This is a very comprehensive, excellent software program for children in year two, aged six to seven years, which supports the National Curriculum and covers reading, maths, geography, history, the solar system, art and music.

The activities are not classroom based, as in the case of many other CD-ROMs in this range, but they are built around adventures that begin when school ends. CJ the Frog and his friend Newton begin a journey to their secret clubhouse. Your child can develop maths skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication, money value, measuring and logic) while racing sharks and crossing dangerous rivers. Reading and comprehension skills are also covered, including spelling, parts of speech, nouns, verbs and adjectives, and the countries can be discovered while learning about the people and events in history. All activities are presented in a fun way and are offered at different levels with progress reports, assessments and a printable workbook included. There is also a pamphlet containing basic technical and installation information, which should be read before starting. --Susan Naylor

Makes learning fun! Great motivator!, 01 Mar 2007
I bought this for my 6 year old daughter to help improve her English and Math skills, and I can't praise this programme enough!

My daughter actually looks forward to playing the games and frequently comes up to me saying "Mummy, can I play Jump Ahead Year 2 now please?" with much enthusiasm. I thought it might be just a fad - like with all toys! But she really does enjoy it. I think its because the math games are challenging and she enjoys the excitement of the "theme" of the game, like jumping over crocodiles to get across a river.

I can tell you one thing, I wish I had something like this when I was little learning maths because it would have made the subject less scary. This actually makes maths look fun and because of the way learning is somewhat 'disguised' children lose the fear that a subject is daunting/difficult.

Kid's can also learn how to construct stories and the mechanics behind types of words like verbs, nouns and adjectives. The CD teaches these in a very clever way by making the definitions into a song. As a parent you'll find not only your child singing along, but YOU too!

There are also non educational benefits to this game. One of which is bonding. I found that whilst playing the games and singing along to songs, me and my daughter also had good quality bonding time, laughing and giggling. This is a great feel good factor, as well as boosting my daughter's moral (she felt she could accomplish acedemic tasks) and my moral (I felt I was spending good quality time with my child and I felt like a good parent because I was helping her learn important skills).

Definately a good buy! And GREAT for bonding with the kids!

excellent jump ahead, 09 Nov 2006
all the jump ahead are brilliant for children. they teach them so much without them even knowingit, and parents can keep up to date with their progress via the progress report.
if you children are 2 upwards buy them all as they finish one stage, get the next stage. if you children are older and you have just discovered the cd roms buy the stage they are at so far, and then continue buying from there. i do not know where i would be without these programmes, it keeps the kids concentrating for hours at a time. and they are learning every single second they are playing on them.

Jump Ahead Year 2 Reading, 14 Feb 2006
It worked. Our son is now keen to learn. Well done.

Fun, fun, fun, 15 Sep 2003
My daughter absolutely loves the games in JA Year 2. She has learnt so much in the space of one weekend! She can be on it all day if I do not stop her. She loves the noun, adjective and verb songs which are crazy but then it serves her memory well simply for that reason. She also loves the maths football pitch game, the "variable" stories she can write and many more! Her only complaint is this - she and ALL her friends could not figure out the Ice Cave maths game. The instructions were very unclear to me, too! Can anyone out there who has bought this CD-Rom help!!!

Jump Ahead Year 2, 03 Feb 2003
I am twelve years old now, and have had this programme since I was eight and (even now) I still enjoy it. I love the many things for you to do and the way you can build up points on every activity you do. Every 100 points you get (each activity, depending how hard it is, wil give you from 2-15 points) you get a stamp from the Post Office in the game and build up your collection. I love the way it has been designed in a school. There is a clubhouse (which you get to by climbing the tree or using the secret lift), a classroom, and then many floors below. The graphics are all really good, and fun. In the classroom for instance, you get to write stories and see animated songs about grammar, and when you click on different items in the classroom, they animate. The songs about the grammar don't sound that interesting do they? Think again. They are funny and catchy and... I'm quite embarrassed to admit this (but it's the truth)...that listening and watching these songs completly made me learn what a noun, a verb and an adjective are!!!!! You go around freely, with our friends CJ (a large friendly frog) and Newton (a funny firefly). The activities go from Maths, to English, to matching pairs, to listening to songs...to jumping logs and crocs, shooting at aliens from Mars and even playing football!!!! You won't even notice you are learning some key lessons in life, as well as having great fun, and I really recommend this CD ROM to any child from the age of 6 to 10, as you can adjust the levels of the games so it's never to easy! So my advice is...go out there and buy it!!!
by Rachel James

Office Word 2007 is a powerful authoring program that gives you the ability to create and share documents by combining a comprehensive set of writing tools with an easy-to-use interface.

Makes learning fun! Great motivator!, 01 Mar 2007
I bought this for my 6 year old daughter to help improve her English and Math skills, and I can't praise this programme enough!

My daughter actually looks forward to playing the games and frequently comes up to me saying "Mummy, can I play Jump Ahead Year 2 now please?" with much enthusiasm. I thought it might be just a fad - like with all toys! But she really does enjoy it. I think its because the math games are challenging and she enjoys the excitement of the "theme" of the game, like jumping over crocodiles to get across a river.

I can tell you one thing, I wish I had something like this when I was little learning maths because it would have made the subject less scary. This actually makes maths look fun and because of the way learning is somewhat 'disguised' children lose the fear that a subject is daunting/difficult.

Kid's can also learn how to construct stories and the mechanics behind types of words like verbs, nouns and adjectives. The CD teaches these in a very clever way by making the definitions into a song. As a parent you'll find not only your child singing along, but YOU too!

There are also non educational benefits to this game. One of which is bonding. I found that whilst playing the games and singing along to songs, me and my daughter also had good quality bonding time, laughing and giggling. This is a great feel good factor, as well as boosting my daughter's moral (she felt she could accomplish acedemic tasks) and my moral (I felt I was spending good quality time with my child and I felt like a good parent because I was helping her learn important skills).

Definately a good buy! And GREAT for bonding with the kids!

excellent jump ahead, 09 Nov 2006
all the jump ahead are brilliant for children. they teach them so much without them even knowingit, and parents can keep up to date with their progress via the progress report.
if you children are 2 upwards buy them all as they finish one stage, get the next stage. if you children are older and you have just discovered the cd roms buy the stage they are at so far, and then continue buying from there. i do not know where i would be without these programmes, it keeps the kids concentrating for hours at a time. and they are learning every single second they are playing on them.

Jump Ahead Year 2 Reading, 14 Feb 2006
It worked. Our son is now keen to learn. Well done.

Fun, fun, fun, 15 Sep 2003
My daughter absolutely loves the games in JA Year 2. She has learnt so much in the space of one weekend! She can be on it all day if I do not stop her. She loves the noun, adjective and verb songs which are crazy but then it serves her memory well simply for that reason. She also loves the maths football pitch game, the "variable" stories she can write and many more! Her only complaint is this - she and ALL her friends could not figure out the Ice Cave maths game. The instructions were very unclear to me, too! Can anyone out there who has bought this CD-Rom help!!!

Jump Ahead Year 2, 03 Feb 2003
I am twelve years old now, and have had this programme since I was eight and (even now) I still enjoy it. I love the many things for you to do and the way you can build up points on every activity you do. Every 100 points you get (each activity, depending how hard it is, wil give you from 2-15 points) you get a stamp from the Post Office in the game and build up your collection. I love the way it has been designed in a school. There is a clubhouse (which you get to by climbing the tree or using the secret lift), a classroom, and then many floors below. The graphics are all really good, and fun. In the classroom for instance, you get to write stories and see animated songs about grammar, and when you click on different items in the classroom, they animate. The songs about the grammar don't sound that interesting do they? Think again. They are funny and catchy and... I'm quite embarrassed to admit this (but it's the truth)...that listening and watching these songs completly made me learn what a noun, a verb and an adjective are!!!!! You go around freely, with our friends CJ (a large friendly frog) and Newton (a funny firefly). The activities go from Maths, to English, to matching pairs, to listening to songs...to jumping logs and crocs, shooting at aliens from Mars and even playing football!!!! You won't even notice you are learning some key lessons in life, as well as having great fun, and I really recommend this CD ROM to any child from the age of 6 to 10, as you can adjust the levels of the games so it's never to easy! So my advice is...go out there and buy it!!!
by Rachel James

NICE PACKAGE, BUT MS VISTA DOESN'T LIKE IT!, 21 May 2008
Have just loaded MS Office 2007 pack into my PC (XP system) and am very impressed with the new Word 2007 & Excel 2007 layouts. Unfortunately, I also tried to load the software into my wife's laptop (Vista operating system) but Vista doesn't like it - everytime she clicks on the Word 2007 icon the software starts installing itself all over again. Vista is really pretty awful - where's that nice button on Control Panel which says 'Install New Programs' - seems to have disappeared in Vista.


