Who's frustrated with Office 2007?

[Mary :( Office 2007]

I'm sorry but for someone who has been using all the office programs for
over 10 years I find the 2007 version impossible to navigate. I really feel
like you didn't consider your users who work effortlessly in your programs
when you updated the office package.
This is pushing me to use the Adobe suite far more for administrative
documents because I just don't have time to figure out this new navigation. I
don't even know where to look for to get support for all the stupid questions
that I now have. It's like I've never used these applications before!
I don't have an asssitant and need to be able to do everything - just like
all hte other worker bees out there and this has just taken the admin end of
my work and brought it to a screeching hault. I spent a half an hour trying
to take a lable template and view it horizontally.
Why can't I do all the formating for my word documents from the document set
up option? Why do I have to go to page set up just to select vertical or
horizontal?
Why are are the templates impossible to customize?
Why in the world does the program default objects and text with those crazy
drop shadows? Its so frustrating.
Is this because Bill left?
I can't work with you any more Office.
You're not the software you once were Office.
I miss you.

 

[Dave Jones]

I'm sorry but for someone who has been using all the office programs for
over 10 years I find the 2007 version impossible to navigate. I really feel
like you didn't consider your users who work effortlessly in your programs
when you updated the office package.
This is pushing me to use the Adobe suite far more for administrative
documents because I just don't have time to figure out this new navigation. I
don't even know where to look for to get support for all the stupid questions
that I now have. It's like I've never used these applications before!
I don't have an asssitant and need to be able to do everything - just like
all hte other worker bees out there and this has just taken the admin end of
my work and brought it to a screeching hault. I spent a half an hour trying
to take a lable template and view it horizontally.
Why can't I do all the formating for my word documents from the document set
up option? Why do I have to go to page set up just to select vertical or
horizontal?
Why are are the templates impossible to customize?
Why in the world does the program default objects and text with those crazy
drop shadows? Its so frustrating.
Is this because Bill left?
I can't work with you any more Office.
You're not the software you once were Office.
I miss you.

Gemini...is that you?

 

[Lucy Thomson]

Hi Mary

Yes, the move can be a frustrating one. I found the mapping workbooks (or
'where have all the commands gone?' as they used to be called) invaluable
when I made the move. You can download them (and interactive guides) from
here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/HA102295841033.aspx
There is also a search function you can add to the ribbon from OfficeLabs:
http://www.officelabs.com/projects/searchcommands/Pages/default.aspx
And 3rd party add-ins to restore the old menus:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/marketplace/results.aspx?qu=classic+menu&av=PMP000
The defaults on objects are due to the theme so if you modify the theme of
your normal.dotx that should sort your drop shadow frustration (I'm afraid
this isn't my area but this seems like a good starting place):
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA102341291033.aspx

I hope that helps to ease some of your pain

Lucy

PS Just so you know, we're just fellow users here, not Microsoft employees

 

[Gemini]

LOL, Mary! I don't mean to laugh at you. However, you've expressed your
frustration with Office 2007 in a unique manner.

The Ribbon is definitely not a universal favorite. MS, in it's wisdom,
decided that the new UI would be better for all users. Unfortunately, the new
UI stresses discoverability over productivity. MS, in it's arrogance, decided
they didn't want to provide their long term users with a classic UI
alternative, for those of us who didn't want/like the Ribbon thing.

I used the trial version of Office 2007 (mostly Excel) for a few weeks.
Excel kept crashing randomly and the new UI was a productivity killer.
Learning the new UI (which I found to be ridiculous and illogical) was a low
ROI proposition for me. Given these reasons, I reverted to Office 2003.
Voila! Productivity's back and the crashes have disappeared.

MS plans to continue with the Ribbon, despite requests from long time users
for the classic UI. You have two choices here. One is to revert to Office
2003. Of course, if you're one of the unfortunate "captive" users (i.e. your
employer has mandated the use of Office 2007), then this option mayn't work
for you. I know some users in that category who wouldn't touch the Ribbon
otherwise.

The second option is to use one of the several add-ons available. These
add-ons create one more tab on that confounded Ribbon and give you the
classic UI. If you search through the threads here, that info has been posted
many times already.

Oh yes, may I recommend you take a few minutes and let MS know how you feel
about their precious Ribbon? There's a link to send feedback from the Office
2007 section of the MS site.

You aren't the first user frustrated with the UI and you won't be the last.

hth!

 

[Gemini]

No, Dave. I'm definitely not Mary.

I'm flattered that you're thinking of me every time you see a post from yet
another poor soul who's suffering because of the Ribbon.

-- Gemini

 

[Dave Jones]

No, Dave. I'm definitely not Mary.

I'm flattered that you're thinking of me every time you see a post from yet
another poor soul who's suffering because of the Ribbon.

-- Gemini

glad to make your day Gemini...

 

[Gordon]

glad to make your day Gemini...

It appears that Gemini is the ONLY person who has any difficulty with the
ribbon - maybe that says a lot about Gemini's application skills (or LACK of
them) rather than the ribbon....

 

[Dave Jones]

It appears that Gemini is the ONLY person who has any difficulty with
the ribbon - maybe that says a lot about Gemini's application skills (or
LACK of them) rather than the ribbon....

well Gordon, I don't know about Gemini's app skills and he certainly
isn't the only one who complains about the ribbon...but he's definitely
the loudest of the complainer group
Dave
DDP

 

[Gemini]

Gordon, it is obvious to the meanest intelligence (apparently that's higher
than yours) that there are a LOT of users who don't like the Ribbon and have
found it to be counter productive.

I'll match my skills against yours any day.

Given your lack of comprehension, may I recommend remedial English
comprehension skills for you? I do recall you had never heard of the term
"power user" until recently.

Do let us know when you develop the ability to pen some intelligent posts.

Gordon, your posts remind me of the adage: "Wisdom not necessarily comes
with age. Sometimes, age comes all alone."

-- Gemini

 

[Gemini]

Dave, after reading Gordon's responses to many posters who didn't like the
Ribbon, I've concluded that Gordon's an idiot, senile or both. His usual,
useless response is "But why not learn it?" That doesn't help those posters
who've tried using the Ribbon and have not found it of any use.

I know kindergarteners learn through pictures. That might help explain why
Gordon likes the Ribbon!

-- Gemini