12 Essential new features of Office 12
The final version of Office 12 is slated for release in mid
2006. Although Microsoft is yet to confirm what the final
version of Office 12 will include, the broad areas that have
been the focus of change are productivity, handling of business
information, managing of documents, and enhanced user
friendliness.
1. All programs like Word, Excel, and Power Point have a new
look. The new user interface has a ribbon of frequently used
commands and operations which will enhance usability instead of
drop down menus. 2. The server based capabilities include
document rights and work flow management.
3. In the case of the revamped Excel, it will support SQL Server
2005, and have much awaited features like greater spreadsheet
capacity, tools for sorting and filtering, as well as extensive
data visualization capabilities. The user will be able to
access, analyze, and share information securely and easily not
just within the system but between databases and enterprise
applications.
4. The new system will support sharing of workspaces and
exchange of information across corporate boundaries.
Incorporating P2P capabilities, the system it all set to take a
giant leap forward.
5. One aspect under consideration is "out-of -the-box secure
enterprise instant messaging."
6. Deeper incorporation of XML will make the system a
development platform. Developers will be able to create software
that interoperates with the system without hitches.
7. Specially designed Contextual Command Tabs. These will only
appear when a user is all set to modify a document or Excel
sheet. Just clicking on the page will call up the Command Tab
with relevant tools for making changes.
8. Galleries is an innovation that is promoted as the 'heart' of
the redesigned applications. In this the user will be able to
see how his document will shape up. This will simplify the
process of creating professionally layed out documents. 9. A
system known as Live Preview is a brand new technology that will
enable the user to view in a gallery the editing or changed
formatting executed on a document.
10. Faster document authoring will be possible with
incorporation of custom built layouts and slide libraries.
Through SharePoint the user will also be able to store their
personal slides and layouts in this function. The system is
designed so that it can be accessed offline.
11. Rapid email and document searching will become feasible
through the Fast Search technology in Vista (Longhorn).
12. Using new innovations in integrated technologies the system
will support multiparty audio, video, as well as data
collaboration.
The system is designed to run on Windows XP Service Pack 2, or
Longhorn client, or updated versions of windows with at least an
SQL server 2000. Office 12 will support x64 platforms but it is
not certain whether the support will be shipped with Office 12
or separately.
The very purpose of Office 12 according to Microsoft is to make
life easy for users with better presentation, organization, and
capabilities.
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for
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