Hateful!, 01 Apr 2008
Not a word I like to use, but the only one I can think of to apply to WORD 2007. I have been using WORD since Microsoft introduced it, probably getting on for 20 years ago. Now I am faced with a completely new interface. It is like learning a new word processing program and I really don't think any firm has the right to thrust something like that on its customers. I am told that Microsoft programmers have designed the interface in a way that responds to the way people actually do things. Really? Didn't it occur to these geeks that THEY were the people who introduced us to WORD in the first place? We use WORD in the way we have learned to use it over the years. So why not just buy another program instead, because with WORD 2007 you will be starting from scratch, your productivity will be down. If you still want one, have mine. I won't be using it.

Out with the old...., 27 Mar 2008
I must say that I DID (read underlined and bold) agree with the comments about it being a terrible system, until that is, I really practiced with it. At first it is very difficult to switch from a previous version of Office to this one, but, with a little practice and a lot of, initial, patience, I feel that the rewards of this system far outweigh the hassles!

I LOVE the new flexibility that has been added to the various parts of the system, and the way the 'Ribbon' (after initially being a bit frustrating due to my using 2003) puts all the tasks you are used to, and more, in easy access tabs. I know that there are those out there who want it to look like the 2003 system as that is the system they are used to (go do a search on the net and you'll find lots of free add-in downloads to do exactly that for you!!). And if you are one of those who likes to move all the icons around, or add your own, then you'll either need to learn how to write in XML, or just add them to the quicktask menu (no different than adding them to a toolbar in 2003!!).
And there is the fact that you can make template packages (Themes) that you can use across the board (Excel, PP, Word, Publisher, et al), the 'Live Preview' function to see what the formatting will look like in your document (it changes the formatting in the document as you hover over the options, not changing it until you click it), et. al.

And don't even get me started on the amazing capabilities of One-Note!! I have a PDA and can now chat away, draw diagrams and scribble notes while away from my computer, then have them import automatically when I cradle it. I have to say that this is one of the most amazing tools I have used for my project work and personal study that I have ever found - It alone makes the price of this worth it to me!

In conclusion, just take your time - leave 2003 installed until you get used to this version (all the programs in the suite will run side-by-side without conflict, bar Outlook) - and get to know the new system! You'll be amazed at the power that has been added ....

.... if you let yourself! ;-)

CJ

The Next Step of Control, 02 Nov 2007
The title can be read in two ways.

If you think that Microsoft are here to control you then you will think that this is the case with this product, however, this is down to a very narrow view point.

I am a Senior Lecturer and work with a range of students who can be very confident with computer but also can be very nervous with them.

Yes if you are use to the earlier versions of Microsoft Office then you might feel frustrated that the items you want are not in the same place, however, on a personal front then I feel they have made it a lot more common sense.

If you want an older version style then why do you want an upgrade to a more modern one? Surely it would be a waste of money and people would be complaining that there is nothing new for the money spent, whereas at present it is a completely different style and a lot more user friendly.

Dealing with one of my specialism subjects, people do not like change as they are forced to come out of their comfort zone. As a result of this then people will complain and want to go back to what they feel comfortable with. If this is the case then I would suggest that you do not consider this package, however, if you are wanting to have a user friendly and better overall package then this is your package.

One element which was a little frustrating was that if you saved the documents and then opened them in an earlier version then all what was seen was machine code. I know that this is always a problem with software when older and newer version are on offer, however, I would have thought that Microsoft would have resolved this in such a manner you do not have to be a technical person to resolve this. There is no problem with respect to an earlier version being read by this version. It is for this reason that I have not given it all of the stars.



You would be mad to buy this, 24 Oct 2007
The title says it all. You really would be mad at the moment to buy this package.

Why? Well do a search on Amazon for "Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition" At the time of writing this review that package costs £81.48.

It includes Word 2007, Excel 2007, Powerpoint 2007 and One Note 2007 - thats 4 products in one box. You also get a licence to install them onto 3 Computers!

As a result this pack is very poor value for money

Office PowerPoint 2007 enables you to quickly create high-impact, dynamic presentations, while integrating workflow and ways to easily share this information. From the redesigned user interface to the new SmartArt Graphics and formatting capabilities, Office PowerPoint 2007 puts the control in your hands to create great-looking presentations. Powerpoint Home and Student 2007 makes working at home easier and more enjoyable.Main Features:Create Dynamic Presentations - Quickly create dynamic and great-looking ...

Makes learning fun! Great motivator!, 01 Mar 2007
I bought this for my 6 year old daughter to help improve her English and Math skills, and I can't praise this programme enough!

My daughter actually looks forward to playing the games and frequently comes up to me saying "Mummy, can I play Jump Ahead Year 2 now please?" with much enthusiasm. I thought it might be just a fad - like with all toys! But she really does enjoy it. I think its because the math games are challenging and she enjoys the excitement of the "theme" of the game, like jumping over crocodiles to get across a river.

I can tell you one thing, I wish I had something like this when I was little learning maths because it would have made the subject less scary. This actually makes maths look fun and because of the way learning is somewhat 'disguised' children lose the fear that a subject is daunting/difficult.

Kid's can also learn how to construct stories and the mechanics behind types of words like verbs, nouns and adjectives. The CD teaches these in a very clever way by making the definitions into a song. As a parent you'll find not only your child singing along, but YOU too!

There are also non educational benefits to this game. One of which is bonding. I found that whilst playing the games and singing along to songs, me and my daughter also had good quality bonding time, laughing and giggling. This is a great feel good factor, as well as boosting my daughter's moral (she felt she could accomplish acedemic tasks) and my moral (I felt I was spending good quality time with my child and I felt like a good parent because I was helping her learn important skills).

Definately a good buy! And GREAT for bonding with the kids!

excellent jump ahead, 09 Nov 2006
all the jump ahead are brilliant for children. they teach them so much without them even knowingit, and parents can keep up to date with their progress via the progress report.
if you children are 2 upwards buy them all as they finish one stage, get the next stage. if you children are older and you have just discovered the cd roms buy the stage they are at so far, and then continue buying from there. i do not know where i would be without these programmes, it keeps the kids concentrating for hours at a time. and they are learning every single second they are playing on them.

Jump Ahead Year 2 Reading, 14 Feb 2006
It worked. Our son is now keen to learn. Well done.

Fun, fun, fun, 15 Sep 2003
My daughter absolutely loves the games in JA Year 2. She has learnt so much in the space of one weekend! She can be on it all day if I do not stop her. She loves the noun, adjective and verb songs which are crazy but then it serves her memory well simply for that reason. She also loves the maths football pitch game, the "variable" stories she can write and many more! Her only complaint is this - she and ALL her friends could not figure out the Ice Cave maths game. The instructions were very unclear to me, too! Can anyone out there who has bought this CD-Rom help!!!

