Review of "Microsoft Office 2007 Simplified" by Sherry Willard Kinkoph

Microsoft wanted a total revamp for their new version of their flagship product Microsoft Office. Not only did they abandon their traditional file format for something approaching XML (purists like me never give Microsoft a break), but they also did a major makeover of the user interface. This means that the familiar File-Edit-View menu bar was replaced with a new do-everything version of the Toolbar. Computer lore holds that the genius of the window-based user interface championed by Apple and Microsoft is the sharing of a common user interface to reduce the learning curve for any tool, this new design certainly flies in the face of that philosophy. Naturally, users of the older programs feel very intimidated by this new design.

Office 2007 Simplified continues the series of heavily-illustrated computer books from Wiley. The cartoonish style does reduce the anxiety factor, but once you get past the jolly characters who guide you through various tasks, you discover that the material is very clearly presented in easily digested bite-sized chunks with step-by-step instructions. The task-oriented structure of the book makes it an excellent choice for a desktop reference where it can be easily skimmed through to find answers, but you should look elsewhere for a comprehensive tutorial on Office 2007.