Microsoft Office 2007 Pricing And Other Bits

So yesterday I spent a few moments downloading the new Beta 2 Edition of Office 2007. It's been released in a series of files with the smallest being around 220 MB. All together, excluding Server Apps, it was over 1.5 GB of data. So those of you out there without a DVD read device need to watch the Sunday circulars for a good deal on a USB 2.0 external unit because the days of the CD ROM for computer data are now officialy over.

Now if you thought the pricing structure and combo meals of Vista was confusing then your not gonna like the Value Meal Menu of Office 07. Take a look at this article..

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060523-6897.html

While I haven't played with Office 07 as much as Vista I do feel a bit better about running it with AT. Mostly because I have read that all current keystrokes and hotkeys generally work from Office 03. And that you can run Office 07 in your current lives on XP. So if you feel bold enough to try the new office then back up your systems and give it a whirl. Just remember that this is a Beta release and no one in the AT industry is actively supporting any technical issues that may crop up from you going where few blind people have gone before.

If you aren't sure about Office 07 yet check out this nice review from the Super Site for Windows. It's part 1 of a very large series of articles that will spand the next month and a half. Pay special attention to the descriptions of "the ribbon" as it replaces the File/Tool bar. And also be aware that your options up there change as you add pictures, tables and other features to your plain jane document. Nice to see that right clicking/application key will get you the same options without jumping up to the ribbon.

http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/office2007_beta2.asp