Searching for ways to improve Office

For those who have trouble finding their old commands in Office's new Ribbon interface, Microsoft has a new option: search for it.

On Monday, the company is releasing an Office add-on called Search Commands that lets users type the function they are looking to do. After months of testing it internally, Microsoft is ready to give the public a chance to try it out. But the new tool won't be found on Microsoft's main Web site.

Chris Pratley, who helped lead the development of Microsoft's OneNote, now leads the Office Labs effort.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Rather, it will be available via a new effort, dubbed Office Labs. Spearheaded by Microsoft veteran Chris Pratley, Office Labs is Microsoft's attempt to test out productivity ideas that may--or may not--be ready for prime time.

In an interview, Pratley said Office Labs is designed to try out anything from just a feature to an entire new product concept. The goal is to get feedback early on, before deciding where to put the big development dollars.

"It's kind of expensive to make an entire product and then put it out there and see if it's any good," he said. Pratley knows firsthand. He was among those who helped create the Office OneNote application earlier this decade after spending the 1990s working on Word and Excel.

Office Labs is not the first time Microsoft has tried to create a sandbox for new ideas. It already has its "Live Labs," which has served as an incubator for the online services business.

In contrast to the masses of developers who work on Office itself, Pratley leads a team of about 60 designers and developers. On Monday, Microsoft is going public with two of the group's projects--Search Commands and Community Clips, which is basically an attempt to create a YouTube for help videos.

A note on the Office Labs Web site warns that usage of the products downloaded from the site will be tracked.

(Credit: Microsoft )

Search Commands, also known by the code name "Scout," has been popular inside Redmond for some time. With Office Labs, Microsoft will get to see if the searching metaphor is a hit with average users.

Just because something seems like a good idea, doesn't mean users will jump on it. Pratley notes that in the 1990s, Microsoft experimented with--but never released--a Web browser-like approach to navigating for commands, offering hyperlinks to different dialog boxes.

In that approach, though, commands didn't have a fixed home, but instead could be accessed in any number of ways. That uncertainty didn't sit well with users.

"It was pretty clear people were uncomfortable not knowing where things were," Pratley said.

With Search Commands, though, the commands still have a home--the user just doesn't have to remember where that is. Microsoft is still weighing an option that lets users see where the command they are searching for "really lives" as well as a way to add it to their main toolbar for easy access.

Office Labs is working on about 10 or so ideas, Pratley said, but the remainder are either in the planning stages or only being tested internally.

For the ones that do see light of day, he said the goal is to get as much feedback as possible. In that vein, Microsoft tells users that it will be collecting information on how they use the Office Labs code. So those who don't like being tracked might want to forgo using their offerings.

"We're trying to be really upfront about the fact that we are doing that (tracking), and that (getting the feedback) is the only reason these things are available," Pratley said.

The goal, he said, is to figure out which ideas are actually worth pursuing.

"A lot of times that means that we won't end up coding them into a product because they weren't as good as we thought," he said.

[Jack Carter3407]

How do I install it?

What is the URL?

[closer2112]

exactly

Exactly. Why post this story unless there is a link?

[cxoadvisor]

What was Microsoft Thinking

I refuse to upgrade to Office 2007. So, do most of the corporate clients I deal with. What was microsoft thinking? The biggest expense in adopting a new piece of software is lost productivity and retraining costs. By drastically changing the interface they guaranteed the product wouldn't be widely accepted.<br /><br />Even in Windows XP, they allowed users to choose between the new interface and the classic interface. Most people I know opted for the classic interface till they got used to the new one. They could easily have solved their problems by offering the user the option between their new interface and the "Classic Office Interface."<br /><br />It's just another example of microsoft screwing up another product launch (ie: Vista). There quite frankly, isn't enough reason to upgrade to Office 2007 from Office 2003. Most people don't use most of the functionality of the old software as it is. And, the new interface is the biggest deal killer of all. Adding a search feature to "Find" the command you want is another Screwy idea. Just make the interface plain and simple.

[RompStar_420]

office 2007 sucks

and i did stop using it, still using 2003 and no one in the office is even considering office 2007, more and more people are looking into the openoffice.<br /><br />Microsoft screwed up and they still won't admit it.

[walterwood]

What was Microsoft Thinking - I Agree

Let me make sure I understand this, they screwed up the interface. Now to be able to use the new interface you have to search for the commands from the old interface? Wouldn't be easier just to put it back the way it was? <br /><br />I am a long-time Word user, back to the DOS days. I have pumped out many pages of technical reports with it. Now I am supposed to take a week or more off to learn the new interface? I HATE using Word 2007 because I can not get anything done.

