Re: Word 2007 Learning Curve
- From: "Terry Farrell" <terryfarrell@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:28:13 -0000
Jim
In a different era, MS provided manuals with the applications. They dropped that idea (probably some tree-hugging evangelist's idea) and replaced them with Help files. However, the help files still have a long way to go to meet most users' requirements. There is far more on line content available through the Help button, but finding it is horrendous.
Terry Farrell
"Jim Vaught" <JimVaught@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:C6EA6560-EC7D-478D-B76D-6E71E198E070@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
That's something I don't understand then, because you would think they would
want "how to guides" out on the market ASAP to increase sales of the
software. I assumed they at least provided documentation to authors in order
to facilitate that process.
"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
I'll be interested in Herb's answer, but my impression is that authors have
to figure it out mostly for themselves, working with a beta version and just
trying out all the program features. To be sure, they build on their
knowledge of previous versions, but discovery of new features, I think, is
left up to the author. If MS provides any guidance, I'd be interested to
hear about it.
--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org
"Jim Vaught" <JimVaught@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2A194EFB-CDE9-44E6-9F20-23745062D6FA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Herb: I bought your book yesterday and am finding it useful so far, but
> I've
> still got a LOT to learn
> about Word 2007. Something I've been curious about: How do people such > as
> yourself write a book
> on new software programs or editions of those programs? Do the > software
> companies provide you and other software guide manuals' authors with > their
> documentation generated when they were developing the program, or what?
>
> "Herb Tyson [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> When I agreed to write a book about Word 2007, I faced exactly the >> same
>> problem you're facing. But, because Word 2007 was the object rather >> than
>> the
>> means, I had no choice in the matter. At the outset, I was using Word
>> 2003
>> to write the book, but at some point, critical productivity mass was
>> achieved, and I found that new Word 2007 features made me more
>> productive,
>> and so I wrote the last half of the book using Word 2007.
>>
>> I don't know if there are "classic" interface tools for Excel, but >> there
>> are
>> several for Word 2007:
>>
>> http://www.addintools.com/english/menuword/
>>
>> http://pschmid.net/blog/2007/04/20/111
>>
>> I believe that the second option is free. So, for Word, at least, you
>> have
>> at least three choices:
>>
>> 1. Bite the bullet and learn Word 2007, knowing that Word 14 will >> surely
>> build on Word 2007/12 rather than on Word 2003/11; this is the best
>> option
>> if you need to keep up with future versions of Word. If it's hard to >> get
>> used to the new interface now in Word 12, it will only be more >> difficult
>> several years from now with Word 14.
>>
>> 2. Use a classic interface tool, relying on it when you're in a hurry,
>> but
>> otherwise dabbling and gradually learning the ribbon approach. This is >> a
>> good option if Word 2007 has features that you need, but you don't >> need
>> to
>> learn Word 2007 in a hurry. There are other learning aids you can use, >> as
>> well, such as the interactive guide that shows you where to find Word
>> 2007
>> commands and features:
>> http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/asstvid.aspx?assetid=XT100766331033&vwidth=1044&vheight=788&type=flash&CTT=11&Origin=HA100744321033.
>>
>> 3. Revert to Word 2003. This is a good option if Word 2003 provides
>> everything you need and if you won't need to work with documents that
>> rely
>> upon Word 2007-specific features that aren't preserved when using the
>> Office
>> 2007 Compatibility Pack.
>>
>> A 4th option--not incompatible with #1 and #2--is to set up Word >> 2007's
>> Quick Access Toolbar so that it contains your most-used tools from >> Word
>> 2003
>> (do the same for Excel 2007). This is the approach I use for my >> everyday
>> work, and it has alleviated a lot of Word 2007's ergonomic
>> inefficiencies.
>> One approach to this is shown here:
>>
>> http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com/2007/05/02/making-word-2007-a-little-more-familiar/
>>
>>
>> -- >> Herb Tyson MS MVP
>> Author of the Word 2007 Bible
>> Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
>> Web: http://www.herbtyson.com
>> "JMB" <jmb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:0AB12808-0879-4AD7-B3EE-57299613C21A@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > I'll make an honest attempt to give this question/feedback a >> > positive
>> > twist.
>> > I have been using Word/Excel etc. for years now and consider myself
>> > somewhat
>> > of an expert user. Now I have a new computer with Vista and Office
>> > 2007.
>> > And
>> > I essentially find myself facing this predicament of going up an
>> > enormously
>> > steep learning curve, i.e. relearning how to wordprocess and
>> > spreadsheet
>> > almost from scratch all over again. The new and improved of Office >> > 2007
>> > apps
>> > may look much more "politically correct" than in previous versions, >> > but
>> > so
>> > far my experience has been that it can hardly get any less user
>> > friendly
>> > and
>> > more convoluted than this. I'm giving it a very serious try here, >> > but
>> > I'm
>> > also beginning to think about throwing in the towel. Anybody out >> > there
>> > that
>> > can offer any useful advice as to how I can actually start using the
>> > Office
>> > 2007 applications without letting all my previous experience and
>> > know-how
>> > completely go to waste?
>> > -- >> > JMB
>>
>>
>
.
- Follow-Ups:
- Re: Word 2007 Learning Curve
- From: sherrykappel
- Re: Word 2007 Learning Curve
- References:
- Re: Word 2007 Learning Curve
- From: Jim Vaught
- Re: Word 2007 Learning Curve
- From: Suzanne S. Barnhill
- Re: Word 2007 Learning Curve
- From: Jim Vaught
- Re: Word 2007 Learning Curve
- Prev by Date: Re: Where is the Calendar Object?
- Next by Date: Re: Fill Word Forms with Access data
- Previous by thread: Re: Word 2007 Learning Curve
- Next by thread: Re: Word 2007 Learning Curve
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
