First Look 2007 Microsoft® Office System

The Changing Nature of the Microsoft Office System

The earliest versions of Microsoft Office were revolutionary in that they gave us the digital means to do tedious tasks more efficiently and—best of all—to save our work and continue to benefit from the results of our efforts. Typing a report no longer required a spool of correction tape on the old Smith-Corona typewriter; now you could make changes in the file—instantly!—before it ever went to the printer.

The first version of Microsoft^® Office Word for Windows, released in 1989, had only two toolbars. We were impressed with the most basic functionality (making words bold so they would stand out; centering a heading; adding a page number). When the next version of Office Word arrived three ...