at least use something which wordpad/notepad doesn't have.

Right now I'm perfectly happy with office 2003. it's fast and easy to use, probably won't go to 2007 unless there's something really cool I want in it, which I doubt so.

[TheEclypse]

Originally Posted by MrWillyWonka

But Word had the extra formatting features which wordpad/notepad doesn't have, although people may not use all the features, they will at least use something which wordpad/notepad doesn't have.

Right now I'm perfectly happy with office 2003. it's fast and easy to use, probably won't go to 2007 unless there's something really cool I want in it, which I doubt so.

I was just saying that the app is made to cover more advanced uses as well as the odd letter, and im sure there are other apps you could use that do everything you want, so theres no need to complain about them adding functionality.