I prefer to write without my word processor trying to assist me, so my first drafts are often written in the text-based Notepad. Through the years, I’ve managed to strip down the MS Word icons and auto-“features” to give me as much screen real estate — and as little “assistance” — as possible.
Well, this week I came up in the IT department’s rotation for the upgrade to MS Office 2007 and IE 7.
Some idiot at MicroSucks decided that Office needed a whole new interface, with an icon visible for every conceivable option at all times — and there doesn’t seem to be any option for stripping it down. It also displays additional text formatting icons when you hover over formatted text — but I finally found a way to turn that supreme annoyance off. The dang thing also eats up my processing power — so now they’re going to have to get me a new laptop. Joy. That may be more newness that I can stand at the moment.
I am not amused — or productive. It took me the better part of an hour to figure out that MicoSucks hid the really useful MS Word commands (like open, save, and print) behind what appears to be a circle with a product logo in it. Argh.
kalimeg
February 26, 2008 at 11:33pmMaybe you can go back to Notepad.
đŸ™‚
allisonstein
February 27, 2008 at 12:03amUmmm… still using Notepad for first drafts. But when preparing documents for sharing with anyone else in the company, — or editing documents provided by others — they must be in the MS Office formats.
petrini1
February 29, 2008 at 3:49pmYes, I hate MS Word too. That’s why I still write everything in Wordperfect and covert it later. And don’t you just want to throttle that little Paperclip Guy?
allisonstein
February 29, 2008 at 4:15pmOh, my dear goddess girlfriend, that annoying little paperclip guy would be a joy to have around compared to the new interface in Word 2007.
petrini1
March 1, 2008 at 8:51pmWorse than Paperclip Guy? Sounds scary. I’m definitely sticking with Wordperfect. Besides, Bill Gates has enough money already.