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Article

Title: Office 2007 is Offputting

Author: Coffee, Peter Article Type: Product Analysis
Source: eWeek, v23 n47 p50(1) Publication Date: Nov 27, 2006
  ISSN: 1530-6283
URL of Publication: http://www.eweek.com

While many users welcome the changes brought with the new version of Office from Microsoft Corp., critics cite its 'offputting' nature. Microsoft Office 2007 includes major changes in the user interface that worry some experts. The new ribbon that provides icons that change dynamically and columns of hierarchical entry points for menus was found to be confusing. Previous versions of Office included the potential for many different combinations and arrangements of menus and tool bars, however, and users have eventually become accustomed to them. According to researchers, human beings are good a selective perception and learn to ignore what is not related to the task they want to accomplish. Some users are likely to reduce the sometimes overwhelming number of options included in Office 2007, but many will probably not even think about many of the features more than once or twice per year. Word, which is loaded with capabilities and features, is generally used for relatively simple tasks. Industry observers believe that Microsoft will face major criticism for the changes it made in Office 2007. The mainstream market for application software seems to have indicated that it wants to change habits and give more help to users. Ultimately, the changes implemented with Office 2007 are likely to be seen as a step in this process.

Companies:
Microsoft Corp

Products:
Microsoft Office 2007

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