Hi there
I'm NOT sure what they could do to make office any better -- you can already automatically call any office document by just opening the appropriate document or creating a new one.

Depending on the type of document then the approprate application will be called.

There are probably only two areas that possbly need enhancing -- one is for better embedding of Multimedia within an application - especially for Powerpoint presentations, and another is probably a re-write of Access which for even a simple database system tends to be not very robust.

Maybe also some easy HTML editor two so web sites and pages can be really easily created.

Otherwise Office seems JUST FINE -- I can't imagine what extra functionality it needs.

While we are on this a plea to MS -- PLEASE BRING BACK NETMEETING -- the old XP application was great -- the commercial offerings these days are a) NOT AS GOOD and b) cost money.

I'm still using Netmeeting via a Virtual XP machine --still works a treat and especially the Shared desktops feature when you are collaborating with people at a remote location.

(Unless you have ACTUALLY USED NETMEETING please don't suggest alternatives -- I can assure you NONE OF THESE are remotely equivalent to the functionality of Netmeeting -- those of you that HAVE used Netmeeting will understand what I am on about here).

Cheers
jimbo

The next generation of any software project is always being worked on even as a new version is released for sale, there may even be work on 2 new generations of Office. I don't think an application launch menu is really needed. They had that in Microsoft Works and I never used it there - just went to the Works application I needed. Same way now, if I need Word, I launch Word.

DirtRider said:

Well the way things are going with MS programs and the high prices I am getting sick and tired of having to fork out money every few months on new developments. I hung around using Office 2003 as long as I could now I get 2010 and a new one is on the way. No wonder people go the pirate route with these programs

Not trying to start anything here, but do you fork out for a new car each time they release a new model?

Although I can see what you're getting at... every time there's something new out I start twitching... I sleep better knowing I'm "up to date"!

Hi there
One Office App that they could add would be a DECENT PDF creator integrated into Word say.

Most people mistakenly think PDF is an ADOBE proprietary format --not true it's actually a now an OPEN Format. It WAS originally designed by ADOBE but is now in the public domain. (Released in July 2008 to the ISO).

Portable Document Format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Being able to create decent Interactive PDF forms without having to use the really EXPENSIVE ADOBE ACROBAT / CS5 SUITE or doing the same stuff as ADOBE Life Cycle designer without needing a big backend system like SAP etc would be really useful to loads of smaller organisations.

Cheers
jimbo

chrisjw37 said:

They don't compete with:

• Photoshop
• Dreamweaver

My guess is they are going to beat up Adobe

Expression Web is sort of in that region already, but you could be on to something with Photoshop!