I hate it

[mack]

when you just get used to a computer program and then some twit in IT decides it needs to be improved for no good reason. I"m old and I don't like changes to things it takes me time to figure out in the first place. Sat down today to answer some e-mails and my whole page is different, stuff missing and operates completely different, no one asked me if I wanted to change. MS Excel is another, used to use MS access all the time and you could do anything and everything with it, only to be so called UPGRADED by this crap Excel program. I wonder how long before they make us abandon XP.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Mack,

Are you using WEBMAIL....ie. Hotmail? I'm assuming that since it's a MS product like the others you mentioned. Yes, they changed their interface on their website. I went to the new version, it's okay, but I think you can still go back to the older format?

Now as for the other programs you mentioned. ACCESS is a totally different product from EXCEL. Access was/is their Database type program that you could use to set up FORMS and a data file system...like a mailing list or some other set of records that you would want to categorize.

EXCEL is their SPREADSHEET program mostly used for creating tables and such for accounting purposes with formulas that could be embedded/programmed into locations, so when you input values, it would perform calculations and present you results, totals, averages, etc.!

But yeah, I HATE the version of MS OFFICE programs after 2003 because they moved the menus all over the place, combined others, etc.!!

PS...WinXP support will be stopped April 18, 2014. I also just found out that support for Office 2003 will also end at the same date!

T.C.

[ViperRon]

I agree

Mack I could not agree more with you on the issue but the issue really is not that the program was upgraded and changed. The problem is that it was done and you had no warning. Only a idiot IT person upgrades without first doing testing and training. However today many companies hire wiz kids straight out school that have no idea how the company or employees work. If I was you I would get together with other employees and go to your supervisors to give IT an attitude adjustment. The real problem however may be management in which place you are just screwed.

I have seen companies loose their but because some idiot upgraded without testing and making sure everyone was ready to go with the change.

[mack]

Perhaps I've

misrepresented myself. Ron I retired 14 years ago. The only supervisor I have now is swmbo, but only when I'm not in the shop. The IT people I was refering to work at software companies who provide product to the internet.
I suppose part of my problem is that I don't sit down and play with computers and cell phones to figure out all the features available. I'm busy everyday and so if I sit in front of the computer for 30 minutes, I want to do something right now. Not have to retrain to do something that worked just fine before some bone head made unnecessary changes to justify his existence. I like xp over any other operating system so far. It's only a matter of time before it's wiped out. Not enough faults in it to make customer service geeks rich over the long haul. Of course they'll say that it wasn't secure enough or some other excuse to stop producing, so people aren't using a bullet proof product. Sounds kind of like our XS's doesn't it.

[Aches n Pains]

Mack,

I'm with you my brother! There should be a special place in Hell for those who "upgrade" software just so we need to buy another generation. Or maybe I'm just turning into an old fart - sitting here listening to John Hiatt and complaining.

Aches n Pains

[Jerry]

I am an IT guy. We upgraded from Office 2003 to Office 2007 last year. What a pain! Unless you have to answer to 150 other people to provide tech support when switching a product, you have NO IDEA how much trouble an upgrade like this causes.

I announced the upgrade in advance, provided on-line training, created a "cheat sheet" for Mail, Word, Excel, and Access to hand out. Conversion was still a PITA.

Didn't help that we went from XP to Win 7 at the same time.

But...

I have been doing this since 1985. Upgrades like this are nothing new and will continue on into the future. Fact of life.

One reason I continue to use a Mac at home...upgrades are not nearly as radical. I run Office for the Mac (2011) and the upgrade from the previous version (2004 Standard) was painless.

[fredintoon]

Hi Mack,
Marshal Voroshilov (I think it was him) anyway, the man in charge of Soviet arms production during WW2, said it best:-
"Seek out those who want to improve an in-place working weapon system.
And shoot them."

[CatatonicBug]

I am also in IT, and am the harbinger of change in my office. We just got bought out, and the new company is MUCH larger (We used to have 10 IT people, now there are 400+), and they force changes way too fast IMO. We are in the process of migrating all our old systems to the new, updated setup with Win7 and Office 2010. Thankfully, I have been using a similar setup for the last year or so, so I will be able to answer questions from the (basically computer illiterate) people who are moving up from XP and Office 2003. The scary part is that they are migrating my office of 100 people over the course of 2 weeks, and the process starts in 2 weeks.

I'm trying to teach myself Win8 and Office 2013 at home so I can get a jump on the next round of inevitable upgrades. I have to try to stay familiar with multiple operating systems and versions of software so I can support all the users I deal with. The unfortunate thing is that Microsoft is ultimately responsible for all of this. They stop supporting the older software and push the new stuff, while making the new stuff incompatible with the old software. This forces companies to upgrade just to maintain support for their integrated systems.

I actually have to do the same thing at home. In order to use Outlook 2013 on my home PC, I am forced to upgrade my entire Exchange server from Exchange 2003 to something newer. For a company, that can mean $2-6k for a single server (must get a new one because of the hardware requirements of the new software) and its software licenses.

[mack]

Ranting

I'd had a bad few days up to that point. Just wanted to check my emails and read a book. Couldn't do that because now my E-mail just freezes the computer. I'm afraid I'm one of the computer iliterate you mention Bug. To me there just a tool like a hammer or torque wrench. Change for the sake of change is ridiculous to me. I don't upgrade my tools when ever a a new handle or color comes out. I understand microsoft needs to make more money, how do you expect the share holders to survive on a few trillion a year shared between them.

[GLoweVA]

We Americans have gotten used to replaceablity. Once something gets old or outdated, we buy a new one.
In the old days, things were built tough and lasted 'forever' (like our XS11s).
Nowadays, when the toaster breaks, we just buy a new one. etc.
The same theory applies to electronics, If they built it to last, then once everyone had one, there'd be no need to build anymore and they'd be out of business. So they build it with known flaws and thus they have to replace it in the future.
Cars are the same way. There are parts on new cars that will not last but so many cycles. (say 100,000) before failure. So, either replace the parts as they go bad (money pit) or go buy a new car....

Ok, my rant it over, thanks for listening.

[mack]

Their doing

it again, my mail finally worked and guess what the first message said. Messenger is upgrading me to "skype". I don't know what skype is but if it works as well as the last so called upgrade I'm not going to be a happy camper.

[Jerry]

In order to use Outlook 2013 on my home PC, I am forced to upgrade my entire Exchange server from Exchange 2003 to something newer

Not all change is bad. I upgraded our corporate system from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2010. 2010 has improved calendar functions and voice mail to e-mail capabilities combined with our Cisco voice over IP phone system. We journal all our e-mails for 1 year and 2010 handles this very well. Users really like the voice mail to e-mail service. If you are in a corporate setting and using Exchange I would highly recommend you look at this upgrade.

1 major change: Guest accounts. You can add outside addresses to your e-mail server without using a mailbox license, and these addresses can be added to distribution lists. They will operate correctly from smart phones. 2003 did not handle guest accounts well; this is a major upgrade and for corporate use is a real plus.

I am not a big Microsoft fan, but sometimes they do actually improve their products with new versions.

I don't know what skype is

Mack: Skype is an internet-based phone system. If you put Skype on your computer, and buy a headset and microphone, you can make calls anywhere in the world, even to land lines. I used it to talk to my sister when she was in China teaching at a university for a couple of years. No phone charges. Quality can vary but even in China the sound quality was very good. Skype has branched out into video as well. Worth looking into if you do a lot of long-distance calling or want to experiment with web-cam based chats with family and friends.