When Microsoft released Windows Vista, they also
released Microsoft Office 2007, which has a similar look and feel. This was the
first major revision to Microsoft Office and the new interface takes a little
getting used to. In fact the first time I looked at it, it took me about 5
minutes just to figure out how to open files and set the options.
Once you work with it for a little while this becomes
a non-issue and all of the basic functionality people use is easily accessed.
The one thing that Microsoft Office 2007 does that
will cause short-term havoc is to introduce new formats unique to the 2007
version. In the past the common file formats were as follows:
Pre-2007 Post-2007
MS-Word .DOC .DOCx
MS-Excel .XLS .XLSx
MS-Powerpoint .PPT .PPTx
The problem occurs when a file created with Microsoft
Office 2007 is emailed to someone who does not have it. This file cannot be
opened if created in the new format. This can be addressed by saving the file
in 1997-2003 format but this is a little cumbersome since you need to use the Save
As function each time you create a new file.
The other option that end users can employ is to
upgrade their Microsoft Office versions to 2007. Unfortunately this is a little
expensive at several hundred dollars per MS-Office computer.
For users of Microsoft Office 2000 thru 2003
Microsoft has provided a alternative upgrade path to 2007 file compatibility,
but it is a little complicated and requires that you download a series of
updates before you can load on the compatibility module. For a limited time we
will be providing this upgrade service at the rate of $20 per computer at
client sites with 5 or more computers. This procedure takes up to an hour per
computer with Internet access and is best done after hours when it is less
disruptive.
Give us a call to schedule the service if this
becomes a pressing issue for your company.
PURCHASING SOFTWARE
When you order a computer you have the opportunity to
purchase software at reduced prices. In the past the cost of Microsoft Office
was considerably lower when purchased with a new computer than if purchased
separately. Microsoft has closed this
gap on pricing somewhat by recently introducing new 2007 Upgrade as well as
Home and Student pricing.
Similarly, Microsoft Server and Operating System
Products are often less expensive when purchased with a new computer or file
server. For years it struck me as odd that I could order a Dell computer, upgrade
from Windows Home to Professional Edition for $90 extra at the time of
purchase, but if I wanted to do this some time later it would cost me $300. In
fact, many retail outlets such as Future Shop and Business Depot did not even
offer Professional Edition as an option at time of purchase. This was limited
to on-line business solution providers like Dell.
In some cases purchasing software in bulk can save
you money. A 10 user license for an anti-virus is almost always less expensive
than 10 individual products. The 10 user version includes one box and CD and 10
licenses on paper. Generally, the more licenses you buy, the lower the price
per licensed computer user.
With the crossover to Windows Vista underway it is
curious to note that most home computer users are stuck with Windows Vista if
they buy a computer at a local store. By contrast, the large majority of
business computer users however, are ordering all of their computers with
Windows XP Professional Edition installed.
For companies, software compatibility is a more
significant issue than the bells and whistles that Vista provides. In some
instances companies would have had to invest thousands of dollars to replace
older software if they decided to migrate to Vista. This trend to XP will
likely continue at least until the end of January 2008 at which time Microsoft
is threatening to pull the plug on Windows XP. If the current pressure
continues, it will be interesting to see if they actually do this.