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OK, I’ll admit I’m not the quickest on the draw on this subject, but when I was forced by circumstance to upgrade to a new computer, an Acer Aspire, I was given a chance to sample the new Microsoft Office 2007 for 60 days for free, before deciding whether to buy. As a writer, of course, it is MS Word 2007 that is the centerpiece of whether I’m going to make this purchase or not.

On first blush, MS Word 2007 is probably the biggest user-interface shift this word processor has ever seen. Rather than overload onscreen real estate with tons of toolbars as has been the norm in past outings since time immemorial, Word 2007 has instead pulled off a radical change of the application’s menu structure, so that things are laid out more visually, and each time you shift from one menu to another, an accompanying toolbar is displayed as part of that menu. It’s a slick design. The program also features much smoother and faster-performing tasks throughout.

The big change, though, that may cause some hiccups is found in the file format shift. All the way through Word 2003 (2005 on the Mac), MS Word documents have, by default, been given the “.doc” extension. All that changes in Word 2007, and it can cause some hiccups for folks working on older versions of MS Word. Although file compatibility patches can be downloaded, the default MS Word format is now: “.docx”

So far, I’m not sure why the shift is even necessary, but like it or not, the change has been made. It’s enough to make you want to kick over your foot of bed TV lifts in frustration, until you realize how much better the new format works when it comes to creating things like labor-saving document templates.

In the end, though, what matters is whether it’s a better tool for writing. In that measure, it most certainly is. One seemingly minor feature I’ve fallen in love with already is the automatic word count that’s displayed at the bottom of the app at all times; no more going to Tools > Word Count to find out whether that term paper has reached 2,600 words yet.

More importantly, it’s easier than ever to set up templates that auto-format your documents to desired specifications with a minimum of interaction once the template’s all set up. That may seem minor for someone who just uses Word to write letters, but for more advanced users, it’s a big improvement. The only down side is that thanks to the format change, any templates you had that worked in prior versions of Word will have to be recreated from scratch… goodbye, “screenplay.dot,” my old friend… hello, “screenplay.dotx,” my new friend!

Add a much needed breakaway from the black-grey-white design of previous MS Word outings, and the new yellow-based startup screen and Window Vista Aero-theme-inspired blue interface of the new MS Word is a more cheerful-looking experience as well, at least initially. Yup; when my free trial ends - perhaps even before - I’m definitely making the purchase and stepping up into MS Word (and MS Office) 2007.