Well done, Microsoft

[jethrien]

So my work computer was recently upgraded to Office 2010. (If you're about to tell me that Microsoft sucks or that I should be using Open Office or Google Docs or that I upgraded too early/late or I should use some other random thing, I don't want to hear it. This is a work computer, I don't get a choice in these matters, and I do in fact like using stuff that's compatible with what everyone else in the business world is using, whatever its flaws.)

It's been taking me a little while to find everything, but I've been pleasantly surprised so far. They've done a nice job of getting rid of lots of little things that used to annoy me and streamlining things in general. There are dozens of little touches that aren't perhaps critical but that I'm really appreciating. The automatic word count in Word for example. The wide array of colors available, including themes, in Excel. The fact that I can see my day's task list and my calendar while I'm in my mail pane of Outlook. The vast, vast improvement to the photo manipulation tools in Power Point (which won't keep me from doing real graphic design stuff in Adobe, but will make me stop tearing my hair out when I have to make presentations). All the core competencies are basically unchanged, but there's a lot of little details that makes my life easier and expands my options. And pretty much everything I used to use is still accessible.

(I've been using 2010 a little longer at home, but I don't have nearly so many demands there. I need to write documents and add numbers, and don't usually give a damn about formatting.)

It's exactly what an update is supposed to be. Thanks, folks!

Comments

[firynze.livejournal.com]

I actually like the latest version of Word, whether for PC or Mac - they're very similar now, and I do enjoy the Ribbon function etc. It's very easy to do Track Changes, and I can get stuff to people using the same software; OO has caused me no end of trouble with saving to non-OO formats, and AbiWord only works on Linux and Atlantis only works on PC.

So...Word. Me likey Word. At least, the latest versions. The streamlining is REALLY nice...

[fyrna.livejournal.com]

I've been using the same old copy of MS Word that I got as a freshman. I do most of my writing in either plaintext or HTML, but if I need to format something for print, I'll reboot and use Office. And then print it to PDF so that everyone can see it. :)

[xannoside.livejournal.com]

I keep going back and forth on buying Office for Mac. It's not that expensive anymore, but I'm hoping that when my office switches to Macs that they'll get it for me. :P

Pages is good, and Keynote is better than Powerpoint IMHO, but Calc is just frustarting, and the Open Office programs are worse.

[jethrien.livejournal.com]

Open Office is fine for the stuff we use the laptop for--writing, mostly. But I wouldn't want to do work-type tasks in it.

[oblvndrgn.livejournal.com]

Word/Powerpoint for Mac are just fine, but Excel for Mac is really bad if you do finance/statistics stuff in it. Most of the people at work use parallels/bootcamp just for excel when doing analytics.

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

I'm not a fan of Office 2010, but I have to use it in my office. I don't like that it defaults to .docx and I don't like the layout of all the tools I need. But the thing I miss most is being able to customize the background and text color; I've gotten into the habit of working in white text on a blue background, and they've done away with that option. (Granted, I'm sure not many other people miss it.) I will continue to use Office 2003 or 2007 for as long as I can...