Hi Luke,
Regarding your question on submitting bugs/suggestions/feedback to Microsoft on the publically available 2007 Office system Beta 2 products, it would be a heck of an administrative task to have a formal bug reporting system (i.e. fill in all the blocks on a form etc) that could be handled, but there are several ways for you to make your issues, ideas, concerns and kudos to Microsoft for 2007 Office System Beta 2.
A. From within the Office 2007 apps you can
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1. Click the Microsoft Office Button [File]
2. Go to the bottom of that menu and select the Options choice.
3. In the Options - select 'Resources'
4. Use the 'Contact us' button.
The web page there has a feedback submission link.
B. The Apps themselves can help report themselves
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Also, while still in the Options Resources turn on the 'Customer Experience' program tool. The data MS gathered from the last version on usage was used to set the baseline on what was changed from 2003 to 2007 (including the new ribbon User Interface (UI) and that data will continued to used for tuning the 2007 version before it is Released to Manufacturing (RTM). The information is submitted anonymously by the reporting tool and is an opt-in choice for you to make.
C. More on Usability testing and feedback.
You may want to consider enrolling in the User Interface improvement efforts at
http://microsoft.com/usability/enroll.mspx
D. COOL 2007 Office System Beta 2 feedback Tool
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Download and install the MS 'Send a Smile' tool from the Download Center at
http://microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A2E1F4E2-BC0F-4403-B09F-7A677D55F274
Installing Send-a-Smile places two 'smileys' in your system tray.
Smile - to capture a picture of and comment on things you
like in the new version.
Frown - to capture a picture of and comment on how
something you're seeing might be improved by changing it.
You can capture a screen with a single click and type in details of how you'd improve the apps for usability different from what you're seeing now (may be helpful to also include info on how you use that particular app on a daily/regular or even infrequent basis to set a context for the people reviewing that feedback). After you type it you can send that feedback off to Microsoft where it is reviewed.
You can also capture a frown or a smile using the Keyboard.
Smile Ctrl+Shift+) [Ctrl+shift+zero key]
Frown Ctrl+Shift+( [Ctrl+shift+9]
E. The Peer to Peer feedback
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The discussions here in the public MS Office Community/newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com or
by browser
http://microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx
Your fellow testers are looking forward to feedback, tips, traps and basically the experience of you and others with the 2007 Office System apps. Friendly discussions, point/counterpoint etc on how somethings are working, if they're easy to find (even if 'awkward' at first and it would be better if tweaked by doing xxxx. [going back to the pre 2007 Office System menus isn't an option MS will be offering] <g>. There's a lot to learn, discover and get comfortable and a growing list of videos, demos and more through the
http://microsoft.com/office/preview website already and more on the way.
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When the "more" selection is chosen to reveal all the styles in the "styles"
toolbar, the top bar (Document1 - Microsoft Word..... etc. etc.) changes to
the old "XP" square mode!
I have a screenshot taken, but don't know hot to add a file to this message, if there's a "bug submission" email someone can steer me towards, I'd be glad to send it in.
I'm using Windows XP x64 Pro.
Luke Edson >>
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Let us know if this helped you,
Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP
The 2007 Microsoft Office System - try it or just read about it at
http://microsoft.com/office/preview