MS Unveils Office 2007, Multiple Versions

rfunches writes "MSNBC reports that Microsoft's next version of Office, now known as Office 2007 (previously code-named Office 12), will continue targeting the corporate audience through multiple versions of Office 2007. Versions announced include 'Office Professional Plus 2007' and 'Office Enterprise 2007.' From the article: '[Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007] will integrate capabilities of SharePoint, a collaboration program and Web portal that is designed to run over corporate networks and the Internet...and also incorporate Microsoft Office Communicator, a corporate instant messaging service.'"

Comments

Do I forsee...

[ackthpt]

Hi, Joe, Here's the presentation on Wizzo Chocolate Corp. I'll be out of the office until the meeting with Wizzo, have a look at it and make any changes you see fit.

To open attachedment click here [*click*]

This project was created in Office Enterprise, some features may not be present in your version of Office Professional Plus - You will not be able to make any modifications to this project.

So.. how many people are really likely to get the lightweight version, hmm?

Re:Do I forsee...

[Martin Foster]

A lot of small companies, organizations and people in general could do miracles in Access if they would quit treating MS Excel as one...

Re:Do I forsee...

[DarkSarin]

one what? A database?

Surely you jest. Access is not the best solution out there--it is horrible to use, the interface just blows, and it doesn't do a lot of what it should do. For the record OOBase Sucks as well.

Now that I have used MSSQL more, I am realizing the power of such a database. At work we are also getting ready to implement Crystal Reports, which makes the reporting components in Access look anemic and pathetic.

I am not a big MS fan, but I do think that they make a fine SQL server.

Folks, don't use Excel as a db, but access shouldn't be used either!

Re:Do I forsee...

[linuxmop]

Your unjustified speculation is cute and everything, but Microsoft has offered multiple versions of Office for as long as I can remember. Some packages include programs such as Access that not everyone needs. They have even offered Word + Works Suite for low-end PCs. In none of these cases have they prevented you from reading or writing data files created with the more expensive suite (given that your suite the program in question, e.g. Access).

But hey, why have a reasonable discussion when you can just bash Microsoft for something it hasn't done?

Re:Do I forsee...

[Thundersnatch]

All recent versions of Microsoft Access are able to actually use the desktop version of SQL server instead of the old JET-based engine.

Look up "access data project" in the Access help file. You can make it the default DB type, and most features of the "real" SQL Server are available (except the GUI management tools).

Re:Do I forsee...

[xtracto]

I do not know why people bash Access like that. I have worked with access before as well as as with MS SQL Server and mySQL, I have used Postgre and Oracle only on non productive environments.

From all of those database engines, Access was the only one in which I could transport the data in a flash drive without any hassle (just copy de MDB file). I did not needed to install any program to show the database to other people using snapshot viewer.

Granted, it may not be good for databases that need to be accessed by more than one user each time but it is great to get orgainze a lot of data.

BTW, one of the things I did with access was to migrate some "!#$!"!@ Excel list database (they got a bunch of records and where managing them with excel data lists). It was very easy to create some tables on excel and import the data from excel.

Believe me, some buisness do not need anything more fancy than Access and it does the work, I think it is (as eeeeeevery other OS/app/language) just a tool and if used when it is needed it will do a great job.

Re:Do I forsee...

[just_another_sean]

I am probably one of the biggest Linux Fanboys out there, I am not afraid to admit it. And I love to bash on MS.

But when I get serious and talk "right tool for the right job" I would heartily disagree with your feelings about Access.

I began my career in IT on Access (V. 1.1, Win 3). I've loved it ever since. I write all sorts of automation solutions for our company in Access. We use Great Plains and I've saved the company thousands of dollars by creating little, even somewhat crappy, automation routines in Access instead of buying some bloated module for GP that does way more then we need it to. It's quick, easy and gets the job done.

Access and ODBC let me connect to any database I want. I have our web site scp a snapshot of our MySQL databases to a local test copy of the web site. And I use Access to connect to it and run quick & dirty reports and queries. You like SQL Server but Access is not a substitute for MSSQL, it's a compliment to it. You can connect to SQL using Access. I tend to start my projects first in Access so I can carry it around with me while I develop it. When I feel the project is ready for a first release it is very easy to upload all my tables, data and queries to SQL Server and simply link in the new tables. No need to change my forms, reports or code because the linked tables are named the same, they just reside in a more robust and scalable database now that they are deployed.

Access's interface does take some getting used to and VBA is not a Real(TM) programming language but the beauty of VBA is, if you don't like the Access interface, change it using VBA. When I finish an automation solution that keeps some poor SOB in my company from typing the same data into our systems day in and day out the interface he/she uses is far different then that of standard Access.

Bottom line is, it's all about using the right tool for the job and for the small company I work for Access is the right tool in some very key situations.

