Throw Outlook 2003 in the trash bin, bring back Outlook 2000

[Loyd]

There are so many things wrong with Outlook 2003 I don't know where to start.
The one that is bugging me the most right now is the search mechanism for
contacts/address list. O-2000 had an advanced search routine where the user
could look for different things in different areas. Why did you eliminate
something that worked fine? Second, things are not nearly as intuitive as
)-2000. It takes a search of not only HELP but also the M$ knowledgebase to
find out how to do simple things - like sort the names when you are looking
for one to send an email to. In O-2000 you could just click the header bar
and change the sort. Why did you take away a simple function that worked and
hide that function behind a bunch of crap? Another thing bugging me is not
O-2003 but Office 2003. You took away the Office Shortcu Bar and gave nothing
in its place. Yes, I know, I can put shortcuts on the the Quick Launch bar,
but I have that as full as I want it. I could put the Office Shortcut bar on
top of my screen, minimized, and put my most-used Office shortcuts there, Why
did you take away a perfectly fine function when it was working?

I have been a Microsoft sympathizer and supporter among my agnostic peers
for years, but this version of Office is about to put me in the other camp.
I'm sure there are lots of other very frustrated users as well, so I hope you
get your act together and put out a service pack that fixes all the problems
you have created.

----------------
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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...-8cbe322b3328&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Lloyd

You are not, were not, obliged to upgrade..

 

[Loyd]

Your response is typical of an attitude that will cause Microsoft to crash in
flames if not corrected.

Maybe I wasn't obliged to upgrade, but M$ has had me so conditioned that I
need to upgrade - especially when they stop supporting older products, that I
did. I didn't see any warnings that vital and important functions had been
either taken away or obfuscated. In the past, and I have upgraded many times,
I have enjoyed new functions and continued to be able to use valued older
ones. This is the first time in my experience that vital and important
functions were taken away or hidden.

Keep up that attitude and you'll find many more people switching to
competitive OS and applications - and there are some viable ones now which
didn't exist years ago. That reminds me - it's probably time for me to dump
my M$ stock like a lot of other people have been doing lately. Rats leaving a
sinking ship, you know.

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Lloyd

Change is inevitable, and to some, it is progress.. others fear change as it
brings new conventions that one has to learn..

I was a confirmed WordPerfect 7 Suite user until such time as it no longer
worked with my OS of choice.. prior to that, I had used Lotus Smartsuite.. I
tried WP 8, 10 and 12, but did not like them.. so now I use Office 2003..
changing to MS Office did take some acclimatisation at first, but I get
along with it just fine.. would I switch back to Office XP, 2000, or 97?..
nope.. for whatever features any of those had that 2003 doesn't have, 2003
is the better product for me

I have no attitude one way or the other.. if I don't like a product, I
switch.. it is written nowhere in stone that you, I or anybody else has to
use a particular product.. I use what I feel happiest with using, which is
exactly what you should do now..

Addressing your issues..

There is still an advanced search..

When sending emails, clicking on the address book symbol gets everybody in
your contacts in one easy to scroll listing..

The Office Toolbar was hated by as many, if not more than those who loved
it.. personally, I thought that the Office toolbar sucked..

BTW, it is MS, and not M$.. perhaps you have a keyboard problem that is also
affecting advanced search, and your contacts list..

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

1. Advanced search works the same in the new as the old.
2. Sorting by name works the same in the new as in the old.
3. The OSB is incompatible with the OS where the OS provides other
alternatives. There are also 3rd party software options - and we all want a
heterogenous software environment, right?

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.


After furious head scratching, Loyd asked:

| There are so many things wrong with Outlook 2003 I don't know where
| to start. The one that is bugging me the most right now is the search
| mechanism for contacts/address list. O-2000 had an advanced search
| routine where the user could look for different things in different
| areas. Why did you eliminate something that worked fine? Second,
| things are not nearly as intuitive as )-2000. It takes a search of
| not only HELP but also the M$ knowledgebase to find out how to do
| simple things - like sort the names when you are looking for one to
| send an email to. In O-2000 you could just click the header bar and
| change the sort. Why did you take away a simple function that worked
| and hide that function behind a bunch of crap? Another thing bugging
| me is not O-2003 but Office 2003. You took away the Office Shortcu
| Bar and gave nothing in its place. Yes, I know, I can put shortcuts
| on the the Quick Launch bar, but I have that as full as I want it. I
| could put the Office Shortcut bar on top of my screen, minimized, and
| put my most-used Office shortcuts there, Why did you take away a
| perfectly fine function when it was working?
|
| I have been a Microsoft sympathizer and supporter among my agnostic
| peers for years, but this version of Office is about to put me in the
| other camp. I'm sure there are lots of other very frustrated users as
| well, so I hope you get your act together and put out a service pack
| that fixes all the problems you have created.
|
| ----------------
| 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...-8cbe322b3328&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc

 

[Loyd]

Mike,

Thanks for your input. First let me apologize. When I wrote the original
reply I thought you were a M$ (no mistake) employee. Aparently you are not so
please accept my apologies.

Second, I have no fear of change. I'm usually an "early adopter" of new
technology, new releases, new ideas, etc. I look forward to new ways of doing
things.

Third, I did find that I could locate contacts using the Advanced Search,
and that is a big help to me. Outlook 2000 had a slightly easier tool to use,
but I can deal with it as long as they didn't take away that function
entirely.

As for the OSB, even if there were lots of people who didn't like it, it was
an optional thing that they didn't have to use. For those of us who
minimized it and put the most-used Office programs and other frequently-used
shortcuts on that little shortcut bar, taking it away was a major mistake,
imho.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Bob I]

The Operating system you are required to have to be able to even install
Office 2003 provides the shortcut/toolbar. Please see Start, Help and
look up "Add toolbars".