Outlook 2007 look :-(

[Jake]

i downloaded Windows Live Mail couple of days ago and i got shocked!

ITS REALLY shame that the look of Windows Live Mail (and even some extra
functions it has) is really Perfect and IT IS what outlook 2007 (and Office
2007 in general) should look like!

The functionality of Outlook 2007 is amazing, BUT it still hurt to find a
FREE product that 'looks' better and has funtions that the 'Professional
Outlook' does not have :-(

I have Outlook2007 as a part of my Enterprise Office System ($600) i wanted
it to be ULTIMATE in every sense :-(

In Outlook 2007, the following needs Upgrading (improving) to a better look:
1- the Icons of all buttons
2- The range of Interface Colour themes available ( only blue ,gray and black)
3- The Functionality of 'NewsPaper' that doesnt exist (but in Outlook
express!!!! and windows live mail !!!!!!)
4- The Main Interface of outlook 2007 (PLEASE MAKE IT REBON!! PLEASE)

all the former things should be improved to a better look ( a vista look
-Glass covered- or windows live mail look). we always expect the best from
MS, we are already paying fortune :-(

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...d1c1696c0&dg=microsoft.public.outlook.general

 

[Jocelyn Fiorello]

Just as an aside -- Outlook has never had its own newsreader and never will.
It uses Outlook Express or Windows Mail for that.

 

[Jake]

You want customers feedback ,, HERE YOU GO!

Firstly: Perfect things can be MORE perfect. (this is not my saying its
Mercedes-Benz designers') so for Outlook to Have a news reader included (for
no extra price as news reader is already offered for free) means being More
perfect! i think its a minor task for MS-Engineers.

Secondly: The Look DOES need enhancing as i mentioned earlier.

i do believe that the whole thing would take like a day working to make a
batch file that does the job after downloading and installing!

 

[Brian Tillman]

You want customers feedback ,, HERE YOU GO!

Not here, however, since Microsoft people generally do not read these
newsgroups.

 

[Jake]

WHere then how can i make them SEE and HEAR my feedback !?!?!

 

[Diane Poremsky]

the system picks up suggestions that are posted using the web interface and
it should be seen by ms - but don't expect too much because outlook is a
business application and functionality is more important than eye candy....
and the functions are those needed by corporate users. Any changes will
happen in the next version - not in outlook 2007.

They have said for years that they will not add news reading directly to
outlook - corporations do not want the functionality and corps are the major
user of outlook.

Use the application that best meets *your* needs... for many users, that is
OE or one of its incarnations, more so for those with Vista as it includes a
calendar. While you paid $600 for your version of office, that is not how
much outlook costs - it's more like $100 standalone, much less when you buy
a suite.

 

[Jake]

Well, If the Corporations dont want the functionality this way thats fine

im not a real business-user of Outlook but as an academic in a University
dealing with loads of emails between me, my colleagues, co-operative
companies and students, Plus organising meetings, appoinments, experiments
site visitings, ets Means being Heavily involved in using MS-Outlook, and
being academic means being Heavily involved in using MS-Office in general.

Believe me, the more comfortable the look of Outlook interface to the eye,
the more productive the investor is and the more comfortable they feel.

Forget about how windows live mail looks like. ok. BUT if the interface of
Outlook is adjested to look like say Word2007 or Excel2007 that would be
Perfect. A more organised functions in a rebon that looks great. that is all
what i need in Outlook 2007

thanks for reading.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

You mean with the ribbon? That will be added to the next version - the
reason it wasn't in outlook 2007's main interface is because its so complex
and they couldn't get it done and working in a reasonable amt of time. It is
in the individual forms because they use word as the editor.

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Actually no, each ribbon in Outlook items is different and there are 17 now
totally. To add the ribbons needed for different folder views would have
required about another 10 ribbons, so those were put off until the next
version.

The email and other Inspector windows don't use the Word ribbon at all, they
are completely Outlook specific.

 

[Jake]

Well if switching to rebbon in email and other Inspector windows in Outlook
2007 till the next version thats fine. But isnt it possible (at least) to
refresh the recent look with better buttons icons that look as good when
choosing to view them large .

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Then Office would have to completely redefine the specs for
Office.CommandBarButton objects, probably breaking all old code in the
process. Then you'd hear a lot of complaints.

 

[Matt Richter]

These are excuses, not explanations. If they couldn't get the code done in
the app, Office 2007 should be Office 2008. Instead, they've stuck the user
with using several different application interfaces when just one office
suite product is purchased. That's just poor product management, plain and
simple. Maybe if Microsoft could get their own staff to use the features
available in Microsoft Project, life would be better. But once again,
we're stuck holding the bag for thier crappy planning.

So, if we have different interfaces due to the release schedule, I wonder
what screw ups leark beneath the surface because they're just planning "to
get to it with the next release."

And for what it's worth, Outlook may be targeted at corp users, but really,
most of the features that are there would be very nice for families to use as
well. What we're talking about isn't corp vs non-corp, it's team vs
individual use.

All this crap is making me miss lotus notes....

Matt

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Since I don't work for MS you're venting at the wrong person. MS doesn't
even read these groups.

If you prefer Lotus Notes go back to it. If you want one interface style for
everything in Outlook use Office 2003.

 

[Matt Richter]

Ken,

Thank you for your time. No need to piss in my cereal. Others wrote why the
features aren't there. Why aren't you saying that they shouldn't speak for
Microsoft!

Thank you for your thoughtfull and insigtfull replies.

Matt

ps, if Microsoft doesn't read anything here, whomever owns this site should
just delete the whole threads about "suggestions to microsoft". Then none of
us would waste any time pointing out ways to improve the product that just go
down the crapper! Oh, I see, Microsoft owns the site. So I guess the
suggestions to do that wouldn't be read either! Sometimes it seems like we
all live in a catch-22 life.