Jump Ahead Year 2, 03 Feb 2003
I am twelve years old now, and have had this programme since I was eight and (even now) I still enjoy it. I love the many things for you to do and the way you can build up points on every activity you do. Every 100 points you get (each activity, depending how hard it is, wil give you from 2-15 points) you get a stamp from the Post Office in the game and build up your collection. I love the way it has been designed in a school. There is a clubhouse (which you get to by climbing the tree or using the secret lift), a classroom, and then many floors below. The graphics are all really good, and fun. In the classroom for instance, you get to write stories and see animated songs about grammar, and when you click on different items in the classroom, they animate. The songs about the grammar don't sound that interesting do they? Think again. They are funny and catchy and... I'm quite embarrassed to admit this (but it's the truth)...that listening and watching these songs completly made me learn what a noun, a verb and an adjective are!!!!! You go around freely, with our friends CJ (a large friendly frog) and Newton (a funny firefly). The activities go from Maths, to English, to matching pairs, to listening to songs...to jumping logs and crocs, shooting at aliens from Mars and even playing football!!!! You won't even notice you are learning some key lessons in life, as well as having great fun, and I really recommend this CD ROM to any child from the age of 6 to 10, as you can adjust the levels of the games so it's never to easy! So my advice is...go out there and buy it!!!
by Rachel James

NICE PACKAGE, BUT MS VISTA DOESN'T LIKE IT!, 21 May 2008
Have just loaded MS Office 2007 pack into my PC (XP system) and am very impressed with the new Word 2007 & Excel 2007 layouts. Unfortunately, I also tried to load the software into my wife's laptop (Vista operating system) but Vista doesn't like it - everytime she clicks on the Word 2007 icon the software starts installing itself all over again. Vista is really pretty awful - where's that nice button on Control Panel which says 'Install New Programs' - seems to have disappeared in Vista.


Hateful!, 01 Apr 2008
Not a word I like to use, but the only one I can think of to apply to WORD 2007. I have been using WORD since Microsoft introduced it, probably getting on for 20 years ago. Now I am faced with a completely new interface. It is like learning a new word processing program and I really don't think any firm has the right to thrust something like that on its customers. I am told that Microsoft programmers have designed the interface in a way that responds to the way people actually do things. Really? Didn't it occur to these geeks that THEY were the people who introduced us to WORD in the first place? We use WORD in the way we have learned to use it over the years. So why not just buy another program instead, because with WORD 2007 you will be starting from scratch, your productivity will be down. If you still want one, have mine. I won't be using it.

Out with the old...., 27 Mar 2008
I must say that I DID (read underlined and bold) agree with the comments about it being a terrible system, until that is, I really practiced with it. At first it is very difficult to switch from a previous version of Office to this one, but, with a little practice and a lot of, initial, patience, I feel that the rewards of this system far outweigh the hassles!

I LOVE the new flexibility that has been added to the various parts of the system, and the way the 'Ribbon' (after initially being a bit frustrating due to my using 2003) puts all the tasks you are used to, and more, in easy access tabs. I know that there are those out there who want it to look like the 2003 system as that is the system they are used to (go do a search on the net and you'll find lots of free add-in downloads to do exactly that for you!!). And if you are one of those who likes to move all the icons around, or add your own, then you'll either need to learn how to write in XML, or just add them to the quicktask menu (no different than adding them to a toolbar in 2003!!).
And there is the fact that you can make template packages (Themes) that you can use across the board (Excel, PP, Word, Publisher, et al), the 'Live Preview' function to see what the formatting will look like in your document (it changes the formatting in the document as you hover over the options, not changing it until you click it), et. al.

And don't even get me started on the amazing capabilities of One-Note!! I have a PDA and can now chat away, draw diagrams and scribble notes while away from my computer, then have them import automatically when I cradle it. I have to say that this is one of the most amazing tools I have used for my project work and personal study that I have ever found - It alone makes the price of this worth it to me!

In conclusion, just take your time - leave 2003 installed until you get used to this version (all the programs in the suite will run side-by-side without conflict, bar Outlook) - and get to know the new system! You'll be amazed at the power that has been added ....

.... if you let yourself! ;-)

CJ

The Next Step of Control, 02 Nov 2007
The title can be read in two ways.

If you think that Microsoft are here to control you then you will think that this is the case with this product, however, this is down to a very narrow view point.

I am a Senior Lecturer and work with a range of students who can be very confident with computer but also can be very nervous with them.

Yes if you are use to the earlier versions of Microsoft Office then you might feel frustrated that the items you want are not in the same place, however, on a personal front then I feel they have made it a lot more common sense.

If you want an older version style then why do you want an upgrade to a more modern one? Surely it would be a waste of money and people would be complaining that there is nothing new for the money spent, whereas at present it is a completely different style and a lot more user friendly.

Dealing with one of my specialism subjects, people do not like change as they are forced to come out of their comfort zone. As a result of this then people will complain and want to go back to what they feel comfortable with. If this is the case then I would suggest that you do not consider this package, however, if you are wanting to have a user friendly and better overall package then this is your package.

One element which was a little frustrating was that if you saved the documents and then opened them in an earlier version then all what was seen was machine code. I know that this is always a problem with software when older and newer version are on offer, however, I would have thought that Microsoft would have resolved this in such a manner you do not have to be a technical person to resolve this. There is no problem with respect to an earlier version being read by this version. It is for this reason that I have not given it all of the stars.



You would be mad to buy this, 24 Oct 2007
The title says it all. You really would be mad at the moment to buy this package.

Why? Well do a search on Amazon for "Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition" At the time of writing this review that package costs £81.48.

It includes Word 2007, Excel 2007, Powerpoint 2007 and One Note 2007 - thats 4 products in one box. You also get a licence to install them onto 3 Computers!

As a result this pack is very poor value for money

It does work with Vista!, 27 May 2008
I run an Online Astronomy Group HantsAstro.org. This product, once updated works fine with Vista Premium. Visually it's not as pretty as Starry Night, but for the price offers telescope control with updated ASCOM drivers and runs an LXD75 telescope fine in our tests. The star catalogs are accurate and the interface, once learnt is quite useful, if a little clunky compared to Starry Night. As planetarium software goes, with introduction presentations to the night sky it does quite well. The 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' intro turns from amusing to a bit tacky after the third time you load it, but thankfully this can be turned off. Being able to generate your own reports for a nights oberving is a useful feature. If you want telescope control, this is a good deal but if you want eye candy too and don't mind paying (much) more, then Starry Night is the way to go...

Redshift 6 premium edition is not Vista compatible!, 13 May 2008
This product was advertised on the Amazon website as compatible with Windows Vista. Having just bought the product, the system requirements printed on the box are as follows: Operating System - Windows ME / 2000 / XP / x64.
No mention of Vista. Therefore I am making the assumption it is not Vista compatible. Amazon would be advised to read what is says on the tin before selling it!

OneNote 2007 is a flexible software program that provides peopleone place to gather their notes and information powerful search tofind what they are looking for quickly and easy to usecollaborative tools so that they have a solution to informationov

Makes learning fun! Great motivator!, 01 Mar 2007
I bought this for my 6 year old daughter to help improve her English and Math skills, and I can't praise this programme enough!

My daughter actually looks forward to playing the games and frequently comes up to me saying "Mummy, can I play Jump Ahead Year 2 now please?" with much enthusiasm. I thought it might be just a fad - like with all toys! But she really does enjoy it. I think its because the math games are challenging and she enjoys the excitement of the "theme" of the game, like jumping over crocodiles to get across a river.

I can tell you one thing, I wish I had something like this when I was little learning maths because it would have made the subject less scary. This actually makes maths look fun and because of the way learning is somewhat 'disguised' children lose the fear that a subject is daunting/difficult.

Kid's can also learn how to construct stories and the mechanics behind types of words like verbs, nouns and adjectives. The CD teaches these in a very clever way by making the definitions into a song. As a parent you'll find not only your child singing along, but YOU too!

There are also non educational benefits to this game. One of which is bonding. I found that whilst playing the games and singing along to songs, me and my daughter also had good quality bonding time, laughing and giggling. This is a great feel good factor, as well as boosting my daughter's moral (she felt she could accomplish acedemic tasks) and my moral (I felt I was spending good quality time with my child and I felt like a good parent because I was helping her learn important skills).

Definately a good buy! And GREAT for bonding with the kids!

excellent jump ahead, 09 Nov 2006
all the jump ahead are brilliant for children. they teach them so much without them even knowingit, and parents can keep up to date with their progress via the progress report.
if you children are 2 upwards buy them all as they finish one stage, get the next stage. if you children are older and you have just discovered the cd roms buy the stage they are at so far, and then continue buying from there. i do not know where i would be without these programmes, it keeps the kids concentrating for hours at a time. and they are learning every single second they are playing on them.

Jump Ahead Year 2 Reading, 14 Feb 2006
It worked. Our son is now keen to learn. Well done.

