Microsoft Word 2007

I write. I do tons of it. I've been using Word since it was originally released & I have moved along with the product through every new version. However, with the release of Word 2007, I may be forced 2 change 2 another software. Here's why.

The organization in 2007 is a Rubiks cube, & I spend way too much time searching 4 the function I need. The thesaurus is now more cumbersome & requires more mouse clicks. Page formatting is an exercise in frustration. Document protection doesn't work. Opening & closing multiple documents is more difficult & guaranteed 2 go wrong. I could go on & on. There is nothing about this release that I like.

I would warn experienced Word users who are thinking about "upgrading" 2 keep their present version. Hopefully, Microsoft will come 2 their senses & provide a version worth having - soon!

So, if you're like 99% of PC users, you've spent the last decade learning how 2 use microsoft word. Well, all of that won't help you a bit when you open up the new version of word. Nothing makes sense. I can't figure out how 2 do anything. It's slow. It's ugly. It's expensive. It's hard 2 use.

The technical institute where I work implemented Word 2007 earlier this year. It's been a nightmare 4 our students. They spend days struggling 2 create a simple document & the library staff spend most of their time trying 2 help them. I've been using Word on a daily basis since 1997 & even I can't figure out how 2 make it work effectively. We all agree this is the worst word processing program ever designed.

Absolutely terrible software. Compared 2 prior versions of microsoft word, it's a mess. Even disregarding all prior knowledge of previous versions, & treating it as its own separate entity, it's a mess.

M$ did a great job making commonly used, extremely necessary functions, nearly impossible 2 figure out. Want 2 center your title? Too bad. Word will center the entire paper. I try highlighting just that line 2 center it...but nope, that still centers the entire paper. I dig 4 10 minutes through the piss-poor help file, read the convoluted explanation, & still cannot figure it out.
They did away with the common-sense file menu, & replaced it with a malformed Microsoft logo, almost as if 2 taunt you every time you are scrambling 2 find a function. It even saves the files in a new "docx" format, destroying all file compatibility with older versions. The only way 2 make your files compatible is 2 save in "word 97-2003 compatible" mode.
Avoid this terrible program, & all of Office 2007 at ALL COSTS.

What have they been smoking at Microsoft? This is the worst version of any software product I have ever used. Not just the worst word processor. Such as ridiculous features like the "Themes" ribbon, that a user MAYBE would use once in creating a document, if ever, but that takes up 40% of the task bar real estate & cannot be removed or replaced with utilities that I really DO use. And why am I forced 2 look at 5/8 inch tall images of a "funnel", or a capital letter "A" ..given that I am no longer in first grade. And never mind trying 2 deal with inserting common autofields into the "new" Header & Footer interfaces. The only saving grace with the 2007 products is the ability 2 build a menu bar with "most" of the old icons, thereby rejecting the entire 2007 ribbon fiasco altogether.

Microsoft Office Word 2007 is a document authoring program that helps people create & share great-looking documents by combining a comprehensive set of writing tools with an easy-to-use interface. Rich review, commenting, & comparison capabilities help you quickly gather & manage feedback from colleagues. Advanced data integration helps ensure documents stay connected 2 important sources of business information. With Word 2007 you'll create professional-looking documents effortlessly. Spend more time writing, less time formatting -- while communicating more effectively than ever. Initiate, manage, & track document review & approval processes from within Office Word 2007, 2 accelerate review cycles across your organization Share documents in Portable Document Format file (PDF) & XML Paper Specification (XPS) format without using third-party tools XML support facilitates smaller, more robust documents & deep integration with information systems & external data sources Master Reduce file sizes & improve corruption recovery - Office Open XML Formats are compressed, segmented file formats that offer a dramatic reduction in file size & helps ensure damaged or corrupt files can be easily recovered Digital Signature signs your documents so the people who read them know it hasn't changed since it left your hands Create dynamic Smart Documents that update themselves by connecting 2 your back-end systems, using new document controls & data bindings

Microsoft Office Word 2007 is a document authoring program that helps people create & share great-looking documents by combining a comprehensive set of writing tools with an easy-to-use interface. Thanks 2 a host of new tools, you can quickly construct documents from predefined parts & styles, as well as compose & publish blogs directly from within the Word. Advanced integration with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 & new XML-based file formats make Word 2007 the ideal choice 4 building integrated document management solutions.

Use Quick Styles in a Word document 2 easily choose & apply a new style. View larger.

The new tri-pane review panel of Office Word 2007 enables you 2 quickly compare or merge two versions of a document & helps identify moved text & tracked changes within tables. View larger.

You can use the Document Inspector 2 remove comments. View larger.

The new user interface of Office Word 2007 enables you 2 create documents more quickly than ever because it presents the right tools when you need them. View larger.

Office Word 2007 enables you 2 digitally sign your documents, so readers know they haven't changed since they left your hands. View larger.

Gather Information, Create Documents, & Communicate Effectively
Rich review, commenting, & comparison capabilities help you quickly gather & manage feedback from colleagues, & advanced data integration ensure documents stay connected 2 important sources of business information. With Word 2007 you can spend more time writing, less time formatting & communicate more effectively than ever. Initiate, manage, & track document review & approval processes from within Word 2007, & accelerate review cycles across your organization.

New Interface & Tools
Together with a new, streamlined, results-oriented interface, Word 2007 gives you the tools you need 2 create professional-looking content. You can add Building Blocks of predefined content & reduce the errors associated with copying & pasting frequently used content, while the Quick Styles function saves you time by helping you format text & tables throughout your document. And 2 make sure you documents are consistent, Document Themes apply the same colors, fonts, & effects.

