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Computer and Technology |
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"Microsoft Office 2007 (beta) Cool New Features" Presented by Dick Curry
You may encounter in the literature reference to Windows 12 which was the previous code name for Office Suite 2007. It will be offered in eight different package combinations. The basic version includes Word, Excel and Outlook. There are 14 programs to choose from in the different packages at prices (approximate) From $149 to $ 679. A comprehensive 200 plus page manual is available on line in Acrobat format. Dick said that he would focus on only Word and Excel today. He noted that the Front Page program is no longer included. He expects that Office 2007 will only work with Windows 2000 or newer versions of Windows. Dick has two PowerPoint slides listing highlights of the suite. One notable feature is that commands are easier to find and to use. Another is that it is very powerful containing numerous templates for ease of formatting. There is a new one to make cover pages. Microsoft has introduced new file formats. The old Word extension was. doc. The default is now. docx. If the document contains a macro the extension becomes. docm. Dick’s presentation displays 6 similar type changes for Excel and 6 for Power Point. The “Ribbon” is the new look for the old “Menu” and “Tool” bars. Commands are more intuitive. There is a Quick Access Tool bar that you can customize to include the commands that you want. Dick opened Word and gave a live demonstration. We have new terminology. He showed how the new Contextual tabs work. For example if you highlight a graphic embedded in the a Contextual tab “Picture Tool-Format” appears that provides commands that are directly related to tasks undertaken with graphics editing. A very cool new feature gives a box with more description of what the cursor is over than provided in previous versions of Office. Some dropdown boxes of command icons will provide a “Live Preview” of what will happen before you do it (such as make font/style change). The new “Equations” contextual tab makes insertion of an equation easy. You are also able to write your own equations and save and reuse them in other documents as part of the “building block” function. “Styles Galleries” provide an assortment of easy to select font sizes and shapes. Other new features that Dick demonstrated included “Building Blocks”, “Floaties”, File and View Menus”, “word Count”, and another cool feature: “Zoom”. Zoom changes the page size. Excel also sports a long list of improvements, including: Improved Tools Improved Styles and Effects Improved Printing and Page Layout Support for PDF &XPS Formats New Formula and Range Management Tools Increased Row and Columns 1-million Rows; 16000 columns Enhanced Table Creation Tools Office 2007 (beta2) can be downloaded from Internet for $1.50 (difficult 451 MB file). You can also purchase the CD for $7.53 with shipping and tax. Dick‘s presentation includes a slide listing sources of learning information about the suite. Dick pointed out after the meeting - thanks to input from Dick Heiberger - that Microsoft appears to be intending to add a "kill switch" in Office 2007 similar to that which will be installed in Vista to combat Office 2007 piracy. If you are using pirated Office 2007 software Microsoft will be able to cripple the functionality of the (pirated or unregistered) Office 2007 software. To read the full story check out: http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=111&tag=nl.e622# |