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Discussion: Why did you Choose MS Word?
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jaguidosh |
Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 9 2008, 9:28 PM EDT
I'm just wondering why other people chose MS word. My reason for keeping it was pretty simple. In any case, after we get some posts here we can add a list of reasons why we chose MS Word. If you chose another program, write why you think it's better. We need to brainstorm a little to get an overall critique showing what we chose as the preferred program and whyMy reasons: I own a copy, the fact that it costs more doesn't matter to me in the least. I've payed the cost if I use it or not. It has more overall options than the free programs. I can have more instances of MS Word open than the web based programs. The Word document file is fairly universal. I don't need to be connected to the internet, but I can upload things to it if I want to. I've had a lot of experience with the software and am quite proficient. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you?
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ddmartinpe |
1. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 11 2008, 9:13 PM EDT
I also chose MS word. When deciding on which method to use, I thought about which method was the most user-friendly and which one is the most widely used and popular. I knew that if I chose a method that was not widely used by other people, there could be difficulty with compatability and others being able to view and open my documents.I have also used MS Word for many years and feel like I am very proficient with the tools and can navigate and problem solve quickly. All programs can be easy to use once you train yourself, but anyone could lose valuable time trying to trouble-shoot using an application that they have not used repeatedly. Those are my reasons for continuing to use MS Word. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
jalam1001 |
2. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 3:30 AM EDT
I have used WordStar, Wordperfect and MS Office. At one point it was one of the best word processor and it was also cheap or free in the beginning. It came free with windows operating system.What is the problem now? It is showing its age. Here is an article I wrote on the comparison http://jalam1001.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/online-document-creation-sharing-and-collaboration/ that shows what I think at this point. My main point is that screen resolution is about 100-130 dot per inch and that way less then the printed page that is about 1400 dpi. Considering this we do not need very precise text and picture layout for screen reading that we need for a page that is being composed for printing. What does become important is sharing of documents and online collaborative writing and automatic document version saving. All the programs provide it except MS Word. It was developed to produce printed manuscript. Not for the use we are putting it through. By adding office Live to MS office some of these functions are now possible. Here is an article that compares office live to google doc on feature by feature basis http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/office_live_workspace_vs_google_docs_feature_by_feature.php The workspace feature in office live comes from Groove. It is very nice feature where a person can create workspaces for each project he is working on with all the tools and the people needed to complete that project. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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jalam1001 |
3. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 3:59 AM EDT
More articlesWhy Google Apps is a Serious Threat to Microsoft Office http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_apps_serious_threat_to_microsoft_office.php I like the minimalist approach of Google doc. I am sure they will add feature as demands grow for them but I am beginning to think that we should use programs who do a lot with the least amount of features and based upon the work flow philiosophy. Even MS word 2007 has a very similar interface as Google doc. May be more features but the interface is workflow based. I do not like MS word's document html source. It works but is really messy. Google doc produce a clean html source for the document. ZOHO interface is still based upon the old user interface design ideas that is why it appears cluttered. Also, their document html source contains separate a css file. All this creates problem when when is taking their doc and trying to manually post the document to a web server. Here is another article that discusses the usage issues http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/07/google-spreadsheets-edges-out-google-docs-in-usage/ Interesting part of the article is this figure http://www.techcrunch.com/wp-content/compete-google-docs-zoho.png It shows the Growth in the usage and Google doc is way ahead of the pack. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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jalam1001 |
4. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 4:05 AM EDT
Also now the trend is towards simplicity in digital content and more towards sharing and commenting. Notice the main page of Google search. It is based upon minimalist design. Provide user only what they come for at web site. Here is a video that emphasizes simplicity for tech http://brainandlearning.blogspot.com/2008/03/david-pogue-when-it-comes-to-tech.html Another video that talk about the paradox of choices. too may choices at the menu level makes programs difficult to learn and use. http://brainandlearning.blogspot.com/2008/03/barry-schwartz-paradox-of-choice.html These are some of the newer ideas now after going through all this are you still going to prefer your tried and tested software such as MS word or would you all reconsider your choices? Your grade for this section is mainly based upon this answer so make sure you write a response that is based upon facts not opinions and likings. Do you find this valuable? |
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jalam1001 |
5. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 5:00 AM EDT
I made a blog post out of this topic that is somewhat edited and it is herehttp://jalam1001.wordpress.com/2008/04/13/why-google-doc/ I am being opinionated here to get a response from you all? Do you find this valuable? |
