The much-delayed 2007 version of Microsoft Office (and Windows Vista) is being released to corporate customers this week (the rest of us have to wait until late January), and Jack Kapica has been putting it through its paces.
There are two major new features in Office 2007. First, Microsoft has dramatically redesigned the menu system, which the company says it did because too few people were aware of all the things the suite can do. Next, Microsoft has changed to an open-source document format that's more compatible with other manufacturers' office software, although not with previous versions of Microsoft's own products. It's also more secure.
The suite also comes in more a greater mix of components, everything from the bare necessities for students to tools for large enterprise customers.
The big question remains: Should you get it?
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, right, applaudes as he rings the Nasdaq opening bell to begin trading, Thursday Nov. 30, 2006 to celebrate Microsoft's launch of its new Vista operating system and Office suite. At left is Lenovo CEO William J. Amelio. (Richard Drew/AP)
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Technology reporter Jack Kapica was online earlier Thursday to talk about the new software suite. He's been playing with the beta version for a few months now and has answers to all of your questions. Your questions and Jack's responses will appear below once the live discussion begins.
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Michael Snider, Technology Editor: Welcome readers, thanks for joining us. Hello Jack, and welcome back. Well, so, are you impressed with Office 2007?
Jack Kapica: Hi Mike. As software, I'm impressed. But as a single user, I feel Microsoft has left me behind. This product is so corporate-minded that all I heard about at the launch this morning was the word "productivity." That word is designed to attract corporate buyers, not users.
Microsoft is leaving the huge area of consumers to the smallest versions of the product, but I suspect it is becoming vulnerable to competition on the consumer level.
Corel, are you listening?
John Underhay from Charlottetown writes: How much will Office retail for, and what will it provide the average user beyond what is offered in the free version of OpenOffice?
Jack Kapica: First: You ask a question requiring a long answer. Here's the latest from Microsoft, but you'll most likely get it cheaper on the street:
- Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 (Available only through volume licensing; price not quoted)
- Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 (Available only through volume licensing; price not quoted)
- Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 (new, $899; upgrade, $699)
- Microsoft Office Professional 2007 ($759/$439)
- Microsoft Office Small Business 2007 ($629/$379)
- Microsoft Office Standard 2007 ($539/$319)
- Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 ($199/NA)
- Microsoft Office Basic 2007 (Available only through OEMs; price not quoted)
Individual 2007 Microsoft Office Programs
- Microsoft Office Access 2007 ($309/$159)
- Microsoft Office Communicator (Available only through volume licensing; price not quoted)
- Microsoft Office Excel 2007 ($309/$159)
- Microsoft Office Groove 2007 ($299/NA)
- Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007 ($299/NA)
- Microsoft Office OneNote 2007 ($139.95/NA)
- Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 ($159/NA)
- Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 ($309/$159)
- Microsoft Office Project Standard 2007 ($885/$499)
- Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007 ($1,479/$889)
- Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 ($249/$149)
- Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007 ($399/$209)
- Microsoft Office Visio Standard 2007 ($349/$169)
- Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007 ($829/$489)
- Microsoft Office Word 2007 ($309/$159)
There is a world of difference between Open Office and Microsoft Office, but mostly in areas that are of interest only to enterprises and systems builders. Essentially, the features Microsoft emphasizes most is the interoperability of the suite with back-end servers, databases and such. It also (surprise, surprise) has better integration with other Microsoft products, such as Exchange, SharePoint Server and Windows Server.
Those benefits, you will note, are almost exclusive to corporate systems users, and so Office 2007 can be argued to have no more features for consumers than Open Office. I haven't put the two side by side, but if you're happy with Open Office, save your money with Microsoft.
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