WORD 2007 Takes too much effort

[Kentb]

trying to crank out a proposal and find myself fighting Word 2007 issues like
style and headers/footers.
Perhaps the structure of the user interface is efficient for users that are
new to Word, but a 15 year word user, this is worse than going to a new
competitive product. With brand new product I would have the expectation
that I had to learn everything over. The new Word 2007 is just different
enough that my efficiency is in the dumper and my frustration through the
roof.

Good thing I still have my old XP/2003 system so I can get some work done.
I'm sure the PC makers are thrilled by this.

 

[Terry Farrell]

Déjà Vu.

Look up through the previous postings for comfort in that you are not alone.

 

[Graham Mayor]

I cannot get into my office today as I am having some plumbing work done, so
I have been using my laptop to access the newsgroups. That laptop has the
trial version of Office 2007 installed and I thought I would use it to check
on the construction of an on-line form in response to a user query. I must
have been delusional. After half an hour of hair tearing I gave up. This is
something I could have completed in moments with Word 2003. I am not sure
that I really want to learn this stuff all over again just to use a word
processor

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

It wears off. Most of us hated it at first, but once you get the hang of it
....

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[JoAnn Paules]

That's why I'm using it at home with the ribbon. Better to learn it now at
my leisure than have to learn it when I have a deadline to meet and my boss
breathing down my neck.

--
JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Todd]

We have a new sample of our Word CBT availible online at
http://www.brainstorminc.com/cbt/msw2007/index.html that might be of
interest. It discusses the new interface.

Good luck!
--
Todd Keith
Microsoft Desktop Specialist
http://www.brainstorminc.com

"Wasted end-user time due to lack of training accounted for the biggest
piece of the spoftware spending pie" -Gartner

 

[Beth Melton]

I think we've all felt that way, Graham, give it some time.

I took me about a solid week of forcing myself to use Office 2007 and not
revert to previous versions (nor would I allow myself to use VBA if I
couldn't find something <g>) before I started feeling comfortable with it.
The biggest thing to keep in mind is "under the Ribbon" Word is still the
same.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

 

[Graham Mayor]

I know I can (and probably will) learn this application all over again. That
is not the issue. The real issue is why I should have to. Virtually all
other business software (and some leisure software) applications use the
same standard layout so that you can transfer from one to the other without
a major mindset readjustment. If I had wanted to completely relearn how to
do the most basic things, there are plenty of other choices I could have
made.

There were improvements and changes between (say) Word 97 and 2000 or 2000
and XP - even XP and 2003, but you could step from one to the other and
continue working without any loss of productivity. Not so the change to 2007

Those individuals and businesses who put time and money into training will
have wasted much of that money and will have to start all over again.

There are benefits from moving to the XML format, but the presentation is
for quite a lot of people an unneccessary triumph of style over common
sense.

This is Word for the dabbler, for the occasional home user, for the novice
newcomer. It is not Word for anyone who has to earn a living from the use of
the product.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[LurfysMa]

I know I can (and probably will) learn this application all over again. That
is not the issue. The real issue is why I should have to. Virtually all
other business software (and some leisure software) applications use the
same standard layout so that you can transfer from one to the other without
a major mindset readjustment. If I had wanted to completely relearn how to
do the most basic things, there are plenty of other choices I could have
made.

There were improvements and changes between (say) Word 97 and 2000 or 2000
and XP - even XP and 2003, but you could step from one to the other and
continue working without any loss of productivity. Not so the change to 2007

Those individuals and businesses who put time and money into training will
have wasted much of that money and will have to start all over again.

There are benefits from moving to the XML format, but the presentation is
for quite a lot of people an unneccessary triumph of style over common
sense.

This is Word for the dabbler, for the occasional home user, for the novice
newcomer. It is not Word for anyone who has to earn a living from the use of
the product.

I could not agree more. Well said. Even if I end up deciding (in a few
months) that I can't imagine how I ever lived with the old interface,
I will still be resentful about the way it was shoved down my throat.
Now I'll buy the $30 tool to give me back the old interface and dabble
with the new interface when I can.

I am really, really angry right now. I have a ton of work backed up
and don't have time to screw around learning a new interface. I have
work to do. This is not a toy for me. I fully intend to punish
Microsoft for this to whatever extent I am able.