Spent The Day At Microsoft Launch Events
Eight hours of Windows Vista and Office 2007 goodness. Oh my. All in tightly packed hotel conference rooms with no wi-fi (how does that happen?). The snack food was good, though. No complaint there. And the freebies? Top-notch. New day T-shirts AND a fully licensed copy of Microsoft Office Professional 2007 (or two if you attended two sessions like someone I know)!
I heard how Microsoft was introducing a paradigm-shifting integrated desktop search (you mean the same integrated search Apple's been offering for five years in Spotlight - and Google for a few with its Google Desktop?). I heard how Microsoft was introducing an innovative new aero interface that enabled transparent windows, making it easier to find hidden windows (you mean the same translucent windows Linux and Apple have offered for years?). I heard how Microsoft was introducing new graphical improvements that enable color matching prints with colors displayed on screen (you mean the same technology that Apple's Mac platform's boasted for years?).
But, that's being a little hard on our friends in Redmond. The new Vista interface is, actually, very attractive (never mind that you need at least a 128-bit, 128-megabyte video card to enjoy it). The new Flip 3D technology for cycling through open windows is innovative (and a nice productivity enhancement). The OS' security and monitoring refinements are very nice, too.
The real gains are in the Office productivity suite, though. I have to admit I was surprised. I've been working with beta Office 2007 software for awhile. But before the demo I wasn't fully aware of all the improvements (for example, there's some sweet new integration between Outlook 2007 and Microsoft Office Accounting Professional). There are also the other highly touted refinements, such as the new "floaty" toolbars that do nothing short of rock and the new ribbon interface - which proves contextually relevant - and is actually a big enough improvement that I'm upgrading to Office 2007 as I type this.
Do I recommend you migrate to Vista right now? No. Next month? No. When you must purchase your next PC? Maybe (maybe not). It all depends on a number of factors (what applications will you run, will you be joining a domain, do you run proprietary software, etc.).
Do I recommend you migrate to Office 2007? Possibly, but not immediately. If you spend a lot of time in the main apps (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) like I do every day, yes, it's worth a look. If you don't, then OpenOffice.org 2.0 might well work for you.
But, if you're a heavy Microsoft Office user, Office 2007 is worth a free test drive. It's actually pretty nice, but you'll have to watch out for incompatiblities (unless you want recipients of documents and spreadsheets you send to have to download and install a free compatibility patch, not something I'd recommend at this juncture). The new XML engine that powers so many new features just doesn't work with older Office versions. In time everyone will migrate to the new Office 2007, but it'll take years (and until then, prepare to become familiar with the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack).
I heard how Microsoft was introducing a paradigm-shifting integrated desktop search (you mean the same integrated search Apple's been offering for five years in Spotlight - and Google for a few with its Google Desktop?). I heard how Microsoft was introducing an innovative new aero interface that enabled transparent windows, making it easier to find hidden windows (you mean the same translucent windows Linux and Apple have offered for years?). I heard how Microsoft was introducing new graphical improvements that enable color matching prints with colors displayed on screen (you mean the same technology that Apple's Mac platform's boasted for years?).
But, that's being a little hard on our friends in Redmond. The new Vista interface is, actually, very attractive (never mind that you need at least a 128-bit, 128-megabyte video card to enjoy it). The new Flip 3D technology for cycling through open windows is innovative (and a nice productivity enhancement). The OS' security and monitoring refinements are very nice, too.
The real gains are in the Office productivity suite, though. I have to admit I was surprised. I've been working with beta Office 2007 software for awhile. But before the demo I wasn't fully aware of all the improvements (for example, there's some sweet new integration between Outlook 2007 and Microsoft Office Accounting Professional). There are also the other highly touted refinements, such as the new "floaty" toolbars that do nothing short of rock and the new ribbon interface - which proves contextually relevant - and is actually a big enough improvement that I'm upgrading to Office 2007 as I type this.
Do I recommend you migrate to Vista right now? No. Next month? No. When you must purchase your next PC? Maybe (maybe not). It all depends on a number of factors (what applications will you run, will you be joining a domain, do you run proprietary software, etc.).
Do I recommend you migrate to Office 2007? Possibly, but not immediately. If you spend a lot of time in the main apps (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) like I do every day, yes, it's worth a look. If you don't, then OpenOffice.org 2.0 might well work for you.
But, if you're a heavy Microsoft Office user, Office 2007 is worth a free test drive. It's actually pretty nice, but you'll have to watch out for incompatiblities (unless you want recipients of documents and spreadsheets you send to have to download and install a free compatibility patch, not something I'd recommend at this juncture). The new XML engine that powers so many new features just doesn't work with older Office versions. In time everyone will migrate to the new Office 2007, but it'll take years (and until then, prepare to become familiar with the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack).
Labels: microsoft vista office 2007 launch macintosh apple osx
posted by Erik Eckel at 5:29 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home