Want to switch to 2007 Word Format

[mickeygx]

Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

I have been running the 2008 Word in the old "classic" format - but would like to be able to switch to the new Word look (toolbars, menu, etc.). I can't find any preferences to do this. Where is it located?

Thanks
- Michael

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Michael -

The Ribbon interface is exclusive to Office 2007 apps on the PC (where it
isn't optional), it isn't an "option" in the Mac versions.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[mickeygx]

Bob,
I appreciate the note. I have a PC at work Mac at home so this might account for my confusion. Will have to look at work more carefully. I thought there was some kind of way to use former screen layout - but it might simply have been the 2 systems!!

Thanks
- Michael

 

[CyberTaz]

There are ways of hacking 2007 to get some semblance of the Classic UI, but
there's nothing built in that allows the user to pick the UI of their
choice. I believe custom toolbars created in previous versions of Word can
also be imported but I've never had occasion to mess with it.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Phillip Jones]

Hmm sounds like we need Themes like in Mozilla products. where code
writers can create custom Themes (skins) and the an extension or addons
manager allow the code to be installed in the Chrome Folder then you
switch to desired skin.

Oh, I forgot Ms doesn't work that way.
;-)

There are ways of hacking 2007 to get some semblance of the Classic UI, but
there's nothing built in that allows the user to pick the UI of their
choice. I believe custom toolbars created in previous versions of Word can
also be imported but I've never had occasion to mess with it.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

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[John McGhie]

Hi Phillip:

No, you haven't looked

MS Word 2008 has two skins already. They're on the "Gallery" tab of the
Preferences...

It would have had more, but they ran out of time...

It also has Themes, but they apply to the document, not the application.

Cheers

Hmm sounds like we need Themes like in Mozilla products. where code
writers can create custom Themes (skins) and the an extension or addons
manager allow the code to be installed in the Chrome Folder then you
switch to desired skin.

Oh, I forgot Ms doesn't work that way.
;-)

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[Phillip Jones]

Hmm I'll have to look into that.

Now if they could create a skin that emulated PC's Ribbon. People would
test it out and see if its worth the hoopla.

Hi Phillip:

No, you haven't looked

MS Word 2008 has two skins already. They're on the "Gallery" tab of the
Preferences...

It would have had more, but they ran out of time...

It also has Themes, but they apply to the document, not the application.

Cheers

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!

mailto[email protected]

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>

<http://www.vpea.org>

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Phillip:

Yes! I wish!!

Sadly, the PC Office hegemony has an iron-clad policy that they will NEVER
permit an application to have BOTH user interfaces.

I can understand why they are doing this: the moment they enabled customers
to use "either", they would have to continue supporting "both" user
interfaces for 10 years. Since supporting the user interface is probably
the majority of the work they do on PC Office, you can understand why they
wouldn't want to double their workload for zero return.

I think the most interesting statistic is to look at the number of users who
come "back" after having learned Word 2007. It's practically zero! To me,
that says it all.

Now, I am a grumpy old fart, and a slow learner, so I complained long and
loud about the Office 2007 user interface. It took at least two months for
the noise to die down at my place.

But now, I get frustrated with the Word 2004 user interface. Yes, it's
familiar, but it's slow and fiddly and not very powerful. And I get even
more frustrated with the Office 2008 user interface: that is neither fish
nor fowl, and it just tastes bad cooked either way

Cheers

Hmm I'll have to look into that.

Now if they could create a skin that emulated PC's Ribbon. People would
test it out and see if its worth the hoopla.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[Phillip Jones]

Hi Phillip:

Yes! I wish!!

Sadly, the PC Office hegemony has an iron-clad policy that they will NEVER
permit an application to have BOTH user interfaces.

I can understand why they are doing this: the moment they enabled customers
to use "either", they would have to continue supporting "both" user
interfaces for 10 years. Since supporting the user interface is probably
the majority of the work they do on PC Office, you can understand why they
wouldn't want to double their workload for zero return.

I think the most interesting statistic is to look at the number of users who
come "back" after having learned Word 2007. It's practically zero! To me,
that says it all.

Are you saying once a person that uses 2004/2008 tries PC 2007 they
don't go back?

Maybe its a testament to they stuff MS left out of 2008 rather than the UI.

After the experiences I've had with windows when I was working, I would
find it difficult to be convinced to switch.

There was many times when I was working with school system I would have
loved to had the opportunity to take a sledge hammer to the whole mess.
It was so easy for 6th and 7th graders to break in and delete key files
and I would have to restore the system.

Another infuriating thing was having to replace Mouse Balls (rollers)
I'd have to buy them in bags full to keep up with it all.

Now, I am a grumpy old fart, and a slow learner, so I complained long and
loud about the Office 2007 user interface. It took at least two months for
the noise to die down at my place.

But now, I get frustrated with the Word 2004 user interface. Yes, it's
familiar, but it's slow and fiddly and not very powerful. And I get even
more frustrated with the Office 2008 user interface: that is neither fish
nor fowl, and it just tastes bad cooked either way

Cheers

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!

mailto[email protected]

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>

<http://www.vpea.org>

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Phillip:

Are you saying once a person that uses 2004/2008 tries PC 2007 they
don't go back?

I am saying that once a person who uses ANY other version of Word tries 2007
for a few weeks, they won't switch back. Including me!

Maybe its a testament to they stuff MS left out of 2008 rather than the UI.

No, not really. The compelling feature of the Office 2007 UI for most is
that you can see what you are "going to get" before you click that button.
Live formatting preview is distracting at first, but it's utterly compelling
once you get used to it.

It is particularly effective for "occasional users" of the product who do
not really know it well. They can fumble around and click the one that
shows them what they wanted.

Professional users such as myself are not so thrilled with it: we do all our
formatting with styles, and we don't really care what it looks like on
screen -- we know that if the style is correct, the formatting is correct.
We never need to think about it.

After the experiences I've had with windows when I was working, I would
find it difficult to be convinced to switch.

Well, yeah, but Phillip that was 20 years ago

Another infuriating thing was having to replace Mouse Balls (rollers)
I'd have to buy them in bags full to keep up with it all.

Mice were castrated ten years ago, Phillip

Cheers

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]