Fun, fun, fun, 15 Sep 2003
My daughter absolutely loves the games in JA Year 2. She has learnt so much in the space of one weekend! She can be on it all day if I do not stop her. She loves the noun, adjective and verb songs which are crazy but then it serves her memory well simply for that reason. She also loves the maths football pitch game, the "variable" stories she can write and many more! Her only complaint is this - she and ALL her friends could not figure out the Ice Cave maths game. The instructions were very unclear to me, too! Can anyone out there who has bought this CD-Rom help!!!

Jump Ahead Year 2, 03 Feb 2003
I am twelve years old now, and have had this programme since I was eight and (even now) I still enjoy it. I love the many things for you to do and the way you can build up points on every activity you do. Every 100 points you get (each activity, depending how hard it is, wil give you from 2-15 points) you get a stamp from the Post Office in the game and build up your collection. I love the way it has been designed in a school. There is a clubhouse (which you get to by climbing the tree or using the secret lift), a classroom, and then many floors below. The graphics are all really good, and fun. In the classroom for instance, you get to write stories and see animated songs about grammar, and when you click on different items in the classroom, they animate. The songs about the grammar don't sound that interesting do they? Think again. They are funny and catchy and... I'm quite embarrassed to admit this (but it's the truth)...that listening and watching these songs completly made me learn what a noun, a verb and an adjective are!!!!! You go around freely, with our friends CJ (a large friendly frog) and Newton (a funny firefly). The activities go from Maths, to English, to matching pairs, to listening to songs...to jumping logs and crocs, shooting at aliens from Mars and even playing football!!!! You won't even notice you are learning some key lessons in life, as well as having great fun, and I really recommend this CD ROM to any child from the age of 6 to 10, as you can adjust the levels of the games so it's never to easy! So my advice is...go out there and buy it!!!
by Rachel James

NICE PACKAGE, BUT MS VISTA DOESN'T LIKE IT!, 21 May 2008
Have just loaded MS Office 2007 pack into my PC (XP system) and am very impressed with the new Word 2007 & Excel 2007 layouts. Unfortunately, I also tried to load the software into my wife's laptop (Vista operating system) but Vista doesn't like it - everytime she clicks on the Word 2007 icon the software starts installing itself all over again. Vista is really pretty awful - where's that nice button on Control Panel which says 'Install New Programs' - seems to have disappeared in Vista.


Hateful!, 01 Apr 2008
Not a word I like to use, but the only one I can think of to apply to WORD 2007. I have been using WORD since Microsoft introduced it, probably getting on for 20 years ago. Now I am faced with a completely new interface. It is like learning a new word processing program and I really don't think any firm has the right to thrust something like that on its customers. I am told that Microsoft programmers have designed the interface in a way that responds to the way people actually do things. Really? Didn't it occur to these geeks that THEY were the people who introduced us to WORD in the first place? We use WORD in the way we have learned to use it over the years. So why not just buy another program instead, because with WORD 2007 you will be starting from scratch, your productivity will be down. If you still want one, have mine. I won't be using it.

Out with the old...., 27 Mar 2008
I must say that I DID (read underlined and bold) agree with the comments about it being a terrible system, until that is, I really practiced with it. At first it is very difficult to switch from a previous version of Office to this one, but, with a little practice and a lot of, initial, patience, I feel that the rewards of this system far outweigh the hassles!

I LOVE the new flexibility that has been added to the various parts of the system, and the way the 'Ribbon' (after initially being a bit frustrating due to my using 2003) puts all the tasks you are used to, and more, in easy access tabs. I know that there are those out there who want it to look like the 2003 system as that is the system they are used to (go do a search on the net and you'll find lots of free add-in downloads to do exactly that for you!!). And if you are one of those who likes to move all the icons around, or add your own, then you'll either need to learn how to write in XML, or just add them to the quicktask menu (no different than adding them to a toolbar in 2003!!).
And there is the fact that you can make template packages (Themes) that you can use across the board (Excel, PP, Word, Publisher, et al), the 'Live Preview' function to see what the formatting will look like in your document (it changes the formatting in the document as you hover over the options, not changing it until you click it), et. al.

And don't even get me started on the amazing capabilities of One-Note!! I have a PDA and can now chat away, draw diagrams and scribble notes while away from my computer, then have them import automatically when I cradle it. I have to say that this is one of the most amazing tools I have used for my project work and personal study that I have ever found - It alone makes the price of this worth it to me!

In conclusion, just take your time - leave 2003 installed until you get used to this version (all the programs in the suite will run side-by-side without conflict, bar Outlook) - and get to know the new system! You'll be amazed at the power that has been added ....

.... if you let yourself! ;-)

CJ

The Next Step of Control, 02 Nov 2007
The title can be read in two ways.

If you think that Microsoft are here to control you then you will think that this is the case with this product, however, this is down to a very narrow view point.

I am a Senior Lecturer and work with a range of students who can be very confident with computer but also can be very nervous with them.

Yes if you are use to the earlier versions of Microsoft Office then you might feel frustrated that the items you want are not in the same place, however, on a personal front then I feel they have made it a lot more common sense.

If you want an older version style then why do you want an upgrade to a more modern one? Surely it would be a waste of money and people would be complaining that there is nothing new for the money spent, whereas at present it is a completely different style and a lot more user friendly.

Dealing with one of my specialism subjects, people do not like change as they are forced to come out of their comfort zone. As a result of this then people will complain and want to go back to what they feel comfortable with. If this is the case then I would suggest that you do not consider this package, however, if you are wanting to have a user friendly and better overall package then this is your package.

One element which was a little frustrating was that if you saved the documents and then opened them in an earlier version then all what was seen was machine code. I know that this is always a problem with software when older and newer version are on offer, however, I would have thought that Microsoft would have resolved this in such a manner you do not have to be a technical person to resolve this. There is no problem with respect to an earlier version being read by this version. It is for this reason that I have not given it all of the stars.



You would be mad to buy this, 24 Oct 2007
The title says it all. You really would be mad at the moment to buy this package.

Why? Well do a search on Amazon for "Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition" At the time of writing this review that package costs £81.48.

It includes Word 2007, Excel 2007, Powerpoint 2007 and One Note 2007 - thats 4 products in one box. You also get a licence to install them onto 3 Computers!

As a result this pack is very poor value for money

It does work with Vista!, 27 May 2008
I run an Online Astronomy Group HantsAstro.org. This product, once updated works fine with Vista Premium. Visually it's not as pretty as Starry Night, but for the price offers telescope control with updated ASCOM drivers and runs an LXD75 telescope fine in our tests. The star catalogs are accurate and the interface, once learnt is quite useful, if a little clunky compared to Starry Night. As planetarium software goes, with introduction presentations to the night sky it does quite well. The 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' intro turns from amusing to a bit tacky after the third time you load it, but thankfully this can be turned off. Being able to generate your own reports for a nights oberving is a useful feature. If you want telescope control, this is a good deal but if you want eye candy too and don't mind paying (much) more, then Starry Night is the way to go...

Redshift 6 premium edition is not Vista compatible!, 13 May 2008
This product was advertised on the Amazon website as compatible with Windows Vista. Having just bought the product, the system requirements printed on the box are as follows: Operating System - Windows ME / 2000 / XP / x64.
No mention of Vista. Therefore I am making the assumption it is not Vista compatible. Amazon would be advised to read what is says on the tin before selling it!

Very Good information management system, 03 Dec 2007
I do a lot of private research in many subject areas and this is the best product I have found for the price that allows you to collate information from many electronic sources.

In essence OneNote allows you to create a virtual filing cabinet with different draws into which you can place folders that have notes and sub-notes. The notes and sub-notes can contain virtually any data format including images, drawings, voice or text. During installation plug-ins are added to your Office products and Explorer enabling information to be imported to OneNote very easily and this makes research on the Web very efficient.


Non MS applications 'see' OneNote as an installed printer so any file that can be printed can be sent to OneNote. If you do not want to import the data you can just import a hyperlink to any file on your system.


Most other information management tools that I have used implement a keyword system so that you can quickly find all information associated with a particular subject but the problem with this approach is that you have decide upon your keywords upfront. OneNote goes one step further by suggesting that you install the Windows desktop search application that allows you to do a freeform text based search from your desktop of all of your storage devices, including all of the information in OneNote. The drawback of this utility is that it can dramatically slow the performance of your machine when updating its indexes. As far as I can tell OneNote works fine without this search facility and it is only really needed if you are a serious researcher so if you have a machine with anything less than a top range Pentium 4 processor I would try to live without it.

