I have Office 2003, and was wondering if its worth the cost to upgrade. Anyone used this? Differences?
MS Office 2007
- Thread starter TheNiceGuy
- Start date
SunnyD
Belgian Waffler
Unless the cost of upgrade for you is free - no. All it really is is a different UI. Seriously - other than being able to type and print and spell check, do spreadsheets, and read your email, what more do you want?
Honestly - the only worthwhile update, assume it even impacts you (which it might impact maybe 1% of users total) is that they finally allow unlimited rows and columns in Excel, up to your limit of system memory. Whoopie.
Honestly - the only worthwhile update, assume it even impacts you (which it might impact maybe 1% of users total) is that they finally allow unlimited rows and columns in Excel, up to your limit of system memory. Whoopie.
shortylickens
No Lifer
- Jul 15, 2003
- 80,287
- 17,081
- 136
Agreed. The UI is cute, but the functions are exactly the same.
I've been messing with the Beta for a while. Its neat but I wouldnt pay full price for it.
When I get back into college I'll look into the Student Edition.
I've been messing with the Beta for a while. Its neat but I wouldnt pay full price for it.
When I get back into college I'll look into the Student Edition.
Spydermag68
Platinum Member
- Apr 5, 2002
- 2,616
- 99
- 91
The UI is not cute, and the functions are not exactly the same as 2003, or anywhere near it. Whether it is worth it for you to upgrade depends on how intensive your document work is.
The new UI is a complete redesign of the way features are accessed. You may like it or hate it. Some of the stuff that is built into it is pretty cool, though. Styles are much easier to access and apply, and rolling the mouse over a style, a font choice, a color, a formatting, or anything else that applies changes to the text on a page causes the text to change so that you can preview what it will look like. The new style gallery is pretty neat as well. You can apply different named styles from the install or the web and format the whole document. Almost every formatting option now is accessible through visual depictions that show how it will affect things on the page.
The other side of this coin is that it can be frustrating as hell to find a feature that you've been using for years. Once you've been using it for awhile it starts to make sense. In terms of a redesign of a major-league productivity suite, it's hard to think of one as gutsy as Office 2007 in recent memory.
The new UI is a complete redesign of the way features are accessed. You may like it or hate it. Some of the stuff that is built into it is pretty cool, though. Styles are much easier to access and apply, and rolling the mouse over a style, a font choice, a color, a formatting, or anything else that applies changes to the text on a page causes the text to change so that you can preview what it will look like. The new style gallery is pretty neat as well. You can apply different named styles from the install or the web and format the whole document. Almost every formatting option now is accessible through visual depictions that show how it will affect things on the page.
The other side of this coin is that it can be frustrating as hell to find a feature that you've been using for years. Once you've been using it for awhile it starts to make sense. In terms of a redesign of a major-league productivity suite, it's hard to think of one as gutsy as Office 2007 in recent memory.
Schadenfroh
Elite Member
- Mar 8, 2003
- 38,416
- 4
- 0
I am sticking with 2k3, I am not going to relearn how to use Office because Microsoft decided to cram a new UI down everyone's throat.
They're not cramming it down everyone's throat. Choosing not to upgrade is proof of that.
And I happen to like the new UI. I think it's pretty easy to learn were everything is (took all of 10 minutes for me).
Schadenfroh
Elite Member
- Mar 8, 2003
- 38,416
- 4
- 0
Yes, but how well will I be able to run my access databases, excel spreadsheets, going back and forth between 2003 and 2007? I am sure my university will upgrade to 2007 soon and I will probably need to bring that kind of stuff back and forth between the labs and my home (where I use 2003).
If they were not cramming it down everyone's throat, they would offer a "classic mode" theme for office 2007.
I run OpenOffice which is free, and I actually prefer it over MS Office.
So, my response is: don't upgrade, just try out OpenOffice!
So, my response is: don't upgrade, just try out OpenOffice!
InverseOfNeo
Diamond Member
- Nov 17, 2000
- 3,719
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Schadenfroh
Elite Member
- Mar 8, 2003
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QueBert
Lifer
- Jan 6, 2002
- 22,982
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not if you factor in the dollar difference. OO is slower, and a bit more clunky. But, if you're goal is to type up documents and do a bit with spread sheets, how exactly is Office 2003 superior? I'm not a fan of either, all I do is word processing and I use Wordperfect. But if I needed an office suite OO would be my choice. MS Office isn't $200+ better by any stretch.
Microsoft has a "Compatibility Pack" available for Office XP and 2003. Get it for free here.
I agree about the lack of a "classic mode." I'd sure like to have that, and I'll bet somebody will create one. Personally, having used Excel and Word for about 20 years, I find the new UI to be a real pain. Still, I'll get used to it eventually.
Schadenfroh
Elite Member
- Mar 8, 2003
- 38,416
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There is no classic theme in Office 2007. You can minimize the ribbon, but you cannot replace it with the old menu format.
Why upgrade now when the business standard will continue to be 2003 for some time. I'm sure 2007 will be compatible with 2003 but taking a file and moving it to and fro can only give you a headache rather than any benefit. Stick with the current standard until it is replaced by the business environment.
I for one HATE it. I got a beta version way back when, and for months I've been trying to learn the new interface and I have given up. I can find my way around pretty well, but I just don't agree with it in the first place. If they made it so you could apply an Office 2003 skin over it, then I wouldn't mind it at all. I'm sticking with 2003 until there is absolutely no way I can get anything done without upgrading. Hopefully that is many years off.
I absolutely dig Outlook 2007. I have a free SA upgrade, so upgrading to Office 2007 was definitely worth it. 
The new UI does take some getting used to, but once you get familiar with where menu items are, I think it's way superior to 2003.
The new UI does take some getting used to, but once you get familiar with where menu items are, I think it's way superior to 2003.
13Gigatons
Diamond Member
- Apr 19, 2005
- 7,461
- 500
- 126
Download it and try it: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/HA101741481033.aspx
If your using Office 2003 make sure you use the backup wizard to make a backup so you can restore it after the 60 day trial runs out.
1. The UI is great when it has what you want but you cannot customize it like the toolbars.
2. You only get the ribbon, no toolbars it would be nice if it offered both.
3. Outlook 2007 is slower and they crippled HTML so no more animated gifs or flash sigs or most anything for that matter.
4. Outlook 2007 has some improved dialog boxes and improved IMAP but now you have to install the MSN desktop search because Lookout does not work with it, Outlook 2003 plus Lookout was a great combo.
5. A lot of addons don't not work correctly.
6. Power users will prefer 2003 new users will like 2007.
If your using Office 2003 make sure you use the backup wizard to make a backup so you can restore it after the 60 day trial runs out.
1. The UI is great when it has what you want but you cannot customize it like the toolbars.
2. You only get the ribbon, no toolbars it would be nice if it offered both.
3. Outlook 2007 is slower and they crippled HTML so no more animated gifs or flash sigs or most anything for that matter.
4. Outlook 2007 has some improved dialog boxes and improved IMAP but now you have to install the MSN desktop search because Lookout does not work with it, Outlook 2003 plus Lookout was a great combo.
5. A lot of addons don't not work correctly.
6. Power users will prefer 2003 new users will like 2007.
HeroOfPellinor
Lifer
- Dec 27, 2001
- 11,272
- 1
- 0
Well I think most of the big changes are for advanced users. I read something about better email integration into Access which could be incredibly nice for people using Access apps as most of the technicques right now have flaws in them. I'm expecting more stuff like that.
Try it out for yourself straight from Microsoft. No clue how long the trial is but should be enough for you to decide if it is worth it.
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