Introduction
Word. Microsoft Word has been the world’s most popular word processor for so long, it needs only one name—like Oprah or Madonna. Unlike certain celebrities, though, Word has undergone a makeover that goes well beyond cosmetic. Microsoft has redesigned the way you interact with the program and has redefined the underlying document format (don’t worry; your old Word documents will still work).
Some things haven’t changed: Word 2007 still makes it easy to create professional-looking letters, business reports, and novels. But Microsoft has loaded the program with new features to make designing and formatting attractive documents easier than ever. So even if you’re well acquainted with its predecessors, Word 2007 needs an introduction and a new book too. Some of the commands that are old favorites—like Cut and Paste—are in new places. And some high tech features that you may have found counterintuitive or inaccessible—like mail merge and indexing—are now out in the open and easier to use.
The New Word
In the past, when Microsoft introduced new versions of Word, it seemed as if the developers simply tacked new features on top of the old program wherever they’d fit. Sometimes the result was sort of like putting fins on a Volkswagen Beetle. With Word 2007, however, Microsoft listened to the critics who complained about Word’s maze of menus and dialog boxes. There were also legitimate complaints about illogically placed commands and important tools that were buried. With Word 2007, ...