MS Office 2007 First Impressions
Microsoft is releasing it's Office 2007 product to the general public within the next week. With an academic version priced at about $150 it seems a steep price point to upgrade on a product that basically types letters, and make Power Point slides. It is especially difficult to consider when there are free programs such as Open Office 2.0 that can accomplish the same thing. In my humble opinion if you are an active computer user or if your considering an office application for your classroom computers, Office 2007 is worth the cost and is a significant upgrade for most users.
The biggest strength in the new version of office is what Microsoft now calls the ribbon. This new feature and user interface makes it easy to find advanced features that were somewhat buried in menus in previous versions. It makes it easy for basic users to become power users. I have seen many articles that contend that the change in the interface is going to require a significant investment in retraining employees and teachers to use the new system. I don't agree! There will be some training necessary, however the intuitive nature of the new interface will make it easier to train and over time the need for training on Office products will be significantly reduced. Office 2007 will also make it easier for students to get amazing results on student projects.
There are many internal enhancements that allow for greater collaboration capabilities, and integration with other products. One example is it's new blogging features. You can create a blog post from within Microsoft Office and directly submit the post from within word. The collaboration capabilities will make it easier for students to work together on projects. Many months ago I looked at Open Office 2.0, and stated that it was a close toss up when compared with MS Office, well now now there is a clear winner. MS office 2007 is clearly the best Office application available.
The biggest strength in the new version of office is what Microsoft now calls the ribbon. This new feature and user interface makes it easy to find advanced features that were somewhat buried in menus in previous versions. It makes it easy for basic users to become power users. I have seen many articles that contend that the change in the interface is going to require a significant investment in retraining employees and teachers to use the new system. I don't agree! There will be some training necessary, however the intuitive nature of the new interface will make it easier to train and over time the need for training on Office products will be significantly reduced. Office 2007 will also make it easier for students to get amazing results on student projects.
There are many internal enhancements that allow for greater collaboration capabilities, and integration with other products. One example is it's new blogging features. You can create a blog post from within Microsoft Office and directly submit the post from within word. The collaboration capabilities will make it easier for students to work together on projects. Many months ago I looked at Open Office 2.0, and stated that it was a close toss up when compared with MS Office, well now now there is a clear winner. MS office 2007 is clearly the best Office application available.
Labels: Microsoft, Office 2007, Open Office
1 Comments:
I have been trying Office 2007 for about a month. I was very hesitant in the beginning because my beloved menus were no longer there. But, after a couple of times using the new ribbon, I was hooked! It's so much easier than the pull down menus. All your commands are out in the open. For a visual learner like me, and like most of our students in this day and age, I could find what I needed with a quick glance.
I do think this version will be easier to teach teachers and students to use. I plan on purchasing the new version soon.
By Drussell, At January 23, 2007 9:49 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home