Microsoft Office 2007

Friday, March 10, 2006 by Island Dog | Discussion: Windows Software

Microsoft has put up a preview section for Office 2007. 

Preview of the "new" gui - http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/uioverview.mspx

Prices - http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/pricing.mspx

36 Reply 19 Referrals
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BlueDev
Reply #1 Friday, March 10, 2006 11:47 AM
Hmmm, in that screenie it just looks too blue and bubbly for me.  Too much like WMP 10, which I thought was a big step backwards in terms of aesthetics from WMP XP and 9.

Adamness
Reply #2 Friday, March 10, 2006 11:50 AM
Looks like Microsoft can't let go of the Fisher-Price look.

thomassen
Reply #3 Friday, March 10, 2006 11:52 AM
You can change the appearance of Office 2007. Have a look at the screenshot to the bottom of this blog article: http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh/archive/2006/03/09/547281.aspx

And note that this is the XP screenshots. It will have support for Vista Aero style whe it comes out.

This blog is in general quite interesting regarding user interface design for software. http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh/

DJBandit
Reply #4 Friday, March 10, 2006 2:37 PM
Hmmm, in that screenie it just looks too blue and bubbly for me. Too much like WMP 10, which I thought was a big step backwards in terms of aesthetics from WMP XP and 9.


Looks like Microsoft can't let go of the Fisher-Price look.


Is this all people know how to do when it comes to Microsoft? Neither of you even made a comment on how the new interface looks, and I don't mean the pretty colors. I for one think that making with a tabbed style look makes it easier to keep all the features without having to move them around and keep the most commonly used ones. I works for me. Can you people focus on the article instead of cracking on small things like the color?

BlueDev
Reply #5 Friday, March 10, 2006 3:43 PM
Can you people focus on the article instead of cracking on small things like the color?


Oh, I'm so sorry that my opinion doesn't fit into your little box of what you think it should be.

I will comment on what I want to comment on, thank you very much.

Drop125
Reply #6 Friday, March 10, 2006 5:51 PM
I must agree with the fisher price look, but the reason for that is 99% of Users cant even use there PC so It has to be super simple for all the stupid office people who cant even turn on there PC with out calling the IT dept...Unlike all us skinning artistic computer lovers we have here on this site.....Im sorry but Most people cant even handle pluging the mouse keyboard and a moniter in with out raising there bloodpressure. However I love the Home and student price, very helpful for people who work from home and tellecommute. Our company offers it as a download for only 20 dollars to employees so they can work on the weekends...

Drop125
Reply #7 Friday, March 10, 2006 5:54 PM
although that tabbed feature will really be helpful for the software challenged people out there.I do think that is a big stepup to help the more advanced features really become more useful and enhance the end result of projects..

Jafo
Reply #8 Friday, March 10, 2006 7:10 PM

Call us shallow, vain and superficial but if we're skinners we are ALL ABOUT AESTHETICS, and trendy functionality takes a second place.  Therefore, riling against the 'Fisher Price' look of the GUI is a natural response to that screenshot.

Besides.....'appearance' IS all about 'how it looks'.....bit obvious, really....


starkers
Reply #9 Friday, March 10, 2006 9:16 PM
Seems to me, every time MS announces a release, somebody here has to shoot it down in flames, purely on the basis of a screenshot and before even testing it out. Okay MS set itself a standard with its 'Fisher Price look', but how many other companies have departed too far from the original GUI concept of their software?

Okay, so 'looks' mean alot to those of us here at WC/Stardock, but I wonder how much more bitching would come flooding out of the woodwork if it was all 'looks' and nil/zilch functionality. Besides, if a proggie performs/functions well, isn't that what we all visit WC for...changing appearances and to skin that which we'd rather see differently?

I can see it now....that soon after Vista hits the shelves, these forums will see a deluge of bitching/complaints about how it fails to live up to expectations, derived purely from viewing screenshots and reading a handful of articles.

I no more like the Windows/XP default look than the rest of you, and I could probably write a book on my personal issues with the OS/GUI, etc, but then, MS didn't create it with me specifically in mind.....and most likely, many of my grievances originate with 'user' errors/ignorance/inexperience

Can please some of the people some of the time, but not all.......

