Work in Office 2007? Can't take it with you

Today ushers in a new era for Microsoft Office--and with it, a sweeping set of surprises for users. Businesses now have the green light to download multiuser suites of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and associated software that will save your work in new, XML-based file formats by default.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Microsoft hopes for users to embrace the radically different Office 2007, which offers more tools for bloggers and amateur desktop publishers. You won't find Office 2007 on store shelves until January 30. In the meantime, a growing number of people are turning to free services with fewer features and more collaboration capabilities. Yet Microsoft has barely made a peep about creating browser-based versions of its software, or other tools that would enable you to take work on the road and edit it in a Web browser. The latest Microsoft software might already appear passe, if you're an early adopter of Web-based word processors and spreadsheet services from the likes of Google, Zoho, and ThinkFree--or if you use freebies such as OpenOffice.

Even so, that doesn't mean you can ignore Office 2007--especially if its users send their documents to you. So far, we've found that opening Office 2007 files in older versions of Office isn't as seamless as Microsoft might like (see our video). And for now, Office 2007's open-source documents currently won't open in those indie, Web-based productivity applications. That's likely to change, but be on the lookout for the telltale X in Office 2007 files: DOCX instead of Word's old DOC extension, and so forth. If some eager Office 2007 devotee e-mails you one of those files, which won't open in your favorite online application, return them to sender.

Corel, on the other hand, is already taking steps to make its software cooperate with Office 2007. Its next editions of WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, and Presentations will support Microsoft Office's new files in addition to the Open Document Format. Given the overwhelming market share of Microsoft Office, Corel's move could be as necessary for the survival of its WordPerfect software as much as it is a convenience for its users. Unfortunately for Corel, most browser-based word processors still fail to open WPD documents composed in its excellent WordPerfect program. We expect that most online applications will adopt Office 2007's open-source formats more quickly than they'll give any love to the unchanging WPD. At the same time, WordPerfect suites are bundled on many Dell computers, which could prevent those users from running out and buying Office 2007. Would you rather play with the dynamic new interface and graphics tools within Microsoft Office 2007 or rely on more portable, less complicated, and less expensive alternatives?

[dancac]

Office 2007

This is almost the Word 5 to Word 6 thing all over again, which sorted itself out eventually. Good advice on return-to-sender if the file is not readable - just means the sender will have to save in past format - the 2-trip e-mail is still quicker than snail mail!

Personally, my business dictates that I operate at the least-common-denominator level, so I will be sticking with Office 2003 for some time yet. I currently use Star Office 8 as well.

[Ryo Hazuki]

RE: Office 2007

What this is, for me, is the Microsoft product version X to Microsoft product version Y CNET-and-Microsoft-haters-bashing thing all over again, which in the end always gets sorted out with another successful product for Microsoft. I can perfectly understand the excitement of childish Microsoft haters with this usual very professional anti-Microsoft campaigns launched by CNET, but I can tell if, for instance, the guy you'd be returning the unreadable file to was me, I wouldn't give damn, it would be your problem you didn't kept up with technology and you were too lazy to download a small free compatiblity application (it's like staying in Windows 95 and send letters to companies asking them to develope versions of their software for it: ridiculous), I can read it, you can't, and you can be pretty sure I won't be the only Office 2007 user with that attitude.

Personally, my business dictates I operate with the product that makes me more productive, that is, that takes me less time to do what I want, and doing it better. Thus, I am going to use Microsoft Office 2007.

[Ryo Hazuki]

Review of Microsoft product? Can't be positive

Apart from the usual god-level worshiping appraisal of Microsoft competitors products and anti-Microsoft campaigns launches by CNET, I just want to give my personal answer to the very professional question with which the article ends: I would rather work with the much more efficient, productive and compatible tools within Microsoft Office 2007 than relying on a much less productive, efficient, quality, feature-rich cheap alternative.