Quick Question for New Office11 User (Installation Preferences)

[MISS CHIEVOUS]

Okay, first, just so you know just _how_ new I am to this . . .

This is the first time -- absolutely EVER -- that I've attempted to use any
Microsoft product other than their OS and Bookshelf 1994.

Never used Word.
Never used Excel.
Never used Outlook.
Zip.
Nada.

My profession obliges me to succumb, however, and begin using these
programs. After exhaustive research I determined no less than 13 core
programs are included in the Office 11 product. So I forked over for Office
11, and I'm actually thrilled with some of the goodies I wasn't anticipating.


Now I'm somewhat finnicky about the real estate in my computer: I have no
less than 18 partitions mounted between my 4 hard drives (see my Profile for
my Windows 2000 Layout) and I guard their install locations jealously.

So I had all 13 of these programs scoped out for their respective install
directories and proceeded to install the first (most mission-critical)
program, EXCEL: I clicked ONLY the "Excel" box; utilized the
advanced-install procedures; and she installed like a champ. So far so good.

And now I think you know where this is headed lol.

Ummm . . . let me guess: If I want EVERY Office 11 program to install they
all have to install to the >>SAME DIRECTORY? In the ONE install procedure I
will be allowed? This is a "One Way" trip? There is no returning to the
sacred Page-That-Includes-The-Check-Boxes-For-The-Programs-I-Wish-To-Install?

Oh wait, it does appear that VISIO was granted sovereignty.

Anyhoo, is my assessment correct? Because if so, then I gather I will have
to >>UNINSTALL the one program I've proceeded with thus far (EXCEL) and, uh,
start all over again? It won't be the end of the world, but let's just say .
.. . I'm going to have a hell of a lot of shortcuts lol.

Thanks friends.

Miss Chievous

 

[DL]

The programs install to the same Office Folder, by default. Installing each
component to a seperate folder is of no advantage and may actually cause
problems.
Any data files created with the programs are usually stored in the My
Documents folder, but there are various options in some components.
BTW I'm struggling to see any advantage in so many partitions.

 

[MISS CHIEVOUS]

BTW I'm struggling to see any advantage in so many partitions.

Thanks DL

And oh what an improvement in efficiency my partitions have made! All I can
tell you DL is that when you have as many programs as I do -- and run 3
businesses (one being just personal EBAY sales) -- you need to be able to
FIND files and programs. For example, programs:

My programs are divided into three primary groups:
O:\OPERATIONS
P:\PROGRAMS
Q:\QUE

OPERATIONS is generally hardware, diagnostic, scheduling, calendaring,
communications (voicemail), macro/automation programs, and system utilities
-- and those programs that are less-frequently used (Word Processing
programs, Tax software, Games, and sound editors, to name a few).

PROGRAMS holds the "business end" of my system: Productivity-related
programs, such as Pagemaker, Acrobat Pro, (anything) database, (anything)
graphics/design, inventory management, text editors, reference (encyclopedia,
thesaurus, dictionary etc.), language translation, charts & graphs, and font
tools (Adobe Typemanager, X-Fonter, etc.).

QUE is my easily-remembered (and SHORT) INTERNET drive. No less than 14
different categories populate this drive, everything from Animation (Adobe
Flash) to USPS Shipping Assistant are here.

The other drives are repositories for my files with easily-remembered labels
like "F:\FORUMS, G:\GRAPHICS, K:\KNOWLEDGE (my PDF Vault), L:\LEDGER and
J:\JOURNAL".

And the first rule of thumb is rigorously enforced: NO FILES OR PROGRAMS go
on my C drive other than the operating system wherever possible. Programs
install their obligatory entries on C, but beyond that, they are physically
removed from C.

Once you've examined how you use your computer -- and this took me YEARS to
perfect, I must admit -- you will be grateful for the speed with which you
can lay your hands on even the least-used program or file. I know my scanner
lives on O:. I know Microangelo (my little icon editor) lives in the ICON
TOOLS folder on P. I know Dreamweaver and Firefox live on Q.

But it's even better than that. When you have a task to do, all the
programs that are related to the one you are using will be there in their
category folder. More than once this has inspired me to approach a task more
creatively than I otherwise might have, had I been wading aimlessly through a
laundry list of hundreds of folders with no logical relationship to one
another.

I can't encourage you strongly enough to try this! I will never go back to
folders ever again.

MC

 

[DL]

Then install all of Office, via custom install to P:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Office11
Office will also install some folders to C