Finextra blogger too angry to blog after MS Office let down

I can add to this irony.  I have been sing Linux/OpenOffice for over a year now.  I have been happily opening docx and other Office 2007 files, and just hte other day realised that people on Office 2003 were unable to do so. 

Complete agree with your article. I find it absolutely incredible that Microsoft has released products that are not backwards compatible.

But it seems to fit with the Microsoft philosophy. Having purchased a new computer with the Vista operating system and MS Office recently, I am baffled by the number of bugs and the (s)low performance of the system. Although there are quite a number of interesting new features (once you get used to the new interface and can find what you're searching for!), it is not enough to compensate for an incredible number of idiot bugs.

If they built cars like Microsoft build computer software, I believe we might have the solution to traffic congestion and CO2 emissions, as cars wouldn't even be able to leave the garage before breaking down.

When is Microsoft releasing the required patches to provide a stable, bug-free Vista/MS Office suite?

While they're at it, perhaps Microsoft could sort out their file system so it doesn't need defragging. Perhaps they're too busy playing catch-up with Google?

It's also interesting that Microsoft are 'giving away' the software free - well my wife's employer (a UK bank) has the 'benefit' of Home Use Programme.

Am I correct in recalling that Mircosoft have done this before? I think that when they moved from Office 4.2 to Office 97, there were compatibility issues then - or was that just forward i.e. 4.3 couldn't read a 97 doc?

I think that Chris Skinner's prediction in Dec07 may come true... https://www.finextra.com/blogs/fullblog.aspx?blogid=793

Microsoft does value the feedback from the users of its products so the issues discussed has been brought to the attention of one of the product managers. Below is his response:

"

A summary of the above is available here in Dave LeBlanc’s blog entry: http://blogs.msdn.com/david_leblanc/archive/2008/01/04/office-sp3-and-file-formats.aspx  Note, will be important to run Microsoft Update given a number of fixes recently released."

As far as the user-interface users are encouraged to look at the interactive guides http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/training/HA102295841033.aspx

Sujan Menezes

Industry Manger, Financial Services (Canada)

Microsoft

Thanks for that - I've forwarded your comment to the Finextra community member who originally pointed out the problem to me. A registry hack seems a curious way to fix the problem - but if it works he'll be happier.