bdgall |
6. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 11:25 AM EDT
I would choose MS Word for several reasons. The cost is not an issue for me since I already own a copy. It has more options than the other online programs. Although I am usually connected to the internet when at my computer, if my internet is down I can continue to use it. The main reason would probably have to be ease of use and experience. I have been using MS Word for years now. I have so much experience with it and use it nearly everyday. It puts me in a comfort zone.Sometimes change is hard. That may be a contributing factor to why I have chosen MS Word. This is not to say that I believe the web based programs don't have any advantages over it. I think it is clear that they are all better when it comes to sharing and collaborations. Also, none of them are hard to use. Do you find this valuable? |
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bdgall |
7. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 11:48 AM EDT
After looking at some of the links that Dr. Alam posted I have come to some more conclusions. I have never worked with Office Live. Looking at the comparisons between it and google doc I don't think that it conquers google doc. It doesn't allow multiple people to edit a document at the same time which seems to be a key feature of google doc that places it ahead of the office live. I don't know if google docs is a serious threat to Microsoft Office for the simple reason that for the most part people don't like change. I am not saying that I wouldn't eventually lean toward something other than it, but people as a whole. For one thing most people don't know about Google docs. Also, people are comfortable with the name Microsoft. Even if other things are offering better things, people see the name. For these reasons, I think it would be hard for a different program to seriously threaten Microsoft Office, but you never know.
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jaguidosh |
8. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 2:14 PM EDT
I think all of my reasons above are good enough to keep Word, this isn't saying that I'm not gong to use the web based software. I'd push for a company to consider using Google docs over continuing with word and attempting to link everything together through a sharepoint server. Google Docs is great, but at this point in my life all I need is something to write papers with. You said yourself that MS word is geared towards the printed page, that's exactly what I need at this moment. As things progress and professors and other people are more willing to take electronic copies of work and papers I would be happy to switch to a web based service, but I would still keep Word or at least notepad around. Just because things like Google apps are the best thing out there for collaboration and file sharing doesn't mean that you shouldn't be prepared to do some writing offline if you have to. What I'm saying is that both of the word processor types are nothing more than tools, each with a use they are better suited for. Only choose one if you have to do so, if you have Word currently cost is no object. Do you find this valuable? |
c5allen |
9. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 4:03 PM EDT
I am sticking to my guns with denoting MS Word as my Word Processor of Choice. I am substantiating my reasons with two categories: Personal and Professional. For this post, I exceed the allowable amount of words so I have to split it up into two separate posts. On a personal level, when I have had to participate in a collaborative type article, it seems as though the contributors wanted to break the assignment up into pieces and each work on a particular piece and not really worry about the whole document (This was the case with both articles assigned in Learning Unit 10). This method of collaboration is typical of any group situation I have been in, and I really don’t see how “real-time” collaboration is that important when collaborators like to just cut & paste their contributions and forget about tying everything together. Also, in my experience with the alternatives to MS Word, I know people are pushing the minimalist approach by just having the “bare bones” functionality of word processing programs, but I do not agree with that approach. Depending on the document size, I like to zoom in and out, add particular formats, and different outline structure. Not having these functions available really impact the time I spend drafting and editing documents in alternatives that do no possess these functions. Do you find this valuable? |
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c5allen |
10. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 4:04 PM EDT
Here is the second part of my post:On a professional level, I work on test reports that are several hundred pages long. It would be unthinkable to draft a document like this within Google Docs of Zoho Writer One cannot view multiple pages, and add tables of contents and figures and hyperlink these tables to their corresponding parts within the document very easily (or maybe not even at all). Also, being that I work on projects that are highly proprietary in nature security comes into question. Having a third party in charge of vaulting the document so collaborators can easily access would not go over well in my company. I have tried to use Google Docs to transfer data to customers when their FTP site(s) were down, but that was not allowed due possible security issues. If I do have something that I need to work on with someone, we usually talk on the phone or chat in person so we can coordinate document writing efforts effectively. Right now for me, user friendliness and added functionality trump collaborative capability; and with MS Word, that is exactly the case. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
dhazimihalis |
11. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 5:06 PM EDT
I chose MS Word because I believe it is easy to use and the majority of people who I work and collaborate with use it. Cost is not a problem and professionally this what we use at work. I have to publish hard copies of bridge inspection reports and for my situation, this is the best program to get the job done.
