Vista Rant!

[John Schreiber]

This isn't Vista as such, but I just learned that Office 2007 is NOT COMPATIBLE with older versions of Word, Excel, etc. The suffixes for 2007 are four characters long docx, xlsb, xlsx, xlsm etc.

If I write something in the new version of Word, and transfer it over to my old computer, I can't open it there. If I send it to a friend, he may not be able to open it. If I post it on the web, users may not be able to open it.

There is a fix, but it requires downloading more stuff from Microsoft, then you have options in your old Word etc, to save in either the new or the old format.

It really makes me wonder about going Linux/open source for my next box.

[Jim Becker]

John, the fix is to save it in the previous format...pretty much the same as it was for earlier versions of Office which changed formats along the way. I don't have Office 2007, but it is likely you can change the default "save" format for each application to a previous version, too. It's been possible in the past and I don't think that wouldn't be true now.

[James Owen]

How do these people manage to keep their jobs?!? I had to buy a computer, and could not find one WITHOUT Vista. So now I am trying to learn all the "improvements" made for the sake of progress. The irritation du jour is the print function. Someone, in their infinite wisdom, has deigned to add more steps to actually get a page to print. Along with that, the functions for printing a certain page - i.e. one page, page one, or current page - have all disappeared. I now have the choice of "all", "odd", or "even".

Who thinks this stuff up?!?

SWMBO the programmer went looking to see if the former options were hidden somewhere. She hasn't been able to find them. I remarked that even if they are still there, the process has become so cryptic that us regular types would NEVER stumble upon it.

Is there something I am missing? Does anyone have a solution? Please don't bother to respond if your solution is "you should have bought something else". I have it, and I am stuck with it, and I am not getting rid of it, like it or not, and I can tell you I don't like it. I need to learn to deal with it, and I am not liking that either. But if someone here has something constructive that can help me actually print one page, and the page that I want, I would be very grateful.

Bill

Bill,



This probably won't make you feel any better, but I'll ask the rhetorical question, anyway:

Ever wonder why Apple's Mac OS continues to (slowly and steadily) gain market share.....?

Simple answer: Thank Mr. Gates. He's figured out a way to convince millions of people to pay $199 +/- a copy to Beta Test his software...... Pure genius!!! Even if it does tend to "irritate" many people......

[Chuck Wintle]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Microsoft has implemented Digital Rights Management into Vista. This allows Vista to selectively deny any program they deem unfit to install on your computer. And, it is protected by CONGRESS. Talk about having politicians in your pocket...

There are other insidious things. Google will reveal the nastiness (and capture everything you did [for its own purposes]).

All the more reason to look seriously at Linux. I do not like the direction Microsoft is going with Vista. Its becoming too "big brother" for my liking. The notion of privacy is going the way of the dinosaur. Companies have so much information on individuals that it is a little scary what they know.

[Mike Null]

Add me to the list of those unhappy with Vista. Can't find my way around and most annoying is that Windows explorer is gone and I can't find anything there to replace it. If you look really hard you can find files but the ease of finding everything on one screen has escaped me.

Fortunately it's a backup lap top that I really can get by without--just sorry I bought it.

[Randal Stevenson]

Add me to the list of those unhappy with Vista. Can't find my way around and most annoying is that Windows explorer is gone and I can't find anything there to replace it. If you look really hard you can find files but the ease of finding everything on one screen has escaped me.

Fortunately it's a backup lap top that I really can get by without--just sorry I bought it.

Mike not singling you out, but you made me think of another option. Have those of you with these issues, switched it to classic mode (supposed to look and feel like XP)?

I am wondering if the options are less hid then.

Remember, I am running Linux, so I don't know, just asking.

[Matt Meiser]

I don't have Office 2007, but it is likely you can change the default "save" format for each application to a previous version, too. It's been possible in the past and I don't think that wouldn't be true now.

I don't have it either, but others at work do and they can Save As the 2003 compatible formats.

[John Schreiber]

John, the fix is to save it in the previous format...pretty much the same as it was for earlier versions of Office which changed formats along the way. . . .

Jim, You are right about this of course, I just keep thinking that at some point computers are going to start making things easier for the non-power user instead of harder.

I was able to talk my daughter through a solution via email, but word processors are a pretty mature product. I feel that at this point they should have things like this worked out.

[Ken Salisbury]

I recently upgraded to Vista. So far I have had several problems with some of my programs not being compatible with Vista. However, I have been able to fix tham so far. As far as printing goes I had to go to HP for help. As it turns out numerous HP printers have Vista problems. HP has software available to download to solve individual printer problems. I simply went to HP's on-line support chat feature. The technician gave me the proper link to the download I needed which solved my problem. They also agreed to send me a new disk with the printer software that was compatible with Vista.

Bill - I don't know what brand printer you use, but if it HP you should try their technical help chat feature to see if you can solve your problem.

Your Friend

Ken

[Bill Grumbine]

Hi Ken

We have one HP printer and one Brother. It is not the printer with which I have the problem, it is the programming. I started in on Vista (which I am not liking) but it actually seems to be either a Word or an Outlook problem. Who really knows? These Microsoft programs are so incestuous it is hard to sort out which is doing what or how. And of course, we all know how much "help" help is when you click on the button. We have come up with a workaround for now, but the whole thing reminds me of an old PA Dutch saying:

The faster I go, the behinder I get.

It seems the more "advanced" these machines become, the harder it is to figure out stuff they used to do easily. I am not that old and feeble that I need a child to program it for me yet, but I feel like I am getting there.

Bill