Even if you missed Bill Gates on the Daily Show Monday night, you probably know what he speaks. Today is the launch of Windows Vista, so Gates and Jon Stewart spent half the time talking about the new Microsoft operating system and half in jest about the password of Gates and interactive television. Not once mention the other Microsoft products that are debuting today, Office 2007. It is no accident. Why Gates is not campaigning for you to buy Office again? Because he did not have to.

The real test is the price. You can update your Windows XP PC to Vista for as little as $ 100. The Cheap Microsoft Office 2007 costs $ 150. It has Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Do you want Outlook? That will be another hundred dollars for an update package. (You can upgrade to Vista and Office 2007 separately, or products the other is required.)

After playing with Vista and Office in recent weeks, which can condense my thoughts into one sentence. Upgrading to Vista is mostly painless but not necessary, upgrading to Office 2007 is painful but inevitable. Vista out of their way to smooth the transition from Windows XP. As I wrote earlier this month, Vista installer let me know that applications do not run and what gadgets not yet supported. If I wait a couple of weeks for new device drivers, I’ll have no conflict at all. Office 2007, however, seems out of their way to make the transition as difficult as possible. By default, the files in Word, Excel and PowerPoint to create is not open for people who have earlier versions of the software. Sure, you can save in “Office 97 to Office 2003″ format, but will lose some of its format.

Microsoft offers a conversion program for people with the old Office. And only works in Office 2007 Ultimate, however, not work at all on Macs. (Apple users will not receive an updated Office Compatibility for another year or so.) My office has two computers, a Mac with Office 2004 and a PC with Office 97. I’ve never needed upgrade for the job. Unless you buy the new office, I’ll be out of luck when it comes to the files of the editors and publishers who do not save in the old format.

Upgrading software is always risky. My fingers and toes twitch from the time I click OK until I’ve convinced myself everything’s working. Will it break my computer? Will it work right? I winced and held my breath throughout the Vista installation, then forgot the pain and anxiety quickly when I saw Vista worked mostly like a tidied-up version of XP.For more information,visit http://topsoftsell.com.

Related Politics Articles