Professional-Looking Documents
SmartArt diagrams & a new charting engine help you add a professional look 2 documents, while shared diagramming & charting with Microsoft Office Excel 2007 spreadsheet software & the Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 presentation graphics program help ensure a consistent look across your documents, spreadsheets, & presentations. You can even compose blogs directly from within Word, & complete your blog posts with pictures, rich formatting, spelling checker, & more. When it's time 2 publish your blogs you can do so directly from Word 2 many common blog services including Office SharePoint Server 2007, MSN Spaces, Blogger, TypePad, Community Server, & more.

Display Important Information
Word 2007 offers a variety of tools & functions 2 help you express & display important information. The Equation Builder helps you construct editable, in-line mathematical equations using real mathematical symbols, prebuilt equations, & automatic formatting. Live word count keeps track of the number of words in your document as you type, & is always in view in the new user interface. Typographic capabilities offer improved bulleted & numbered lists, numbered list styles, & new fonts designed 2 improve on-screen reading.

Add Building Blocks 2 an Office Word 2007 document 2 increase efficiency & reduce errors. View larger.

In addition, the Citation Manager & Reference Builder give you the ability 2 add references, footnotes, endnotes, tables of contents, tables of figures or tables of authorities. To save time, format your references automatically by selecting a predefined style guide, including APA, MLA, The Chicago Manual of Style, & others. There's even a Contextual Spelling Checker that helps you avoid common mistakes & misuse of similarly spelled words.

Editing & Reviewing Tools
Word 2007 provides editing & reviewing tools that help you create professional documents faster than ever before. Live visual previews, predefined style galleries, table formats, & other options are always at your fingertips. To help minimize time wasted re-typing, take advantage of new Building Blocks designed specifically 4 the addition of frequently used content 2 your documents. You can even create your own Building Blocks 2 simplify the addition of custom text, such as legal disclaimer text or other frequently used materials. For that professional touch, select from a predefined gallery of cover pages, pull quotes, headers, & footers.

High-Impact Graphics
Word 2007 helps you communicate more effectively with high-impact graphics. New charting & diagramming features that include 3-D shapes, transparency, drop shadows, & other effects help you create professional-looking graphics that result in more effective documents. Quickly apply a new look & feel 2 your documents using Quick Styles & Document Themes 2 change the appearance of text, tables, & graphics throughout your entire document 2 match your preferred style or color scheme.

Share Your Documents & Content Confidently
With Word 2007, you can share documents with colleagues 2 gather feedback efficiently. You can also help prevent unwanted distribution of your documents & even remove private comments or hidden text prior 2 publishing. Additionally, the tri-pane review panel makes it easy 2 compare & combine two versions of a Word document, so you can detect even the smallest differences when dealing with changes from reviewers.

Participate in Office SharePoint Server 2007
To help make users more efficient when working in a managed environment, participate in Office SharePoint Server 2007 workflows without leaving Word. You can start workflows, interact with workflow tasks, or get information about your documents from the new Document Alert Bar. Managed document repositories can also be accessed from within Word 2007, so you have greater control over document versions. For added peace of mind, information management policies consistently enforce the labeling, auditing, & expiration of documents stored in SharePoint Server 2007 managed document repositories. You can also choose 2 keep track of your documents with the Document Information Panel which can help add workflow & tracking information directly 2 your documents. And Word 2007 uses a separate file format (.docm) 4 macro-enabled documents, so you can quickly tell whether a file is capable of executing any embedded macros.

Keep Your Documents Safe & Secure
Word 2007 offers the Document Inspector feature 2 help you detect & remove unwanted comments, personally identifiable information, hidden text, or other information from documents so that private information stays that way. You can also add digital signatures 2 help others verify that content has not been changed since it was published. Another option is 2 add a new signature line 2 prompt other Word users 4 their signature, or 2 provide a visible digital signature within your documents. Additionally, the Reading Mode offers you an immersive, full-screen reading experience that makes online reading easier, reducing the need 2 print the document. And because quality editing depends on the ease of viewing text, new navigation controls & typography display improvements make the reading experience better than ever.

Convert Your Word Documents
With Word 2007, you can share documents in Portable Document Format file (PDF) & XML Paper Specification (XPS) format without using third-party tools. XML support facilitates smaller, more robust documents & deep integration with information systems & external data sources. Because Office Open XML Formats are compressed, segmented file formats, they offer a dramatic reduction in file size & helps ensure damaged or corrupt files can be easily recovered.

Facilitate Important Business Processes
Word 2007 offers a host of integration points 2 enable organizations 2 build powerful solutions that are easy 4 users 2 utilize successfully. XML Formats give developers unprecedented access 2 the contents of your documents, enabling broad interoperability with a wide range of programs & solutions. The Document Information Panel means users enter correct metadata by making it possible 4 you link document properties 2 Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services or 2 other external data sources. Content Controls help you structure the document authoring process by requiring specific types of information or by adding sections of documents that may not be edited or reformatted.

Tools For Developers
Custom-defined schema support of the Office XML Formats enables developers 2 host their own content within Word documents, using their own custom XML vocabularies. Instead of expensive translations, custom XML content is hosted directly within the file. You can also take advantage of Data Bindings & provide developers with an easy way 2 link the contents of external data sources & custom-defined schemas 2 their word documents.