This is my first Blog and I am going to pretend that I am very clevr or clever or whatever ;-). I will put here some screen shots so this would look more trustfully and also some of my design masterpieces.
So let's start! ;-)
Microsoft Office 2007 Toolbar
(screen shot)
I have been using Microsoft Word since 1997 and truly I use only the very basic functionality in 99% [1] which is: Bold, Italic, Underline, Font, Font Size, Bullets, Align, Indent, Content, Table.
I do like new technologies I am excited reading new information from ScottGu's Blog but my mind started wondering what's going to happen to Microsoft Office in 2017 or soon or later as I personally generally don't get any benefits using newer and newer version.
I worked on one Visual Foxpro project for more than 3000 customers as a developer team leader and a part of my work was implementing new functionalities to the framework which came from feedback, managers and other sources. The purpose to develop new functionality was also to sell a product and make clients paying for upgrades. Most of the functionality weren't used it was just sitting as a new nice icon in the taskbar or in the menu. It is the same like in Microsoft Office (and probably other commercial software). This is a point where we could set up a purpose of new functionality from the software house point of you:
Functionality Amount [2]
- Useful functionality – used up to 90% of customers
- e.g. Microsoft Word 2007 – Quick Access Toolbar
- Mostly useless functionality – used up to 10% of customers
- Useless functionality – used up to 1% of customers
- Useful UI (User Interface) design
- Mostly useless UI design
- Useless UI design
- Other..
- Another..
I know, it is a strange classification..
Imagine you have 10,000,000 customers who use Microsoft Office 2003 and you must/want make them to upgrade to Microsoft Office 2007 to get back all expenses and feed your starving developers. If all customers were like me Microsoft's developers would die with no food :-). So what make you buying a new version?
Personally, I was mostly impressed by new design it's cool and I like it, however, I don't understand why you cannot have different colour scheme for every application [3] (It's a global settings if I'm right). Having only three colour schemes looks like Microsoft made their designers tired to death :-). Also, I use three screens and one is 15" and the new ribbon toolbar made me very happy as 50%:-) of the screen was covered by ribbon toolbar. I guess it could have an auto-hide option?
Design: Not yet
approved by Microsoft..
Let's leave this maybe strange philosophizing about current Microsoft Office 2007 and let's have look to 2017? There is a new version of Microsoft Office and again what will make you buying this version as you have been happy with the previous one?
As a software company you can force indirectly to upgrade e.g. because the new version only works on Microsoft Windows 2015 which you haven't bought yet!? Yes, as a leader you can play these "dirty" games and creates new virtual spaces for people but this won't be like that all the time.
Currently, I cannot see a bright future of some Microsoft products as they are reaching a point that there is not too much to improve.
Anyway, let's give them a chance, wish them luck and let's look forward to any new version from Microsoft or from any other software company! I am actually also a small wheel which affects these new versions.
I guess this is the end of my first Blog. I don't already remember what this Blog was about but I believe I forgot to mention that the dog on the third island is sometimes very naughty!!
Survey
I have asked 11 persons (40hours/week working with the PC) "How much of the Microsoft Word functionality [1] do you use on DAILY BASIS (or on the day you use it)? Let's consider that there are more than 1000 settings, buttons and options or whatever e.g. bold, italic, font size, macro, mail merge,.."
- a) 1% (10-15 functions) -> 9 persons
- b) 1%-5% -> 0 persons
- c) 5%-10% -> 2 persons
- d) 10-50% -> 0 persons
- e) more than 50% -> 0 persons
If you would like to participate on this survey you are welcome. You should find a vote system on the right site of this page. Thank you.
Enjoy, work hard and have a nice day!
Vaso
- [1] (99%) Let's consider that there is more than 1000 buttons, settings, options, check boxes, whatever. Count yourself :-) I stopped on 300 because it was time consuming..
- [2] (Functionality Amount) Based on personal exploring and own experiences but mind every software is different..Agree or don't agree :-)
- [3] e.g If you set your colour scheme in Outlook 2007 it affects also Word 2007, Excel 2007, .. Maybe, there is some way which we are not aware :-)