The installation of OneNote was painless and I have been using it for several months without any application crashes and it is very easy to use.

Highly recommended for anyone who needs to structure and search large amounts of information from different sources.

EDU EXCEL HOME AND STUDENT 2007 UK

Makes learning fun! Great motivator!, 01 Mar 2007
I bought this for my 6 year old daughter to help improve her English and Math skills, and I can't praise this programme enough!

My daughter actually looks forward to playing the games and frequently comes up to me saying "Mummy, can I play Jump Ahead Year 2 now please?" with much enthusiasm. I thought it might be just a fad - like with all toys! But she really does enjoy it. I think its because the math games are challenging and she enjoys the excitement of the "theme" of the game, like jumping over crocodiles to get across a river.

I can tell you one thing, I wish I had something like this when I was little learning maths because it would have made the subject less scary. This actually makes maths look fun and because of the way learning is somewhat 'disguised' children lose the fear that a subject is daunting/difficult.

Kid's can also learn how to construct stories and the mechanics behind types of words like verbs, nouns and adjectives. The CD teaches these in a very clever way by making the definitions into a song. As a parent you'll find not only your child singing along, but YOU too!

There are also non educational benefits to this game. One of which is bonding. I found that whilst playing the games and singing along to songs, me and my daughter also had good quality bonding time, laughing and giggling. This is a great feel good factor, as well as boosting my daughter's moral (she felt she could accomplish acedemic tasks) and my moral (I felt I was spending good quality time with my child and I felt like a good parent because I was helping her learn important skills).

Definately a good buy! And GREAT for bonding with the kids!

excellent jump ahead, 09 Nov 2006
all the jump ahead are brilliant for children. they teach them so much without them even knowingit, and parents can keep up to date with their progress via the progress report.
if you children are 2 upwards buy them all as they finish one stage, get the next stage. if you children are older and you have just discovered the cd roms buy the stage they are at so far, and then continue buying from there. i do not know where i would be without these programmes, it keeps the kids concentrating for hours at a time. and they are learning every single second they are playing on them.

Jump Ahead Year 2 Reading, 14 Feb 2006
It worked. Our son is now keen to learn. Well done.

Fun, fun, fun, 15 Sep 2003
My daughter absolutely loves the games in JA Year 2. She has learnt so much in the space of one weekend! She can be on it all day if I do not stop her. She loves the noun, adjective and verb songs which are crazy but then it serves her memory well simply for that reason. She also loves the maths football pitch game, the "variable" stories she can write and many more! Her only complaint is this - she and ALL her friends could not figure out the Ice Cave maths game. The instructions were very unclear to me, too! Can anyone out there who has bought this CD-Rom help!!!

Jump Ahead Year 2, 03 Feb 2003
I am twelve years old now, and have had this programme since I was eight and (even now) I still enjoy it. I love the many things for you to do and the way you can build up points on every activity you do. Every 100 points you get (each activity, depending how hard it is, wil give you from 2-15 points) you get a stamp from the Post Office in the game and build up your collection. I love the way it has been designed in a school. There is a clubhouse (which you get to by climbing the tree or using the secret lift), a classroom, and then many floors below. The graphics are all really good, and fun. In the classroom for instance, you get to write stories and see animated songs about grammar, and when you click on different items in the classroom, they animate. The songs about the grammar don't sound that interesting do they? Think again. They are funny and catchy and... I'm quite embarrassed to admit this (but it's the truth)...that listening and watching these songs completly made me learn what a noun, a verb and an adjective are!!!!! You go around freely, with our friends CJ (a large friendly frog) and Newton (a funny firefly). The activities go from Maths, to English, to matching pairs, to listening to songs...to jumping logs and crocs, shooting at aliens from Mars and even playing football!!!! You won't even notice you are learning some key lessons in life, as well as having great fun, and I really recommend this CD ROM to any child from the age of 6 to 10, as you can adjust the levels of the games so it's never to easy! So my advice is...go out there and buy it!!!
by Rachel James

NICE PACKAGE, BUT MS VISTA DOESN'T LIKE IT!, 21 May 2008
Have just loaded MS Office 2007 pack into my PC (XP system) and am very impressed with the new Word 2007 & Excel 2007 layouts. Unfortunately, I also tried to load the software into my wife's laptop (Vista operating system) but Vista doesn't like it - everytime she clicks on the Word 2007 icon the software starts installing itself all over again. Vista is really pretty awful - where's that nice button on Control Panel which says 'Install New Programs' - seems to have disappeared in Vista.


Hateful!, 01 Apr 2008
Not a word I like to use, but the only one I can think of to apply to WORD 2007. I have been using WORD since Microsoft introduced it, probably getting on for 20 years ago. Now I am faced with a completely new interface. It is like learning a new word processing program and I really don't think any firm has the right to thrust something like that on its customers. I am told that Microsoft programmers have designed the interface in a way that responds to the way people actually do things. Really? Didn't it occur to these geeks that THEY were the people who introduced us to WORD in the first place? We use WORD in the way we have learned to use it over the years. So why not just buy another program instead, because with WORD 2007 you will be starting from scratch, your productivity will be down. If you still want one, have mine. I won't be using it.

Out with the old...., 27 Mar 2008
I must say that I DID (read underlined and bold) agree with the comments about it being a terrible system, until that is, I really practiced with it. At first it is very difficult to switch from a previous version of Office to this one, but, with a little practice and a lot of, initial, patience, I feel that the rewards of this system far outweigh the hassles!

I LOVE the new flexibility that has been added to the various parts of the system, and the way the 'Ribbon' (after initially being a bit frustrating due to my using 2003) puts all the tasks you are used to, and more, in easy access tabs. I know that there are those out there who want it to look like the 2003 system as that is the system they are used to (go do a search on the net and you'll find lots of free add-in downloads to do exactly that for you!!). And if you are one of those who likes to move all the icons around, or add your own, then you'll either need to learn how to write in XML, or just add them to the quicktask menu (no different than adding them to a toolbar in 2003!!).
And there is the fact that you can make template packages (Themes) that you can use across the board (Excel, PP, Word, Publisher, et al), the 'Live Preview' function to see what the formatting will look like in your document (it changes the formatting in the document as you hover over the options, not changing it until you click it), et. al.

And don't even get me started on the amazing capabilities of One-Note!! I have a PDA and can now chat away, draw diagrams and scribble notes while away from my computer, then have them import automatically when I cradle it. I have to say that this is one of the most amazing tools I have used for my project work and personal study that I have ever found - It alone makes the price of this worth it to me!

In conclusion, just take your time - leave 2003 installed until you get used to this version (all the programs in the suite will run side-by-side without conflict, bar Outlook) - and get to know the new system! You'll be amazed at the power that has been added ....

.... if you let yourself! ;-)

CJ

The Next Step of Control, 02 Nov 2007
The title can be read in two ways.

If you think that Microsoft are here to control you then you will think that this is the case with this product, however, this is down to a very narrow view point.

I am a Senior Lecturer and work with a range of students who can be very confident with computer but also can be very nervous with them.

Yes if you are use to the earlier versions of Microsoft Office then you might feel frustrated that the items you want are not in the same place, however, on a personal front then I feel they have made it a lot more common sense.

If you want an older version style then why do you want an upgrade to a more modern one? Surely it would be a waste of money and people would be complaining that there is nothing new for the money spent, whereas at present it is a completely different style and a lot more user friendly.

Dealing with one of my specialism subjects, people do not like change as they are forced to come out of their comfort zone. As a result of this then people will complain and want to go back to what they feel comfortable with. If this is the case then I would suggest that you do not consider this package, however, if you are wanting to have a user friendly and better overall package then this is your package.

One element which was a little frustrating was that if you saved the documents and then opened them in an earlier version then all what was seen was machine code. I know that this is always a problem with software when older and newer version are on offer, however, I would have thought that Microsoft would have resolved this in such a manner you do not have to be a technical person to resolve this. There is no problem with respect to an earlier version being read by this version. It is for this reason that I have not given it all of the stars.



You would be mad to buy this, 24 Oct 2007
The title says it all. You really would be mad at the moment to buy this package.