[igl00lgi]

They were not thinking about the end user!

That much I know from experience. In our company we use Open Office on all new machines. Only older Licensed versions of MS Office are to be used. No upgrades what so ever are allowed on any corporate machine.

[Commander_Spock]

Huh!

&gt;&gt;&gt;"On Monday, the company is releasing an Office add-on called search commands that lets users type the function they are looking to do..."&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt; What if the "F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N-A-L-I-T-I-E-S" that some people are looking for are not to be found in Microsoft's Office? Read the subject line.

[poster48150]

Start by fixing Excel 2007

Select a range of rows. There's no way to un-select specific rows.<br /><br />The default for a cell containing an e-mail address should NOT be to make it a hyperlink. There should also be a way to select the default.<br /><br />Select a group of cells containing hyperlinks. The "remove hyperlink" option is missing from the right-click menu. E.g., the hyperlinks have to be removed one cell at a time.

[closer2112]

getting sick of Office 2007

Every time I need to do something in Word 2007, it takes me 5 to 10 minutes to find the command in the stupid ribbon. I'm sure this would help but I have to say if the word processor requires a search engine for commands, and there is still no help file or "About" winodw so I can easily figure out whether SP1 is installed, I'm beginning to lose sight of why I was so hot to install this. Thinking about going back to Office 2003.

[onlyauser]

Here is what you need, and it is FREE!

This will do everything you need most likely and it is FREE!<br /><br />openoffice.org

[jerrymacGP]

I don't see what all the fuss is about

I use Word a lot in my job, and I actually much prefer the new <br />version to the old one. The interface is more interesting and appealing, which means it is also more human-friendly than the <br />old one. Of course, I'm a Mac user at home, so maybe the non-<br />boring interface is easier for me to figure out than for hard-core <br />Windows users :-).<br /><br />The biggest issue with Office 2007 is not the interface, but the <br />lack of interoperability with older versions of Office. Our iWork <br />suite at home (we don't own Office for Mac) works and plays <br />better with Office 2007 files than older versions of Office.

[closer2112]

This is a hoax

There is no link to this either here or at www.microsoft.com/office. <br /><br />This story is most likely a hoax.

[haraldb]

check it out: http://www.officelabs.com

It's a Microsoft site. The Search Commands concept works really well! check it out: <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.officelabs.com" target="_newWindow">http://www.officelabs.com</a>

[closer2112]

OK, not a hoax, but software is beta

Thanks to user haraldb who did CNET's job for them and posted the link. It's officelabs.com.<br /><br />The software is pre-release (beta) only. I don't install beta crap.

[haraldb]

Check out: http://www.officelabs.com

Check out: <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.officelabs.com" target="_newWindow">http://www.officelabs.com</a>

[onlyauser]

openoffice.org

Forget about MS products.<br /><br />All are too expensive, too demanding on hardware, bloated code, and worst of all when you use MS products you are essentially running around with a BIG TARGET painted on your PC.<br /><br />I choose to zig in my product selection while others may zag, I already know I have beaten them in the wallet (where it really counts anyway).<br /><br />MS products are simply not worth what they COST THE CONSUMER.

[Commander_Spock]

Even Better Yet!

Open Office (which supports the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO) agreed Open Document Format (ODF) standards) runs on IBM's OS/2 Warp and Serenity Systems's eComStation.<br /><br />"OpenOffice.org for eComStation and OS/2"<br /><br /><a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.ecomstation.com/product_info.phtml?url=nls/en/content/openoffice.html&#38;title=OpenOffice.org%20for%20eComStation" target="_newWindow">http://www.ecomstation.com/product_info.phtml?url=nls/en/content/openoffice.html&#38;title=OpenOffice.org%20for%20eComStation</a>

[kirk_in_va]

Bring back classic Office menus

I hope someone from Microsoft reads these comments...<br /><br />How about admitting that the ribbon bar is a failure and bring back the classic menus? Keep the ribbon bar as an option, but make the classic menus the default.<br /><br />You could add an option under preferences that says something like, "Check here if you were one of the people that Microsoft used for their flawed usability studies and prefer to have your commands organized in an unintelligible and arbitrary manner on a ribbon bar."<br /><br />There is a good plugin for Office 2007 that brings back the classic menus: <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.addintools.com/english/menuoffice/default.htm" target="_newWindow">http://www.addintools.com/english/menuoffice/default.htm</a> But I refuse to pay for something that Microsoft should have included for free. Since the plugin's author was able to make the menus show up, you know that all of the API hooks are still there, so Microsoft could easily keep the classic menus, but chose not to. Poor choice, IHMO.