P.S. I realize there are 100's, if not 1000's of other solutions that do similar things to what I describe above. My company owned Access and MSSQL so that and my familiarity with Access led to my choice.

Mmm... versions

[keyne9]

Are we getting some hot 'MS OFfice EX plus alpha' action soon? Maybe 'Super MS Office XII: Third Strike Champion Hyper Edition'?

Sweeeet!!!!

[Professor_UNIX]

Remember folks, try to reduce the stress on the main distribution site by using mirrors when possible, or even better, let's get a BitTorrent tracker going to distribute the load.

Office communicator

[iMaple]

The office communicator is one of the few products that I really like. I used a beta for ~3 months and (provided you have the infrastructure in place) it kicks ass. It integrates email, IM and phone in an amazing way (by email I mean Outlook , no you cant use pine :( ). Eg. If the outlook calendar shows that I have a meeting in my office , it will set the IM status to ('Busy, in a meeting') and switch off the phone ringer (and email me any voice messages). Then when I see a missed call, I just click on that person and select call, which switches on the phone speaker and dials out the number. Impressive , eh ?

MS Carnage

[AnalystX]

"designed to run over corporate networks and the Internet"

Why not? Microsoft tries to run over everything else. I just hope there isn't too much damage.

Scaled cost as well as features

[Macblaster]

See, while Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 will only cost arm, Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 will cost arm + leg.

Oh, and the premium edition, Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007...

you don't want to know.

Clippy is back in Microsoft Office Communicator

[sikandril]

I see you have received some bad corporate news..

Would you like to throw a piece of furniture?

1. Chair
2. Sofa
3. 18th Century French Armoir

If I may correct that a bit.

[khasim]

It integrates email, IM and phone in an amazing way (by email I mean Outlook , no you cant use pine :( ).

What you meant to say was ...

"It integrates MS Exchange/Outlook, MS Messenger and MS Phone in an amazing way."

And no, I don't want voice mail in my email. People store too much crap in it already.

Re:Corporate IM service

[Scyber]

Corporate IM is actually becoming pretty popular. It replaces the need to quickly call or run over to someone to ask a quick question that email is overkill for (or that you need an immediate answer for). Lotus Notes has had an IM client (SameTime) in it for a little while now.

What about Office 2007 Grab Bag Edition?

[Anonymous Coward]

With Microsoft Grab Bag Edition you get one exciting office application, you just don't know which one. By distributing the ``Bag'' edition of office, indecisive HR departments can assign jobs based on dumb luck:

Employee A -- "Cool! I got Excel, I'm gonna be a budget analyst!"

Employee B -- "I got Word! Awesome! I'm gonna write memos and be a manager."

Employee C -- "Shit, I got PowerPoint. But I don't want to be a consultant. They suck."

Employee D -- "You think you got it bad? I got Access, I'm never gonna get anything done."

Multiple versions? Mmm...must be a good thing

[Jivha]

I wonder why people are falling for this talk about "multiple versions" in Office 2007. The available retail versions of MS Office 2003, as listed on Microsoft.com

- MS 2003 Professional Ed.
- MS 2003 Standard Ed.
- MS 2003 Small Business Ed.
- MS 2003 Student & Teacher Ed.

And the versions of the upcoming Office 2007 as listed in the article

- Professional
- Standard
- Enterprise
- Small Business
- Home & Student

Guess what - all of one extra edition - "Enterprise" (Student & Teacher appears to have been rebranded as Home & Student). The way the article and the submission is written it would appear that multiple versions were the next best thing to sliced bread since, um, Office 2003?

Integration for the WIN!

[argStyopa]

"Why aren't I getting any phone calls for the past 4 hours"
"Because you show as busy in your calendar. You should get the voicemails as emails."
"What?! And where are the voicemails of which you speak?"
"You should be getting them."
"Do you see any in my email?"
"No....I see, you've forwarded your phone to your cellphone, so the voicemails will be forwarded to your PDA."
"But I don't have them in there? It says that the emails were truncated because the PDA omits attachemnts over 128kb."
"Oh then it would have dropped them off."
"So where are they?"
"Deleted. The PDA dropped them, and the voicemail server doesn't save them once sent."
"So they're gone? 4 hours of voicemails - gone?"
"Sorry, it looks like it"
"But I'm not busy in the first place?"
"Hmm...look, you got this email from your wife saying that it's Bill's birthday today."
"So?"
"She marked it as an all day event, when you accepted to add it to your calendar, it marked you as 'out all day'. Also, you're not going to get paid for today, we have our payroll integrated too."
"So let me see if I understand this, according to my accepting a birthday reminder, I've lost 4 hours of vital voicemails, automatically rejected any meeting requests since the system thought I was already in one, and in fact I'm not even going to get paid for today?"
"Yeah, sorry about that."
"So since I'm definitely 'not here', then I guess the police won't suspect me of killing you?"
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