Microsoft Office 2010 Tech Preview Leaked

[Sam Symons Veteran]

Oh you mean what Macintosh does with their computers and software?

Uh... what?

[Rudy]

It looks far better on the eye than the mess Office 2007 was, and as you can see with paint open in my picture the interface has consistency with other Windows applications.

I'm glad for once MS aren't adopting an interface that looks like it's right out of a fischer price catalogue.

I love how they just added the ribbon to Windows and now Office has to come and tweak it a bit to make sure it doesn't match the rest of Windows

[Calum Veteran]

I love how they just added the ribbon to Windows and now Office has to come and tweak it a bit to make sure it doesn't match the rest of Windows

That's actually annoyed me very much :no:

Either the applications in Windows 7 which feature the ribbon should have the glass faded into the tabs or Office 2010 shouldn't have that. It's as simple as that. I thought they were getting better with consistency... obviously they aren't.

[Quillz]

I love how they just added the ribbon to Windows and now Office has to come and tweak it a bit to make sure it doesn't match the rest of Windows

They didn't add the Ribbon to Windows. As noted, Office 2010 actually matches the Win7 UI.

[Calum Veteran]

They didn't add the Ribbon to Windows. As noted, Office 2010 actually matches the Win7 UI.

Unfortunately, the design of Office 2010 doesn't match that of Paint and Wordpad in Windows 7. The glass isn't faded into the tabs in Paint and Wordpad. I'm hoping that will change by the RTM of Windows 7, but I doubt it.

[Rudy]

They didn't add the Ribbon to Windows. As noted, Office 2010 actually matches the Win7 UI.

Look at the screenshot I quoted, the interface in Paint is different than Office

edit: Calum beat me to it

[Quillz]

Unfortunately, the design of Office 2010 doesn't match that of Paint and Wordpad in Windows 7. The glass isn't faded into the tabs in Paint and Wordpad. I'm hoping that will change by the RTM of Windows 7, but I doubt it.

It's more likely that the RTM of Office 2010 will change, not Windows 7.

[Rudy]

It's more likely that the RTM of Office 2010 will change, not Windows 7.

very doubtful, the Office team likes to add non standard items in Office (look at the rounded toolbars in 2003)

[Quillz]

very doubtful, the Office team likes to add non standard items in Office (look at the rounded toolbars in 2003)

But aren't the Office and Windows teams being managed by the same people now?

I think there is still plenty of time between the tech preview and the RTM for interface changes. It also seems that Microsoft was really trying to create a more consistent look with Windows 7.

[Calum Veteran]

It's more likely that the RTM of Office 2010 will change, not Windows 7.

I agree, which is why I'm annoyed and I think it will stay inconsistent.

The glass fading into the tabs is a more advanced design than the way it is in Paint and Wordpad, therefore, why would they change that and essentially 'downgrade' the design so it looks consistent with Paint and Wordpad?

[winlonghorn]

+1

How often do you open Office to go "hey guys look at all the colours and buttons and orbs!!!!1111"

Cleanness and functionality > trying to be extravagant.

One reason I thought the interface in Office 2007 was a disaster.

I agree. It is for productivity, but you have to admit that the loading screen looks great! :D Great Animations on it.

[jasondefaoite]

Can you have both this build and Office 2007 on the same install of windows? Or will the Tech Preview build upgrade the 07 install?

[boogerjones]

When was the leaked build compiled? It could be an old build.

[Lord Ba'al]

It's more likely that the RTM of Office 2010 will change, not Windows 7.

Yes. Win7 is already well into the RC phase, and of Office, there's only a Technical Preview - no candidate for a release or anything.

[Ayepecks]

It looks far better on the eye than the mess Office 2007 was, and as you can see with paint open in my picture the interface has consistency with other Windows applications.

I'm glad for once MS aren't adopting an interface that looks like it's right out of a fischer price catalogue.

That screenshot sold me.

In Paint there's a slight blue gradient, though. Hope they fix that.

[Captain Zero]

This was leaked a week ago. Only the Russians chose to break the rules with this one.

No updates unless you're tech and this will expire soon. Enjoy it while it lasts.

[Quillz]

I agree, which is why I'm annoyed and I think it will stay inconsistent.

The glass fading into the tabs is a more advanced design than the way it is in Paint and Wordpad, therefore, why would they change that and essentially 'downgrade' the design so it looks consistent with Paint and Wordpad?

Well, it looks "mostly" the same, which is good enough. As much I would wish Microsoft was as consistent as Apple is when it comes to design, I don't mind so long as it mostly looks the same, and most keyboard shortcuts, etc. all work alike.

[blunden]

I've only played around with it but it sure looks and feels nice. :)

[Captain Zero]

I've only played around with it but it sure looks and feels nice. :)

Oh for heaven's sake. Let's keep the discussion PG-13, shall we?

[Stokkolm]

Oh for heaven's sake. Let's keep the discussion PG-13, shall we?

I saw no gory details in his description, sounds PG-13 enough for me!

[iamwhoiam]

That's actually annoyed me very much :no:

Either the applications in Windows 7 which feature the ribbon should have the glass faded into the tabs or Office 2010 shouldn't have that. It's as simple as that. I thought they were getting better with consistency... obviously they aren't.

You'll never get it. Nothing Microsoft makes is consistent. Hell, their programs and OS isn't even consistent within themselves.

[Imran Hussain]

Any updates about the Facebook/Twitter integration in Word?

You'll never get it. Nothing Microsoft makes is consistent. Hell, their programs and OS isn't even consistent within themselves.

I'd like the system applications and sold separately apps to look different

Plus no OS brings 100% UI consistency. Stop complaining.

[-KJ]

...

Plus no OS brings 100% UI consistency. Stop complaining.

But at least they attempt to.

[Calum Veteran]

You'll never get it. Nothing Microsoft makes is consistent. Hell, their programs and OS isn't even consistent within themselves.

Oh, I get it alright, but that doesn't mean I can't still be annoyed about it :p

They are getting better, slowly, but in my opinion, they should be embarrassed at the amount of inconsistencies in some of their products, especially the Windows Live brand.

Plus no OS brings 100% UI consistency. Stop complaining.

Well it should. There's no excuse for not making everything consistent, even if it means sending a memo out to all of your development teams. If we can notice inconsistencies so quickly, and so many of them, why can't Microsoft? Or Apple? When the Windows Live wave 3 services were released, I noticed many inconsistencies on that first day they were released; most of them I noticed straight away. Just look at Long Zheng's taskforce websites to see just how many inconsistencies there are. Two major ones off the top of my head - Windows Live Hotmail does not yet support dynamic themes and hasn't had its favicon changed yet and you are not able to change the colour of Windows Live Photo Gallery's interface, but you can change the colour of every other Windows Live program in the Windows Live Essentials suite. It's ridiculous.

Back on topic, Office 2010's ribbon interface is not consistent with the ribbon interface in applications contained within Windows 7 (Paint and Wordpad) and those applications need updating before they are released.

I don't buy into this "if it looks mostly similar it's okay if there are a few differences"; things which need to look the same should look the same - consistency... it's not a hard concept to follow and I'm a developer so I do know how it goes.

I just hope Office 2010 is consistent between the different applications in the suite seeing as though it is not consistent with Microsoft applications housing the same user interface style.

[Elliot B.]

I am guessing no current home user would benefit from the x64 version of Office 2010 over the x86 version?