[Commander_Spock]

Re: "Since the plugin's author...

... was able to make the menus show up, you know that all of the API hooks are still there, so Microsoft could easily keep the classic menus, but chose not to. Poor choice..." On what informed information are your "assumptions" based on that give the indication that "all of the API hooks are still there"? With the cost of a "barrel of imported oil" rising at the rate it is - can one today employ the most recent Microsoft Office product update and accurately "economically" project what one's heating, gas, and food prices will be 12 months from now? :-(

[Sumatra-Bosch]

Improve Office? Hmmm. DELETE IT!

After Word 5.1, all MSFT did was screw up a sorta OK word processor. Excel after 2003 became unusable bloatware. PowerPoint was hopelessly broken from its incarnation. Access has always been an embarrassment. But then, again, for MSFT, actual software was always beside the point. The company develops lock-in strategies that incidentally require them to throw together some software. Once the world fights back MSFT's attempts to control the file formats forever through standards bodies and broken schemes that maintain its position as developer of the only software products that can natively read and write these formats, everyone can delete MS Office.

[JesseThe]

After You Delete Office 2007 - Solutions

After you delete Office 2007, go to OpenOffice.org and download OpenOffice. It has the same menus that Office 203 has, it reads and writes the 2003 file formats, and EVEN USES VBA (Visual Basic for Applications)!

[Mick Blackledge]

Quit Using It

Quit Using It

[JesseThe]

After You Quite Using Office 2007 - Solutions

After you quit using Office 2007 go to OpenOffice.org and download OpenOffice. It will open ALL the Office 203 files and you can even use Scripts from Excel etc...

[mjconver]

D-uuhhh!!! Put classic mode back!!!!

After a decade of knowing exactly where every all-F and Alt-W command is, I used to be able to run Excel and Access and Word with hardly a mouse-click. We're talking productivity, speed, comfort, maximize screen real estate, getting the job done. Office '07 screwed every module up, and didn't give a single iota of improved performance.

[fred dunn]

How about just giving us back the menu's

That were in the previous versions that millions trained on? I know you can bring up some menu's but it is a confusing iterface for most trying to make the transition and the menu's are not turned on by default.<br />Searching for a menu item is like having to hit the F1 button anytime you want to do something.<br /><br />If you have to search for a command then shouldn't it be obvious that the interface is too complex and not intuitive?

[onlyauser]

Use a great, functional, and FREE alternative.

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.openoffice.org" target="_newWindow">http://www.openoffice.org</a><br /><br />Why pay for something that locks you in and costs so much. Why pay at all if you can to the same work for FREE. MS office bloat-ware and seems to degrade with each new disappointing upgrade.<br /><br />OpenOffice.org is such a better choice. It can read and save in MS Office file formats, it is based on OPEN STANDARDS (keyword being 'standards'), is NOT bloat-ware, and best yet it is FREE!<br /><br />Do yourself a favor and at least check it out. Who knows, you may also save HUNDREDS of ill spent/ wasted dollars.

[drichards1953]

MS missed the boat

There was no need to change the interface for Office 2007. Actually there was no need for Office 2007. MS is fixated on the idea that they need to keep improving Office. Changing the interface, especially to the ribbon does NOT improve productivity. There literally is no need to update Office every couple of years. Some of my business clients still use, very happily, Office 97, most are using Office 2003. MS Offie has become too expensive not only in cost to buy the software, but the "learning curve". I have clients switching to Open Office and Corel WordPerfect in order to avoid Office 2007, and find they are saving money doing it.

[MMC Racing]

Learning Curve....

It is funny how people complain about the "learning curve" between version of any software package, but then propose a solution of using a completely different brand. That has to be the silliest argument of all time as moving to a different vendors product is always a bigger learning curve.

[dougjake]

Unbelievable!

By building this add-on MS is admitting what everyone else knows, the ribbon was a huge mistake. MS took something from previous versions that worked fine, the menu system, and replaced it with something cool looking yet unnecessary and confusing. The fix is simple, restore the classic menu. Do they do that? No, they put lipstick on a pig. The ribbon drove me to abandon Office 2007 and until they restore the classic menu I won't use it.

[kirk_in_va]

Amen!

Amen!

[xcopy]

You left out a very important piece of information

We all know office 2007 is untenable if productivity is important.<br /><br />What we really need to know is whether or not the product manager responsible for that fiasco has been fired yet, and can we be assured they will never be allowed to manage, spec, oversee, or have any involvement with another software application for the duration of their life? <br /><br />If that person has not been fired, are they now in a janitorial position?

