Even poor old Microsoft Word can’t miss getting involved in the US election. Even poor old Microsoft Word can’t miss getting involved in the US election. First there was ‘Rathergate’ with documents supposedly from the 70’s being produced on more modern software. We didn’t cover that here in Office Watch
We explain what the “Student and Teacher” edition of Office 2003 is and why it’s a good choice and great value for many people. One of the cute marketing tricks of recent years has been Microsoft’s bundling of some Office components into a ‘Student and Teacher’ edition. We’ve mentioned this
Microsoft has released its monthly batch of security updates for September 2004 and there are some that affect Office as well as Windows generally. Microsoft has released its monthly batch of security updates and there are some that affect Office as well as Windows generally. In this issue we’ll try to
The dust has settled around Office 2003 Service Pack 1 and now its possible to make some informed judgments about updating Office 2003. The dust has settled around Office 2003 Service Pack 1 and now its possible to make some informed judgments about updating Office 2003. For all the basic
It’s taken too long but Microsoft has finally realized that OneNote is a good product but overpriced. The retail price is now $99.95 but you can find it for less than that. It’s taken too long but Microsoft has finally realized that OneNote is a good product but overpriced. The
With the release of the Windows XP Service Pack 2 it makes updating to Office 2003 Service Pack 1 even more worrying than usual. With all the talk about the Windows XP update there’s almost no talk about the other large update from Microsoft – for Office 2003. The last
Many of you will remember the Copernic web search program from years past. Well now they’ve entered the market for finding documents and emails on your computer with Copernic Desktop Search. Many of you will remember the Copernic web search program from years past. Well now they’ve entered the market
There’s a new update for Office 2003 called Service Pack 1. We tell you what is supposed to be in SP1 and how you can install it. There’s a new update for Office 2003 called Service Pack 1 (SP1 to its friends). As regular Office Watch readers know, updates to
OneNote 2003, the great notetaking program, is getting some improvements in an upcoming Service Pack 1. OneNote 2003, the great notetaking program, is getting some improvements in an upcoming Service Pack 1. While other parts of Microsoft mess around with their products, the OneNote team continues to show the way
Desktop are being infested by a particularly deceptive pop-up browser window which might mislead you into downloading something you don’t want or need, so here’s a warning. Desktop are being infested by a particularly deceptive pop-up browser window which might mislead you into downloading something you don’t want or need,
Our Macintosh friends can consider getting a new version of Office, though like Windows users it is getting harder to find compelling reasons to upgrade. Our Macintosh friends can consider getting a new version of Office, though like Windows users it is getting harder to find compelling reasons to upgrade.
We show you how you can change the Junk mail filters you’ve made for Outlook 2003. In the last issue of Office Watch we showed you a quick way to delete a message and mark it as Junk. At the time we warned that it’s easy to hit the new Junk
Spam blocking is not a ‘one size fits all’ affair, despite what some anti-spam proponents will have you believe. Outlook 2003 has a Junk Mail filter and we get mixed reports on its effectiveness. Some people think it’s great (usually on the High setting) while others think it’s lousy. Part
There’s a security problem in Word where an SQL query to get addresses for a mail merge can be misused by a bad guy. In the last issue of Office Watch we mentioned a strange message from a Microsoft staffer in a public forum. This message detailed the fix for an undocumented
Office XP Service Pack 3 does fix some problems and patch some security lapses but it can also be a minefield of problems either with the installation itself or various conflicts with other programs. It’s like deja vu all over again – another Office service pack is released – on
There’s a service pack for Office XP users but before you go rushing off to get it make sure you get any necessary updates to other software. Yup, there’s a service pack for Office XP users but before you go rushing off to get it make sure you get any
There is no Office Shortcut Bar in Office 2003 – and your choices aren’t very good. I get at least one message a week from someone who’s upgraded to Office 2003, and discovered that they can’t use the Office Shortcut Bar. Alas, there is no Office Shortcut Bar in Office
A company called MAPIlab has released a thorough, accurate, independent evaluation of the junk mail filter in Outlook 2003. A company called MAPIlab has released a thorough, accurate, independent evaluation of the junk mail filter in Outlook 2003. If you’re using Outlook 2003’s spam filter, I suggest you take a
Looks like the Prime Minister of Denmark won’t be sending out press releases in Word DOC format any more. Looks like the Prime Minister of Denmark won’t be sending out press releases in Word DOC format any more. He got stung by embarrassing data hidden in the DOC files. Henceforth,
Last week, Microsoft re-released a tool that removes swastikas from the Bookshelf Symbol 7 font, this time billing it as a “critical update” to Office 2003. Some days I just have to shake my head in wonder… Two months ago in Office Watch, I showed you a new font in Office
I’ve been trying to coerce Word 2003 into saving a bunch of documents in WordPerfect format. I’ve been trying to coerce Word 2003 into saving a bunch of documents in WordPerfect format for my attorney. Yes, many lawyers still use WordPerfect – and they charge extra if they have to
One reader informs us of an error when trying to modify the Outlook 2003 contacts form. Here’s a strange one, sent to me by Office Watch reader JC. In Outlook 2003, open a Contact. Click Tools | Form | Design This Form. You would expect that a copy of the
Most of the original 12,000 beta testers thought they’d get a copy of Office 2003 in return for their participation. Instead, they got a cheesey clip-on radio. Many Office 2003 beta testers are carping about the slap-in-the-face “gift” they received for testing. Most of the original 12,000 beta testers thought
The symptom: you File | Exit out of Outlook 2003, but it keeps on running, down in the Windows notification area (next to the clock). I’ve had reports from many of you that you still can’t get Outlook 2003 to quit, even after applying the nostrums in a recent article of