Arts IT Savvy

As more and more of the Faculty computers are now having Office 2007 installed the one biggest problem some users are finding is “I used to know where a particular command was in the old Office (Word, Excel etc), but I don’t know where it is found in the new ribbon interface” (or perhaps in language less fitting for this blog). This question followed very quickly by a second – “I was perfectly happy with Office 2003 – why have I had to upgrade?”

The second question can have a very long answer, but it boils down to: because everyone else (Monash, nationally, internationally, education and corporate) is adopting it as well, and very quickly.  It will rapidly get to a point that if you don’t upgrade, you won’t be able to read a majority of the documents out there. Some have gone early, some later, but in the end everyone using Office will find themselves needing to transition to 2007.

The first question (finding how to do things in 2007) can be made quite a bit easier with some programs Microsoft have created. If you are on a computer, supplied by ArtsIT that came with Office 2007, you will find some shortcuts on your desktop labeled “Interactive Word….” “Interactive Excel….” and “Interactive Powerpoint…..”

If you have installed Office 07 on a home machine, or have had your current work computer upgraded to Office 07, these icons won’t be there. Instead, we have placed the 3 programs in a folder here:

N:\artsit\faculty-readable\Office 2007 Help

You can either run the 3 programs from the N drive, or copy them to your computer, or USB Key.

In any respect, these programs provide you with a representation of the old Office 2003 interface, and when you navigate via the menus to the command you want and click on it, it then changes to the Office 2007 interface, and shows you how to find that command in the new interface.

Harder to describe than it is to use. Give it a try, and I think you will find it a very useful tool indeed as you transition to Office 2007

If you still need help, don’t forget the ArtsIT Helpdesk (52250) and also my Micro-sessions (you can book a one-on-one session with me on a wide range of IT topics/programs, Mac or PC)

First app to look at is iiQuota.

iiQuota is used to keep track of your mobile phone usage, remaining credit, data usage.  Even some ISPs are included. The app has some significant benefits over the competition.  Firstly, it is NOT restricted to a single carrier – you don’t have to buy the VirginMobile version, or the Optus version, or the Telstra version etc.  You can use any of the major carriers with the same app.  Another benefit is the app will track multiple accounts, across multiple carriers.

By clicking on an individual name (on the iPhone, not here!), you can bring up more specific, and extended information.  Oh, and the interface (skin) is customisable.