Why? Well do a search on Amazon for "Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition" At the time of writing this review that package costs £81.48.

It includes Word 2007, Excel 2007, Powerpoint 2007 and One Note 2007 - thats 4 products in one box. You also get a licence to install them onto 3 Computers!

As a result this pack is very poor value for money

It does work with Vista!, 27 May 2008
I run an Online Astronomy Group HantsAstro.org. This product, once updated works fine with Vista Premium. Visually it's not as pretty as Starry Night, but for the price offers telescope control with updated ASCOM drivers and runs an LXD75 telescope fine in our tests. The star catalogs are accurate and the interface, once learnt is quite useful, if a little clunky compared to Starry Night. As planetarium software goes, with introduction presentations to the night sky it does quite well. The 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' intro turns from amusing to a bit tacky after the third time you load it, but thankfully this can be turned off. Being able to generate your own reports for a nights oberving is a useful feature. If you want telescope control, this is a good deal but if you want eye candy too and don't mind paying (much) more, then Starry Night is the way to go...

Redshift 6 premium edition is not Vista compatible!, 13 May 2008
This product was advertised on the Amazon website as compatible with Windows Vista. Having just bought the product, the system requirements printed on the box are as follows: Operating System - Windows ME / 2000 / XP / x64.
No mention of Vista. Therefore I am making the assumption it is not Vista compatible. Amazon would be advised to read what is says on the tin before selling it!

Very Good information management system, 03 Dec 2007
I do a lot of private research in many subject areas and this is the best product I have found for the price that allows you to collate information from many electronic sources.

In essence OneNote allows you to create a virtual filing cabinet with different draws into which you can place folders that have notes and sub-notes. The notes and sub-notes can contain virtually any data format including images, drawings, voice or text. During installation plug-ins are added to your Office products and Explorer enabling information to be imported to OneNote very easily and this makes research on the Web very efficient.


Non MS applications 'see' OneNote as an installed printer so any file that can be printed can be sent to OneNote. If you do not want to import the data you can just import a hyperlink to any file on your system.


Most other information management tools that I have used implement a keyword system so that you can quickly find all information associated with a particular subject but the problem with this approach is that you have decide upon your keywords upfront. OneNote goes one step further by suggesting that you install the Windows desktop search application that allows you to do a freeform text based search from your desktop of all of your storage devices, including all of the information in OneNote. The drawback of this utility is that it can dramatically slow the performance of your machine when updating its indexes. As far as I can tell OneNote works fine without this search facility and it is only really needed if you are a serious researcher so if you have a machine with anything less than a top range Pentium 4 processor I would try to live without it.

The installation of OneNote was painless and I have been using it for several months without any application crashes and it is very easy to use.

Highly recommended for anyone who needs to structure and search large amounts of information from different sources.


Nightmare to get used to, but very powerful, 30 Oct 2008
Unlike previous "upgrades" to Excel, this is a leap into a very different user interface. Previous Excel experts may find themselves spending whole minutes trying to locate features they previously knew by shortcut, and aggrevated by the ribbon bar which flicks about unexpectedly when your finger accidentally slips onto your scroll wheel, but all in all it's worth it.

Previously Excel was limited to a mere 256 columns, and many options such as Conditional Formatting etc. were limited to 3 rules. These have all been vastly expanded, turning it into an even more powerful piece of software. Developer options are interesting, and the visual quality of spreadsheets is much enhanced with gradients and one-click object effects.

Despite winding me up for a month or two I still have to give it 5 stars for being a genuine upgrade to 2003.

Excel is good, but for the price you're better off using Open Office, 15 Jun 2007
Why would anyone pay over £170 for a piece of software which does nothing more than Open Office.org does -- and OpenOffice.org is completely free of charge?

Makes learning fun! Great motivator!, 01 Mar 2007
I bought this for my 6 year old daughter to help improve her English and Math skills, and I can't praise this programme enough!

My daughter actually looks forward to playing the games and frequently comes up to me saying "Mummy, can I play Jump Ahead Year 2 now please?" with much enthusiasm. I thought it might be just a fad - like with all toys! But she really does enjoy it. I think its because the math games are challenging and she enjoys the excitement of the "theme" of the game, like jumping over crocodiles to get across a river.

I can tell you one thing, I wish I had something like this when I was little learning maths because it would have made the subject less scary. This actually makes maths look fun and because of the way learning is somewhat 'disguised' children lose the fear that a subject is daunting/difficult.

Kid's can also learn how to construct stories and the mechanics behind types of words like verbs, nouns and adjectives. The CD teaches these in a very clever way by making the definitions into a song. As a parent you'll find not only your child singing along, but YOU too!

There are also non educational benefits to this game. One of which is bonding. I found that whilst playing the games and singing along to songs, me and my daughter also had good quality bonding time, laughing and giggling. This is a great feel good factor, as well as boosting my daughter's moral (she felt she could accomplish acedemic tasks) and my moral (I felt I was spending good quality time with my child and I felt like a good parent because I was helping her learn important skills).

Definately a good buy! And GREAT for bonding with the kids!

excellent jump ahead, 09 Nov 2006
all the jump ahead are brilliant for children. they teach them so much without them even knowingit, and parents can keep up to date with their progress via the progress report.
if you children are 2 upwards buy them all as they finish one stage, get the next stage. if you children are older and you have just discovered the cd roms buy the stage they are at so far, and then continue buying from there. i do not know where i would be without these programmes, it keeps the kids concentrating for hours at a time. and they are learning every single second they are playing on them.

Jump Ahead Year 2 Reading, 14 Feb 2006
It worked. Our son is now keen to learn. Well done.

Fun, fun, fun, 15 Sep 2003
My daughter absolutely loves the games in JA Year 2. She has learnt so much in the space of one weekend! She can be on it all day if I do not stop her. She loves the noun, adjective and verb songs which are crazy but then it serves her memory well simply for that reason. She also loves the maths football pitch game, the "variable" stories she can write and many more! Her only complaint is this - she and ALL her friends could not figure out the Ice Cave maths game. The instructions were very unclear to me, too! Can anyone out there who has bought this CD-Rom help!!!

Jump Ahead Year 2, 03 Feb 2003
I am twelve years old now, and have had this programme since I was eight and (even now) I still enjoy it. I love the many things for you to do and the way you can build up points on every activity you do. Every 100 points you get (each activity, depending how hard it is, wil give you from 2-15 points) you get a stamp from the Post Office in the game and build up your collection. I love the way it has been designed in a school. There is a clubhouse (which you get to by climbing the tree or using the secret lift), a classroom, and then many floors below. The graphics are all really good, and fun. In the classroom for instance, you get to write stories and see animated songs about grammar, and when you click on different items in the classroom, they animate. The songs about the grammar don't sound that interesting do they? Think again. They are funny and catchy and... I'm quite embarrassed to admit this (but it's the truth)...that listening and watching these songs completly made me learn what a noun, a verb and an adjective are!!!!! You go around freely, with our friends CJ (a large friendly frog) and Newton (a funny firefly). The activities go from Maths, to English, to matching pairs, to listening to songs...to jumping logs and crocs, shooting at aliens from Mars and even playing football!!!! You won't even notice you are learning some key lessons in life, as well as having great fun, and I really recommend this CD ROM to any child from the age of 6 to 10, as you can adjust the levels of the games so it's never to easy! So my advice is...go out there and buy it!!!
by Rachel James

NICE PACKAGE, BUT MS VISTA DOESN'T LIKE IT!, 21 May 2008
Have just loaded MS Office 2007 pack into my PC (XP system) and am very impressed with the new Word 2007 & Excel 2007 layouts. Unfortunately, I also tried to load the software into my wife's laptop (Vista operating system) but Vista doesn't like it - everytime she clicks on the Word 2007 icon the software starts installing itself all over again. Vista is really pretty awful - where's that nice button on Control Panel which says 'Install New Programs' - seems to have disappeared in Vista.


