Word 2003 - Help Procedures

[PT]

I just upgraded from Office 2000 to 2003. Two questions:

1.The Word module doesn't seem to have a built-in help feature. Clicking
help takes me to an on-line web site. Am I missing a way to get help when
I'm off-line?

2. Each time i fire up Word, the right hand of the screen is taken up with
something called "Getting Started" which I have to close before beginning to
work. Is there a simple way to prevent this?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Infuriating, isn't it?

1. You can keep Word from trying to access offline content (I've just had to
do this myself, having installed Office 2003 yesterday). On the Help menu,
select Microsoft Office Word Help (or press F1). In the Help pane, click on
Online Content Settings... In the dialog, clear the check box for "Search
online content when connected" (and any other options you want to disable).

2. Get the Task Pane Controller add-in from
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/ShowTaskPane.htm.

 

[D]

To answer your second question about the "getting started pane", do the following:
- click on Tools-->Options
- Click the "View" tab
- clear the checkbox that says "Startup Task Pane" (it's under the "Show" heading)