[mso] Re: Office 2003 Launch in NYC - an OT grumble :VSMail mx3
- From: "Dian Chapman" <dian@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 00:46:42 -0600
Well..therein lies the different....
* you don't know many who have moved to XP and feel many more that you know
of have JUST moved to 97/2000.
* whereas I'm privy to MS sales figures that SHOW the percentages of
companies who move from what to what...and I can tell you many big companies
have moved that way...more than you apparently realize. ;-)
Dian D. Chapman
Technical Consultant,
Microsoft MVP & Instructor
Free Tutorials: www.mousetrax.com/techtrax
Free Word Tips & Tricks eBook: www.mousetrax.com/books.html
Learn VBA the easy way, thru video! www.mousetrax.com/techcourses.html
-----Original Message-----
From: mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of James LaBorde
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 10:24 AM
To: 'mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: [mso] Re: Office 2003 Launch in NYC - an OT grumble :VSMail mx3
Dian,
Sorry, I guess I used a bad example. I can understand when there are
significant changes not being able to open a document in the previous
version, but when they make minimal changes in an application why the need
to force users to change? You mention Big Business has to keep up. While
some may, there are many that do not. I know of a number of large
businesses that have finally switched from 97 to 2000 this year (and a few
that still haven't). I know of very few large companies that have actually
taken the XP plunge. The most common complaint I hear is that they don't
see a significant enough improvement in any of the applications they use to
justify the cost. M$ would probably earn far more money and spend a lot
less after the release if they would take a little more time to throughly
test the products and work on finding the security holes themselves BEFORE
releasing it to the general public. I know of a lot of companies that spend
thousands of dollars in both hard and soft costs to patch the various
applications (both OS and Office suites). M$'s answer is to patch the holes
as they come and institute policies without giving the user the option
(Outlook's security patch in 2000 and the subsequent XP 'improvement'
immediately come to mind.) Giving users a feature and then simply turning
it off is not providing security. Designing it so it works right is the way
to do it. Shirking the responsibility of Quality Control is not the answer.
Only fixing security holes once they are made public is certainly not the
answer.
I don't hate M$. I make a very good living working with and supporting
their products. I just hate some of the ways they do business. Maybe if
they allowed some competition to stay in business rather than buying them up
or sueing them to death, they would have to keep competing both in price and
in product enhancements.
As for the applications. I rarely use advanced features in Excel or
Powerpoint however, I do use them in Word to some extent and definitely in
Access and Outlook. I can choose to purchase each product to upgrade
separately and spend even more or buy a suite of applications many of which
don't have significant improvements to get the one or two that do have the
improvements.
Sorry for the rant. I just get a little peeved with seeing the way M$
treats their customers.
James
-----Original Message-----
From: Dian Chapman [mailto:dian@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 9:45 PM
To: mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [mso] Re: Office 2003 Launch in NYC - an OT grumble :VSMail mx3
>I agree whole-heartedly. I find it ridiculous that M$ upgrades all the
applications enough so that the format is slightly different and only makes
major changes to one application and then expects you to shell out the big
money for the who suite since they don't play so nicely with older versions.
One thing you need to understand...if you look at each app on their own, it
MAY SEEM that not much was done to the suite/apps. But the WHOLE STORY is in
the larger picture. The fact that all the new servers have been
added/improved to create an overall better "system" of communications, etc.
And yes...it's geared more toward the corporation/business user and how
folks work in an office. After all...for the single home user who doesn't
have/need servers, then it's a lot of pay for SOME changes. But the
incorporation of XML is a big step. But then...if you don't SEE that or plan
to use XML...then Word doesn't look like it's changed much.
In truth...2003 has several BIG improvements, enhancements and additions
that will make the overall package a lot better for communications,
workgroups collaboration, meetings, document automation and lots of things
that will save companies tons of man-hours overall. So understand that the
small/individual user might not notice much has been done. But the
corporation who takes advantage of all this new technology can save
millions.
>Why can't a Word doc created in 2000 be opened in 97?
Because as technology improves, so does the way of doing things and "old
ideas and old technology" are let go for the better improvements. 97 wasn't
a very good version. Why limit 2000 users and force them to NOT improve what
they can do for the sake of those who are using older technology?
How many folks really card whether they can open a 2000 doc in 97? Not many.
So why base all your new product on a small percentage of folks? You can't!
Not if you plan to remain competitive! And as a developer, we can tell you
it's hard to deal with old technology. Why do you think Greg doesn't bother
to develop utilities that work in 97? Cos' 97 didn't have all the easier
objects to use that 2000+ does. Why should he kill himself to make a product
work for a few...when he can make several that work for many?
It's just not practical and you just can't please everyone.
>application I don't use.
If you don't use them...why would you want to buy them????
Dian D. Chapman
Technical Consultant,
Microsoft MVP & Instructor
Free Tutorials: www.mousetrax.com/techtrax Free Word Tips & Tricks eBook:
www.mousetrax.com/books.html Learn VBA the easy way, thru video!
www.mousetrax.com/techcourses.html
-----Original Message-----
From: mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of James LaBorde
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 6:18 PM
To: 'mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: [mso] Re: Office 2003 Launch in NYC - an OT grumble :VSMail mx3
Linda and Anne,
I agree whole-heartedly. I find it ridiculous that M$ upgrades all the
applications enough so that the format is slightly different and only makes
major changes to one application and then expects you to shell out the big
money for the who suite since they don't play so nicely with older versions.
Why can't a Word doc created in 2000 be opened in 97? Were there that many
changes? Why not just warn the user some features may not be available? We
aren't a huge organization but having to shell out for 70+ copies of the
suite is a huge blow to the bottom line. Then you throw in the soft costs
of all the updates required on the new suite because they couldn't get it
right BEFORE releasing it. (Why doesn't M$ higher a few hackers to try to
break the code and discover at least some of these security holes before
they release a version of an OS or Office suite?)
Sorry for the rant, I just can't see spending all the money for improvements
in an application I don't use.
James
-----Original Message-----
From: Linda F. Johnson [mailto:linda@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 5:27 AM
To: mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [mso] Re: Office 2003 Launch in NYC - an OT grumble :VSMail mx3
<< It's about time MS started thinking about loyalty bonuses for clients
who've stayed with them and increased Microsoft's profit base at the expense
of their own liquidity.>>
Here, Here, Anne...I totally agree!! As a small company of one employee
(little ol' me), who HAS to stay current with all the latest versions, I
completely agree that it's about time Microsoft recognized those of us who
have been buying every version of everything they have!!
Linda F. Johnson, M.A., MOS
Linda's Computer Stop
http://personal-computer-tutor.com
Free e-Books, Newsletter, and tutorials
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