Microsoft Office 2003 vs. Microsoft Office 2007/2010

  • Thread starter druandruan
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In summary: There are a few areas where i feel more comfortable with 2007 but overall i think its more complicated.
  • #1
druandruan
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To all science and engineering students/those working in these fields,

Do you use MS Office? If so, do you find MS Office 2007/2010 really necessary? Do you think you could get away with using Office 2003? Are there any significant functions that you need from 2007/2010 office programs that you couldn't get on 2003?

Basically, I had Office 2007 a while ago on my laptop. I eventually got fed up with the interface, the ribbon which I find hideous and the general bulkiness that I felt 2007 had. I recently uninstalled it and installed 2003, which I find to be much more intuitive. I'm starting my Bachelor's of Engineering in the fall and I'll be likely getting a head start and taking some first year eng courses over this summer. I've tried to reinstall Office 2007/install 2010, but it's just not working anymore. The install won't complete, only 2003 will work.

I think I'd only be using Word, Outlook, Powerpoint and Excel. I don't anticipate a problem for the former 3. I do for the latter, however.

http://www.add-ins.com/Excel%202003%20versus%202007.htm [Broken]

From what I've read Excel 2010 is basically like 2007 with some pivot table changes, so from what I understand, nothing too significant. The maximum number of rows and columns has been greatly increased in 2007, but even then, for a bachelors of engineering, I feel like I won't even need 65,000 rows or 256 columns, let alone a million rows or whatever.
 
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  • #2
I do use them and I to prefer the newer versions due to the docx (other ones end with and 'x') format. Even with the addon for 2003 to be able to open those new formats there are still problems every now and then.

The 2010 version also added the function of saving your files in pdf form which is nothing amazing but nice.

overall, i find the newer version a little nicer, just take a while to get used to. In the long run i find it less frustrating to get used to newer versions than having two different versions (older version at home, newer version at work for example) and having problems with incompatibility or whatever
 
  • #3
I work with Office every day at my job. I find 2007 easier because I have to access addons and use most functions that word offers regularly. If you just needed to type a paper 2003 would be just as easy to use, but for complex documents with automation I'm very happy with 2007. The only downside is certain attributes which weren't included (hello marching red ants) can be a pain to remove in 2007 (since the option to add or remove them is gone).

That said, .docx is awful, I save in .doc every time if I can. .docx seems to lead to file instability and corruption more often than .doc.
 
  • #4
I felt very confident and fast with the 2003 versions, especially excel. We were 'migrated' to 2007 at work over a year ago and I still feel like a novice, I'm constantly googling to find out where MS moved the buttons. I hate 2007, it has damaged my productivity without making a single thing that I do easier.
 
  • #5
Oh, and another thing. We have clients who still use 2003; their email systems think 'docx' is a virus, and will not deliver emails with attachments carrying that extension. And I don't get a delivery failure message from their system, all I get is angry phone calls asking why I'm late delivering.
 
  • #6
Their email system is jacked then. Never heard of that. What company uses word but doesn't use outlook anyway?
 
  • #7
feathermoon said:
... What company uses word but doesn't use outlook anyway?

The ones that use Lotus Notes for email. I wish we still did, it is better than Outlook IMO.
 
  • #8
I use Excel 2003 at home for personal things and 2007 at work. I've never had one case using 2003 at home where I wished I had 2007. People at work love it because they often need more than 65k rows...
 
  • #9
I go back to using MSOffice 2003... i find 2007/2010 complicated.
 

What are the main differences between Microsoft Office 2003 and Microsoft Office 2007/2010?

The main differences between Microsoft Office 2003 and Microsoft Office 2007/2010 include the updated user interface, new features and tools, and improved compatibility with newer file formats.

Can files created in Microsoft Office 2003 be opened and edited in Microsoft Office 2007/2010?

Yes, files created in Microsoft Office 2003 can be opened and edited in Microsoft Office 2007/2010. However, some formatting and features may not be compatible and may require adjustments.

What are some new features introduced in Microsoft Office 2007/2010?

Some new features introduced in Microsoft Office 2007/2010 include the ribbon interface, live preview, and the ability to save files in the newer XML-based file formats.

Is it necessary to upgrade from Microsoft Office 2003 to Microsoft Office 2007/2010?

It is not necessary to upgrade from Microsoft Office 2003 to Microsoft Office 2007/2010, as both versions are still functional and can be used for basic tasks. However, upgrading may provide access to new features and improved compatibility.

Are there any compatibility issues when using Microsoft Office 2007/2010 on different operating systems?

No, there are no major compatibility issues when using Microsoft Office 2007/2010 on different operating systems. However, some features may be limited or unavailable depending on the operating system being used.

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