Word 2007 New Features

A post from our Microsoft Software blog

A Completely Revised Interface

Word 2007 is nothing like its predecessor. The biggest change you're likely to notice is that the toolbar is different. Microsoft has given this function a new name too: the ribbon. This is displayed horizontally along the top of the screen and organizes functions in to logical groups that are separated in to different tabs. When using the ribbon you'll notice that not every tab is visible all of the time; instead some will only appear when they're needed (for example, when you start editing an object).

Other core functions now have to be accessed differently. Save, Print and Open commands - which were previously found under Word 2003's File menu - will only appear when you click on the Office 2007 logo. This means users will essentially have to relearn Word from scratch, as it's almost an entirely different programme.

New File Types

Word 2007 uses a different file extension to previous versions. This means that the old '.doc' format has now been replaced by something called '.docx.' This can problematise file sharing -- especially if your colleagues are still using the 2003 version of the software. That said, if they can't open the file you've sent them, they will be prompted to download a Compatibility Pack that will enable them to read the document.

Easily Manipulate Images

Users who frequently work with JPEGs, BMPs, PNGs or GIFs will find it incredibly easy to insert images in to their documents. The whole process takes no more than just a couple of clicks; and, once a picture has been added, you can change its properties by altering its contrast, its brightness, or skewing its angle or cropping it. It is also possible to further revise the appearance of the image by adding a 3D effect to it, a border, or even a shadow.

Our Verdict

Although the new ribbon interface was badly received by many at first, it has laid the foundation for easier use, customisability and further development. We guess it's worth the upgrade for this alone.