Hateful!, 01 Apr 2008
Not a word I like to use, but the only one I can think of to apply to WORD 2007. I have been using WORD since Microsoft introduced it, probably getting on for 20 years ago. Now I am faced with a completely new interface. It is like learning a new word processing program and I really don't think any firm has the right to thrust something like that on its customers. I am told that Microsoft programmers have designed the interface in a way that responds to the way people actually do things. Really? Didn't it occur to these geeks that THEY were the people who introduced us to WORD in the first place? We use WORD in the way we have learned to use it over the years. So why not just buy another program instead, because with WORD 2007 you will be starting from scratch, your productivity will be down. If you still want one, have mine. I won't be using it.

Out with the old...., 27 Mar 2008
I must say that I DID (read underlined and bold) agree with the comments about it being a terrible system, until that is, I really practiced with it. At first it is very difficult to switch from a previous version of Office to this one, but, with a little practice and a lot of, initial, patience, I feel that the rewards of this system far outweigh the hassles!

I LOVE the new flexibility that has been added to the various parts of the system, and the way the 'Ribbon' (after initially being a bit frustrating due to my using 2003) puts all the tasks you are used to, and more, in easy access tabs. I know that there are those out there who want it to look like the 2003 system as that is the system they are used to (go do a search on the net and you'll find lots of free add-in downloads to do exactly that for you!!). And if you are one of those who likes to move all the icons around, or add your own, then you'll either need to learn how to write in XML, or just add them to the quicktask menu (no different than adding them to a toolbar in 2003!!).
And there is the fact that you can make template packages (Themes) that you can use across the board (Excel, PP, Word, Publisher, et al), the 'Live Preview' function to see what the formatting will look like in your document (it changes the formatting in the document as you hover over the options, not changing it until you click it), et. al.

And don't even get me started on the amazing capabilities of One-Note!! I have a PDA and can now chat away, draw diagrams and scribble notes while away from my computer, then have them import automatically when I cradle it. I have to say that this is one of the most amazing tools I have used for my project work and personal study that I have ever found - It alone makes the price of this worth it to me!

In conclusion, just take your time - leave 2003 installed until you get used to this version (all the programs in the suite will run side-by-side without conflict, bar Outlook) - and get to know the new system! You'll be amazed at the power that has been added ....

.... if you let yourself! ;-)

CJ

The Next Step of Control, 02 Nov 2007
The title can be read in two ways.

If you think that Microsoft are here to control you then you will think that this is the case with this product, however, this is down to a very narrow view point.

I am a Senior Lecturer and work with a range of students who can be very confident with computer but also can be very nervous with them.

Yes if you are use to the earlier versions of Microsoft Office then you might feel frustrated that the items you want are not in the same place, however, on a personal front then I feel they have made it a lot more common sense.

If you want an older version style then why do you want an upgrade to a more modern one? Surely it would be a waste of money and people would be complaining that there is nothing new for the money spent, whereas at present it is a completely different style and a lot more user friendly.

Dealing with one of my specialism subjects, people do not like change as they are forced to come out of their comfort zone. As a result of this then people will complain and want to go back to what they feel comfortable with. If this is the case then I would suggest that you do not consider this package, however, if you are wanting to have a user friendly and better overall package then this is your package.

One element which was a little frustrating was that if you saved the documents and then opened them in an earlier version then all what was seen was machine code. I know that this is always a problem with software when older and newer version are on offer, however, I would have thought that Microsoft would have resolved this in such a manner you do not have to be a technical person to resolve this. There is no problem with respect to an earlier version being read by this version. It is for this reason that I have not given it all of the stars.



You would be mad to buy this, 24 Oct 2007
The title says it all. You really would be mad at the moment to buy this package.

Why? Well do a search on Amazon for "Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition" At the time of writing this review that package costs £81.48.

It includes Word 2007, Excel 2007, Powerpoint 2007 and One Note 2007 - thats 4 products in one box. You also get a licence to install them onto 3 Computers!

As a result this pack is very poor value for money

It does work with Vista!, 27 May 2008
I run an Online Astronomy Group HantsAstro.org. This product, once updated works fine with Vista Premium. Visually it's not as pretty as Starry Night, but for the price offers telescope control with updated ASCOM drivers and runs an LXD75 telescope fine in our tests. The star catalogs are accurate and the interface, once learnt is quite useful, if a little clunky compared to Starry Night. As planetarium software goes, with introduction presentations to the night sky it does quite well. The 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' intro turns from amusing to a bit tacky after the third time you load it, but thankfully this can be turned off. Being able to generate your own reports for a nights oberving is a useful feature. If you want telescope control, this is a good deal but if you want eye candy too and don't mind paying (much) more, then Starry Night is the way to go...

Redshift 6 premium edition is not Vista compatible!, 13 May 2008
This product was advertised on the Amazon website as compatible with Windows Vista. Having just bought the product, the system requirements printed on the box are as follows: Operating System - Windows ME / 2000 / XP / x64.
No mention of Vista. Therefore I am making the assumption it is not Vista compatible. Amazon would be advised to read what is says on the tin before selling it!

Very Good information management system, 03 Dec 2007
I do a lot of private research in many subject areas and this is the best product I have found for the price that allows you to collate information from many electronic sources.

In essence OneNote allows you to create a virtual filing cabinet with different draws into which you can place folders that have notes and sub-notes. The notes and sub-notes can contain virtually any data format including images, drawings, voice or text. During installation plug-ins are added to your Office products and Explorer enabling information to be imported to OneNote very easily and this makes research on the Web very efficient.


Non MS applications 'see' OneNote as an installed printer so any file that can be printed can be sent to OneNote. If you do not want to import the data you can just import a hyperlink to any file on your system.


Most other information management tools that I have used implement a keyword system so that you can quickly find all information associated with a particular subject but the problem with this approach is that you have decide upon your keywords upfront. OneNote goes one step further by suggesting that you install the Windows desktop search application that allows you to do a freeform text based search from your desktop of all of your storage devices, including all of the information in OneNote. The drawback of this utility is that it can dramatically slow the performance of your machine when updating its indexes. As far as I can tell OneNote works fine without this search facility and it is only really needed if you are a serious researcher so if you have a machine with anything less than a top range Pentium 4 processor I would try to live without it.

The installation of OneNote was painless and I have been using it for several months without any application crashes and it is very easy to use.

Highly recommended for anyone who needs to structure and search large amounts of information from different sources.


Nightmare to get used to, but very powerful, 30 Oct 2008
Unlike previous "upgrades" to Excel, this is a leap into a very different user interface. Previous Excel experts may find themselves spending whole minutes trying to locate features they previously knew by shortcut, and aggrevated by the ribbon bar which flicks about unexpectedly when your finger accidentally slips onto your scroll wheel, but all in all it's worth it.

Previously Excel was limited to a mere 256 columns, and many options such as Conditional Formatting etc. were limited to 3 rules. These have all been vastly expanded, turning it into an even more powerful piece of software. Developer options are interesting, and the visual quality of spreadsheets is much enhanced with gradients and one-click object effects.

Despite winding me up for a month or two I still have to give it 5 stars for being a genuine upgrade to 2003.

Excel is good, but for the price you're better off using Open Office, 15 Jun 2007
Why would anyone pay over £170 for a piece of software which does nothing more than Open Office.org does -- and OpenOffice.org is completely free of charge?

A good way to learn words but not language, 07 Jul 2001
O k This is an excellant product not so much in terms of its content but in terms of the way that it makes you remember what things are called - it will not teach you to speak a language but it is very useful as an aid to learning and to supplement more involved texts -- it is fun and that will mean that you will play it for fun and we all know learning is easier when its fun

Makes learning fun! Great motivator!, 01 Mar 2007
I bought this for my 6 year old daughter to help improve her English and Math skills, and I can't praise this programme enough!

My daughter actually looks forward to playing the games and frequently comes up to me saying "Mummy, can I play Jump Ahead Year 2 now please?" with much enthusiasm. I thought it might be just a fad - like with all toys! But she really does enjoy it. I think its because the math games are challenging and she enjoys the excitement of the "theme" of the game, like jumping over crocodiles to get across a river.

I can tell you one thing, I wish I had something like this when I was little learning maths because it would have made the subject less scary. This actually makes maths look fun and because of the way learning is somewhat 'disguised' children lose the fear that a subject is daunting/difficult.

Kid's can also learn how to construct stories and the mechanics behind types of words like verbs, nouns and adjectives. The CD teaches these in a very clever way by making the definitions into a song. As a parent you'll find not only your child singing along, but YOU too!