[RompStar_420]

LOL Yep they probably got promoted.

LOL! - Knowing Microsoft, they were probably promoted, given a 6-pack of beer every Friday.<br /><br />A lot of people in the technical positions at MS are high on Acid, Shrooms, other things while at work or Drunk.<br /><br />No wonder their software sucks so bad. You should be clean and clear minded when doing important things.

[onlyauser]

I doubt you would make that previous comment if you were boss.

I doubt you would make that previous comment if you were boss. Cash always matters and MS Office license quickly become very costly especailly when the is a FREE alternative. A good owner/manager would see this, forget about any learning curve and make the switch.<br /><br />And if you are boss the cash will matter in your corporate environment eventually. This will either happen because of more restricted cash flow or compromised production due to a compromised and poorly implemented, and costly MS Office Suite.<br /><br />Corps. need to wake up to...and they will because the coming economic conditions will make it more WORTHwhile than ever. Save a buck and give it to you wife or kid instead.<br /><br /><a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.openoffice.org" target="_newWindow">http://www.openoffice.org</a>

[onlyauser]

Oops...wrong place for post!

Oops...wrong place for post!<br /><br />SORRY

[The_Decider]

A few ways to fix Office

The first is obvious, get rid of the disgustingly bad ribbon. Yet again, MS proves it knows nothing about creating a good interface. It was amusing to hear MS call a tabbed tool bar innovative.<br /><br />The next will do even more for this bloated product. Pull out of 80-90% of the crap that most people don't use. Modularize it, put the rest of the functionality into these modules. It will also help with pricing and adoption. Why spend hundreds or thousands when your employees use 10% of the functionality?<br /><br />Open up Office a bit so others can extend it easier. A good candidate is to make it easy for others to add in reference and documentation formatting. Not only is the existing functionality flawed(MLA is wrong in Office) but severely lacking. There are many other useful document styles that could be added. Supposedly this is already available but a search on Google will show no one can figure it out.<br /><br />In short they need to make Office small, flexible, agile, and exhibit more forward thinking. Things that MS isn't known for.<br /><br />If they want to get their relevancy back they need to finally move into this century.

[onlyauser]

yeah but...

...unless it is open and FREE. Why pay when the FREE alternatives are becoming wide spread and already are doing everything you stated.<br /><br />Also, IMHO, MS product, though poorly designed, are also the black hats most favored TARGET.<br /><br />Protect yourself better, KEEP YOUR MONEY. You will be much better off if you use the FREE alternatives to MS products if you can.

[bluehairmail]

am i the only one that likes the ribbon

No, i am not.<br />My School gives everybody a new copy of office if they ask. And i have to say that the ribbon has made me way more efficient has a graduate student than any other option, and most of my peers feel the same way. no body wants to move back to 2003 after moving to 2007. I love open source however when i return to Openoffice i loose productivity because it is just a carbon copy of the Office 2003 interface. Everything in Ribbon makes sense. When people come to me complaining that they cannot find a function in this new terrible ribbon, i ask them if you were designing a new interface and you were using the function a lot where would you put it. They then find the function is right were they would put it every time, not buried in some menu. all i can say is grow up and quit complaining, it does not look good on you.<br />cheers

[The_Decider]

Very few like it

The ribbon has resulted in layer after layer of pop ups just to get to functionality. Then when you finally find it, you have to click OK about 6 times.<br /><br />How is this better then a standard menu bar?

[walterwood]

How Long Did You Use Office 2003 Before the Ribbon?

From your post it appears you are a fairly new Office user. Those that do not have much experience with Office usually like the Ribbon because they did not know where the commands were in the Menu anyway. <br /><br />If you like the Ribbon I don't have a problem with that. However, after using Office over 15 years I think the Ribbon sucks! Give me a choice to use the Menus.

[xcopy]

Hmmmm..

OK, you're a grad student. In two words, Big deal.<br /><br />Also, judging from your English skills, not a native speaker but that's OK as long as you make sense and in this case it's borderline at best....<br /><br />Many of us have had graduate degrees for many years and real working experience. We also understand user interface design, software development, and the holy grail, which is productivity. Why are you making excuses for a product that 85% of experienced users don't like. Are you confused when you hear that experienced users LOSE productivity with the new software, and there are many "features" that can not be modified to regain that loss? Seems like it to me, but perhaps it's the English skills getting in the way...<br /><br />I hope you can work for either MS or some government (not the US government please) when you finish school. They're both very good at shoving crap down our throats and telling us it's good for us.