Dear Microsoft:

[nobleplatypus]

If you can't make a program that is compatible WITH ITSELF, you officially fail at everything.

No Love,

Me

Comments

[shannonsequitur.livejournal.com]

LOL WHUT.

[nobleplatypus]

One of our attorneys can't open a Word 2007 document in Word 2003, despite having the Compatibility Pack installed. *headdesk* You'd really think that Microsoft Word and Microsoft Word would be able to get along without the use of a forking mediator, but APPARENTLY NOT.

[pujaemuss.livejournal.com]

Or maybe, if they want to open a file from Word 2007 in Word 2003, they should have saved it in the Word 2003 format in the first place!

Sorry, but this bugs me. The .doc save format hadn't changed since 1997 and people complained that Microsoft were being stupid in keeping the same unsecured, bulky, bloated and outdated file format. So, Microsoft updated it to a new format in their new software, while still giving people the option to retain compatibility and save in the old format. And they still get moaned at.

Word 2003 isn't designed to open a Word 2007 format file. It's designed to open files from 2003 and earlier. Either save everything in the old format (one click!) or update your damned software!

Sorry. It's a pet peeve of mine. Work ensures I spend lots of time with customers who blame Microsoft for imagined slights, so I'm on a hair trigger for complaints.

PJW

[nobleplatypus]

In this instance, it wasn't the attorney's error--the whole office has Word 2003, and the document was sent by someone else offsite.

We're looking at updating our Office suite to 2007, but it's different enough from 2003 that there's going to be a metric ton of training involved, so we're trying to work out how best to go about upgrading.

[artekka.livejournal.com]

i hate hate hate it when i get a doct in 2007 and have to open it in 2007 on my laptop. i have word 2003 installed on my laptop as well, b/c i prefer it, but after i open a docx, if I then try to open a doc, it opens it in word 2007 instead of 2003 and i have to mess around until i can get the stupid computer to use 2003 again. and don't get me started on the way my vista moves around my desktop icons and won't save my firefox tabs...

[nobleplatypus]

I have heard nothing positive about Vista. :P Not one good thing. I'll take my Mac, thanks much.

[artekka.livejournal.com]

if only they were still selling xp! i consider xp to be pretty much the height of microsoft so far. the only thing that's better about vista is the spider solitaire game is prettier and it has mahjong...

[nobleplatypus]

I do kind of miss PC solitaire, I must admit.

[pujaemuss.livejournal.com]

http://lavacat.com/
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/games/cards_puzzle/freesolitaire3d.html

Both freeware Mac Solitaire.

PJW

[stringertheory.livejournal.com]

*points* Microsoft!Fail. It is a common occurrence, indeed.

*smug, Mac-owning grin*

[nobleplatypus]

I am so with you on the smug Mac-owning front. :P TextEdit might be a rather crappy program all told, but at least it will open any Word document you throw at it.

[pujaemuss.livejournal.com]

Smug Windows 7 owner. I like the fact that the dozens of different PC manufacturers allowed me to choose a specialist item like a touchscreen, and the knowledge that just about every bit of software and hardware is designed for my platform first and foremost.

Each to their own, I guess.

Apples suck

{grins}

PJW

[ainu-laire.livejournal.com]

Oooh, how is Windows 7?

[pujaemuss.livejournal.com]

Very good actually. I've had it for a few months, as I downloaded the release candidate when it came out.

Basically, it's proof that Microsoft can learn. Vista was lovely from all the security angles they worked so hard on, but it was rushed to market, untested and without a single thought given to what people actually wanted from their OS, rather than what Microsoft thought they needed.

Windows 7 still has all the security angles, but it's fast and reliable. It was actually finished a year ago and released as a beta for free to anyone who wanted to try it, which has led to it being fairly flawless on release. It's more of an evolution than a revolution, but the new features are good enough (Aero Snap being the prime example) that I would never, ever go back to either XP or Vista given the choice.

Basically, Microsoft appear to have released a product that works. First time.

I'm scared.

PJW