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contact_phani |
12. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 8:48 PM EDT
I have chosen Ms word mainly because. More than half of the time in my day, I work offline. So there is a need for an desktop word editor which got lot of features. Which is obviously MS word. The second thing is it is very easy to use. I have gone through the links posted here by Dr.Alam which clearly says Google doc is dominating Office Live Workspace. Friday night when all of us worked on google doc at same time, I was thrilled by the way document got build.I dont have any problem in switching to the new softwares or technologies if I find them useful and advanced.
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ddmartinpe |
13. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 13 2008, 10:46 PM EDT
To All,I may be close to changing my mind. The more I learning about Google Docs, the more I like the program. I recently ran into an issue where a colleage of mine in the UK did not have access to MS Word, as strange as it seems. Interesting enough, I imported the document into Google Docs and he was able to gain access and edit the file. This incident may have changed my mind. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
Kackarotto13 |
14. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 15 2008, 2:29 PM EDT
Of all the WP's that we looked at, I would still choose MS Word as my primary choice. However, this assumes that I am working independently with no collaboration. My reason for choosing such could not be summed up better than what jaguidosh wrote in the initial post. But it seems that a lot of people are arguing about the cost of MS Word Compared to the cost of Google doc. If I want to access Google doc or any other online WP, I am going to have to pay for the internet just to use a word processor. So, not even Google doc is free. If I were to only use the internet for Google doc. This WP would eventually be more expensive than MS Word. Furthermore, MS Word is much more popular right now. If someone passes me a file to read, edit, and return, it will probably be in Word format. I would not put it into Google doc to read and write and possibly mess up the form from the transferring process. However, I would choose Google doc over MS Word for collab. purposes. I find it very inconvenient to email files back and forth. This is where google doc is very useful - probably more useful than MS Word. ANother feature of MS Word that trumps Google is the importing and editing images. There is no comparison of ease when it comes to cutting, pasting and cropping an image in MS Word vs Google. Feature comparisons like these go on and on. I do think that Google doc is coming about and pose a potentially large threat to MS office, but i dont think it has reached that point. Until then, I will continue with MS Word for all my WP needs except for collaboration. In which case I will use Google doc.
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jalam1001 |
15. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 15 2008, 7:32 PM EDT
Here is more food for thought for those of you who wants to stay on the same softwarehttp://www.geekzone.co.nz/foobar/4866 The blogs and news are abuzz this morning with the rather spectacular claims by two Gartner analysts, predicting that Windows market share and importance is literally going to collapse under its own weight. These claims understandably received a lot of attention, but I think a bit of perspective is needed. Several points are mentioned by the Gartner analysts: * Windows has become too big and complex, therefore innovation happens rarely and is mostly just incremental. * The PC market's growth has slowed (less people need to buy new machines). The markets where it does grow (emerging markets) are more price sensitive, often relying on cheaper hardware. Linux has emerged as a strong competition there, for example on cheap sub-notebooks such as the Asus Eee PC or the OLPC XO. Microsoft had to extend the life of XP for that reason, since these machines (and cheaper, older machines in general) usually cannot run Vista. * The increased move to web-based applications makes the operating system itself less relevant. The last point really is the crux of their argument: In an age where more and more applications are available online, the desktop computer becomes nothing but a 'dumb' terminal to the Internet. Just like in the old days when we had dumb terminals in front of mainframes. From the PC World article: Today, 70 to 80 percent of corporate applications require Windows to run, but the Gartner analysts expect a tipping point in 2011, when the majority of these applications will be OS-agnostic, such as Web applications. I am on purpose taking on side here to get more responses out of you. Do you find this valuable? |
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Kackarotto13 |
16. RE: Why did you Choose MS Word?
Apr 16 2008, 10:20 AM EDT
It seems that the main argument from geekzone.co is that Windows OS is becoming less important and valuable since online apps will eventually dominate. I suppose I could see this happening eventually, but not quite yet. I have yet to experience a really good online program that can deal with large files as quickly as a program on my desktop. Even just to upload, edit and then download a photo takes longer than necessary. Im not sure this is directly related to why I chose MS Word, but this is what I got from the argument. Interestingly enough, while I was on campus one day last week, I was unable to check or work on our Google doc since the internet was out for a good 5 hrs. I can see this as a major problem if i were completely reliant on online apps to do my work. Do you find this valuable? |
