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Microsoft Office Small Business 2007 UPGRADE Review (continued)
More User Submitted Microsoft Office Small Business 2007 UPGRADE Reviews
Date: 2007-07-29
Dumbed down and harder to use
The new ribbon design is supposed to make it easier to learn and use. It may be for some new users but for experienced users, it isn't. This version takes away some critical nuts & bolts customization features and many tasks now take longer to perform. This is not due to the learning curve, it is the inherent nature of the way the ribbon works. Once you are familiar with the program, nothing is faster than the old menu structure. If Microsoft added an option to allow users to choose between menus and ribbons, it would be the best of both worlds, satisfying the needs of both new and experienced users. The new version does not run macros as fast however. My recommedation for existing users: keep Office 2003 for as long as you can and consider going to Open Office when Microsoft no longer supports 2003 (unless they restore the functionality in a newer release of 2007).
Date: 2007-07-03
Not sure I like the way Office 2007 works - read on
My old computer died last week, so I was forced to buy a new one. I got a VERY good computer - HP tower, with QUAD (not dual) processor, and 3 Gigs of RAM. I have 2 internal drives at 1 terabyte, and 2 externals at 1 TB total. No drive has more than 20% space used, and no other software has been installed.
The biggest problem is IT'S SLOW! When typing an email in Outlook, or a Word document (or Publisher), there is a lag between the time you hit the key and before the character prints. It's like trying to talk with your own echo - I find myself typing MUCH more slowly than I am actually able. I HATE THIS, and I'm not the only one with the problem. Anyone who types for a living has the same complaint. I've turned off all the Outlook and Word 'add-ins' as many sites recommend trying, to no avail. A brand new QUAD Pentium with 3 GB of RAM should be able to run this turd of a program. But no - it's so bloated with new code that the simple act that it was designed for - getting words on the screen - suffers because of it. Just absurd, Microsoft.
The 'Ribbon' interface and new file 'Save as' tree structure are WAY more cumbersome that the old toolbar. I just want to get things done - why did they feel the need for such a massive change? What was wrong with the old system? I take twice as long now browsing to the folder I want. Yes, learning new things 'takes time' - but again, EVERYONE was familiar with the standard toolbar and 'browse to file' techniques. Why change a core skill? Why expect a business (me) to have to spend time learning this new system? What exactly was the point, anyway?
So now I am going to have to UNINSTALL this new $279 package (what a waste) and reinstall Office 2003 just to regain my old performance. And since my last 2003 license died with the old computer (and now cannot be uninstalled to free it up), I'll get the pleasure of dealing with Microsoft to try to recover what I HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR.
The software LOOKS pretty, and has TONS of new features throughout, and that part I like. But if I can't type without looking every second to see if I got it right, and have to type at 1/3 my normal speed, how productive is that?
Beware - if you type a lot with Office, you should NOT BUY THIS VERSION.
I give it two stars for 'pretty' and ZERO for performance in a typing environment.
Date: 2007-07-03
Give it time and it will grow on you
My response to Office 2007 is similar to how I feel about Vista. We all grow accustomed over time to using software and operating systems a certain way and when a really significant new version comes along that changes things, it creates some initial discomfort and even frustration. But if you give the new version a real chance, even to the point of actually doing some reading on how to use it, and then apply what you have learned, there is the eventual realization that someone did put a lot of thought into this and it actually does work better. I am coming to this point now with both Vista and Office 2007. Both are worth the upgrade, but only if you are willing to devote the time and energy it takes to really take advantage of what they offer. Office 2007 may seem more difficult at first, but with familiarity you will come to appreciate the advance it actually represents. There is less need for the degree of personal customization of the interface that most of us required for previous versions of Office because of the much more effective system of ribbons, tabs, groups, and galleries developed for Office 2007.
Date: 2007-06-14
Upgrade worked with a few serious hitches
After installing the upgrade (MS Works qualifies) I installed Outlook Business Contact Manager (BCM), which is what motivated me to buy the upgrade in the first place. BCM features a database import for Excel. After the import I looked in dismay at the fields that were populated in the BCM. So ... I found the 'Delete Database' menu selection in BCM and deleted the database. This action rendered BCM unusable, thereafter.
I tried the 'Repair' feature of MS Office Install but to no avail. I uninstalled BCM and tried re-installing but that did not work either. Finally I put in a call to Microsoft email technical support. After a week of email exchanges and suggestions, uninstalling at the Registry level was the only solution. Unfortunately, the instructions from Microsoft did not take into account the possibility that another database existed on the PC. Needless to say, the other database was part of the new POS system being implemented here. So one of these days I have to call POS tech support to re-install their program.
Date: 2007-06-09
Best Office Product Yet
It takes a little bit to get used to the new user interface but overall the product akes everything so much easier.
Microsoft Office Small Business 2007 UPGRADE Reviews Page: 6 of 8 Prev<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next>>
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