Island Dog
Reply #10 Friday, March 10, 2006 10:20 PM
I have to admit appearance does play a role in software. I can't tell you how many times I have downloaded a program and uninstalled just because the gui was "ugly".

paxx
Reply #11 Friday, March 10, 2006 10:42 PM

Hum, I actually like the look, and the User Interface actually seem easier to use.

But I must admit I prefer the black "skin" shown in thomassen's link.


BlueDev
Reply #12 Saturday, March 11, 2006 8:45 AM
Yeah, the black look is much better.

thomassen
Reply #13 Saturday, March 11, 2006 11:17 AM
Call us shallow, vain and superficial but if we're skinners we are ALL ABOUT AESTHETICS, and trendy functionality takes a second place.

I don't quite agree with that. Functionlity can work fine with aesthics and ideally nothing has to take second place.

Jafo
Reply #14 Saturday, March 11, 2006 7:35 PM

 thomassen  ...'functionality' is already there...it exists with the Fisher Price graphics.  Unless you are altering the GUI shell/program launcher then what the skinning is doing is getting rid of the Fisher Price and replacing/improving aesthetics.

Functionality IS 'second place' because it need not be altered or affected.

Obviously, if your choice of 'aesthetic improvement' means black text on black images with 'flat'/hidden buttons the functionality will be screwed.  The issue however is that the functionality is already 'there' with the Fisher Price...but so is the crappy looks....


PoSmedley
Reply #15 Saturday, March 11, 2006 8:47 PM
The look of it is typical MS. I do like that black skin. I agree that Media Player 10 was kind of a step back. If it's functional and easy to use, good. But damn, will they ever come down on the price? I' rather use OpenSource stuff, or just reinstall Office2000 than pay all that for a few extra features I probably would never use.

iTZKooPA
Reply #16 Saturday, March 11, 2006 9:18 PM
I REALLY hate all the fluff they keep adding. I just want a working program that has as small as footprint as possible at its default setting. I enjoy tweaking things to get more performance but if it just came that way I would be that much happier...

DJBandit
Reply #17 Monday, March 13, 2006 1:33 PM
Oh, I'm so sorry that my opinion doesn't fit into your little box of what you think it should be.

I will comment on what I want to comment on, thank you very much.


Typical response, yet you still have yet to say anything about they new way it looks, regardless of the color, which is really the only thing bothering everyone here. Like I said, the tab concept is a good idea so that one doesn't have to be hiding all the least used buttons to take back some of the screen space it takes up if you have them all at the same time. But ofcourse you people just can't miss a chance to take a jab at MS, even becuase of the color on something that is only in BETA.

I would just like, for once, to see people just respond to a MS product based on what you think about it not because of prior experiences because no one has tested this program yet cause it's not out yet, it is only in BETA, yet it is being condemned already simply because of it being from MS.

Videlous
Reply #18 Tuesday, March 14, 2006 9:57 AM
I actually enjoy using the programs. Most of the programs however do not get the new GUI, it is only granted to Excell, word, outlook, and powerpoint. The others will retain the classic look. I am one of the original 10,000 selected to test beta 1, beack when it came out. For the msot part, with the exception of enterprice/Volume licensing products we can discuss as the NDA has been lifted for parts of the project. I think that the new GUI is one of the best things that they have done to office yet.
Darth Videlous

j dott
Reply #19 Tuesday, March 14, 2006 10:13 AM
I just wish/hope that the tabbed interface can be relocated to the side (I read somewhere that it won't). I have a widescreen notebook and hold my vertical space sacred. Despite its potential benefits, I'd have to turn off the tabbed interface if it means squishing my work area as much as it appears on the screenshots.

BlueDev
Reply #20 Tuesday, March 14, 2006 11:50 AM
I would just like, for once, to see people just respond to a MS product based on what you think about it not because of prior experiences because no one has tested this program yet cause it's not out yet, it is only in BETA, yet it is being condemned already simply because of it being from MS.


And I would like, just for kicks and giggles, people to read a post without imposing their own prejudices on another person. I have no animosity toward Microsoft, happily use their software, and never once bashed the product because it was simply a MS product. Read with some comprehension and leave your own prejudices at the door.

I commented on the GUI because, quite simply, I have never used the program and so can only comment on the GUI elements I can actually appreciate from a few screenshots. I don't care for it, and said so. Nothing more, nothing less. So stop forcing your own baggage down other's throats.

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