Why do footers become text boxes in PowerPoint 2007 from 2003?

[csavio]

When someone opens a file in PowerPoint 2007 with footers that were created
in PowerPoint 2003, the footer fields immediately become text fields–which
means that if you save them in PowerPoint 2007 (even in compatibility mode!!)
you permanently lose the ability to edit all footers at once–even when you
open that file in PowerPoint 2003. No warning–just zap, and the footer fields
(date, too!) are gone!

Any way to fix this?

 

[GmailUser]

When someone opens a file in PowerPoint2007with footers that were created
in PowerPoint 2003, thefooterfields immediately become text fields-which
means that if you save them in PowerPoint2007(even in compatibility mode!!)
you permanently lose the ability to edit all footers at once-even when you
open that file in PowerPoint 2003. No warning-just zap, and thefooterfields
(date, too!) are gone!

Any way to fix this?

I have the same problem and it's alarming to me. I am hesitating
"upgrading" to 2007 if this is going to happen...