There are also non educational benefits to this game. One of which is bonding. I found that whilst playing the games and singing along to songs, me and my daughter also had good quality bonding time, laughing and giggling. This is a great feel good factor, as well as boosting my daughter's moral (she felt she could accomplish acedemic tasks) and my moral (I felt I was spending good quality time with my child and I felt like a good parent because I was helping her learn important skills).

Definately a good buy! And GREAT for bonding with the kids!

excellent jump ahead, 09 Nov 2006
all the jump ahead are brilliant for children. they teach them so much without them even knowingit, and parents can keep up to date with their progress via the progress report.
if you children are 2 upwards buy them all as they finish one stage, get the next stage. if you children are older and you have just discovered the cd roms buy the stage they are at so far, and then continue buying from there. i do not know where i would be without these programmes, it keeps the kids concentrating for hours at a time. and they are learning every single second they are playing on them.

Jump Ahead Year 2 Reading, 14 Feb 2006
It worked. Our son is now keen to learn. Well done.

Fun, fun, fun, 15 Sep 2003
My daughter absolutely loves the games in JA Year 2. She has learnt so much in the space of one weekend! She can be on it all day if I do not stop her. She loves the noun, adjective and verb songs which are crazy but then it serves her memory well simply for that reason. She also loves the maths football pitch game, the "variable" stories she can write and many more! Her only complaint is this - she and ALL her friends could not figure out the Ice Cave maths game. The instructions were very unclear to me, too! Can anyone out there who has bought this CD-Rom help!!!

Jump Ahead Year 2, 03 Feb 2003
I am twelve years old now, and have had this programme since I was eight and (even now) I still enjoy it. I love the many things for you to do and the way you can build up points on every activity you do. Every 100 points you get (each activity, depending how hard it is, wil give you from 2-15 points) you get a stamp from the Post Office in the game and build up your collection. I love the way it has been designed in a school. There is a clubhouse (which you get to by climbing the tree or using the secret lift), a classroom, and then many floors below. The graphics are all really good, and fun. In the classroom for instance, you get to write stories and see animated songs about grammar, and when you click on different items in the classroom, they animate. The songs about the grammar don't sound that interesting do they? Think again. They are funny and catchy and... I'm quite embarrassed to admit this (but it's the truth)...that listening and watching these songs completly made me learn what a noun, a verb and an adjective are!!!!! You go around freely, with our friends CJ (a large friendly frog) and Newton (a funny firefly). The activities go from Maths, to English, to matching pairs, to listening to songs...to jumping logs and crocs, shooting at aliens from Mars and even playing football!!!! You won't even notice you are learning some key lessons in life, as well as having great fun, and I really recommend this CD ROM to any child from the age of 6 to 10, as you can adjust the levels of the games so it's never to easy! So my advice is...go out there and buy it!!!
by Rachel James

NICE PACKAGE, BUT MS VISTA DOESN'T LIKE IT!, 21 May 2008
Have just loaded MS Office 2007 pack into my PC (XP system) and am very impressed with the new Word 2007 & Excel 2007 layouts. Unfortunately, I also tried to load the software into my wife's laptop (Vista operating system) but Vista doesn't like it - everytime she clicks on the Word 2007 icon the software starts installing itself all over again. Vista is really pretty awful - where's that nice button on Control Panel which says 'Install New Programs' - seems to have disappeared in Vista.


Hateful!, 01 Apr 2008
Not a word I like to use, but the only one I can think of to apply to WORD 2007. I have been using WORD since Microsoft introduced it, probably getting on for 20 years ago. Now I am faced with a completely new interface. It is like learning a new word processing program and I really don't think any firm has the right to thrust something like that on its customers. I am told that Microsoft programmers have designed the interface in a way that responds to the way people actually do things. Really? Didn't it occur to these geeks that THEY were the people who introduced us to WORD in the first place? We use WORD in the way we have learned to use it over the years. So why not just buy another program instead, because with WORD 2007 you will be starting from scratch, your productivity will be down. If you still want one, have mine. I won't be using it.

Out with the old...., 27 Mar 2008
I must say that I DID (read underlined and bold) agree with the comments about it being a terrible system, until that is, I really practiced with it. At first it is very difficult to switch from a previous version of Office to this one, but, with a little practice and a lot of, initial, patience, I feel that the rewards of this system far outweigh the hassles!

I LOVE the new flexibility that has been added to the various parts of the system, and the way the 'Ribbon' (after initially being a bit frustrating due to my using 2003) puts all the tasks you are used to, and more, in easy access tabs. I know that there are those out there who want it to look like the 2003 system as that is the system they are used to (go do a search on the net and you'll find lots of free add-in downloads to do exactly that for you!!). And if you are one of those who likes to move all the icons around, or add your own, then you'll either need to learn how to write in XML, or just add them to the quicktask menu (no different than adding them to a toolbar in 2003!!).
And there is the fact that you can make template packages (Themes) that you can use across the board (Excel, PP, Word, Publisher, et al), the 'Live Preview' function to see what the formatting will look like in your document (it changes the formatting in the document as you hover over the options, not changing it until you click it), et. al.

And don't even get me started on the amazing capabilities of One-Note!! I have a PDA and can now chat away, draw diagrams and scribble notes while away from my computer, then have them import automatically when I cradle it. I have to say that this is one of the most amazing tools I have used for my project work and personal study that I have ever found - It alone makes the price of this worth it to me!

In conclusion, just take your time - leave 2003 installed until you get used to this version (all the programs in the suite will run side-by-side without conflict, bar Outlook) - and get to know the new system! You'll be amazed at the power that has been added ....

.... if you let yourself! ;-)

CJ

The Next Step of Control, 02 Nov 2007
The title can be read in two ways.

If you think that Microsoft are here to control you then you will think that this is the case with this product, however, this is down to a very narrow view point.

I am a Senior Lecturer and work with a range of students who can be very confident with computer but also can be very nervous with them.

Yes if you are use to the earlier versions of Microsoft Office then you might feel frustrated that the items you want are not in the same place, however, on a personal front then I feel they have made it a lot more common sense.

If you want an older version style then why do you want an upgrade to a more modern one? Surely it would be a waste of money and people would be complaining that there is nothing new for the money spent, whereas at present it is a completely different style and a lot more user friendly.

Dealing with one of my specialism subjects, people do not like change as they are forced to come out of their comfort zone. As a result of this then people will complain and want to go back to what they feel comfortable with. If this is the case then I would suggest that you do not consider this package, however, if you are wanting to have a user friendly and better overall package then this is your package.

One element which was a little frustrating was that if you saved the documents and then opened them in an earlier version then all what was seen was machine code. I know that this is always a problem with software when older and newer version are on offer, however, I would have thought that Microsoft would have resolved this in such a manner you do not have to be a technical person to resolve this. There is no problem with respect to an earlier version being read by this version. It is for this reason that I have not given it all of the stars.



You would be mad to buy this, 24 Oct 2007
The title says it all. You really would be mad at the moment to buy this package.

Why? Well do a search on Amazon for "Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition" At the time of writing this review that package costs £81.48.

It includes Word 2007, Excel 2007, Powerpoint 2007 and One Note 2007 - thats 4 products in one box. You also get a licence to install them onto 3 Computers!

As a result this pack is very poor value for money

It does work with Vista!, 27 May 2008
I run an Online Astronomy Group HantsAstro.org. This product, once updated works fine with Vista Premium. Visually it's not as pretty as Starry Night, but for the price offers telescope control with updated ASCOM drivers and runs an LXD75 telescope fine in our tests. The star catalogs are accurate and the interface, once learnt is quite useful, if a little clunky compared to Starry Night. As planetarium software goes, with introduction presentations to the night sky it does quite well. The 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' intro turns from amusing to a bit tacky after the third time you load it, but thankfully this can be turned off. Being able to generate your own reports for a nights oberving is a useful feature. If you want telescope control, this is a good deal but if you want eye candy too and don't mind paying (much) more, then Starry Night is the way to go...

Redshift 6 premium edition is not Vista compatible!, 13 May 2008
This product was advertised on the Amazon website as compatible with Windows Vista. Having just bought the product, the system requirements printed on the box are as follows: Operating System - Windows ME / 2000 / XP / x64.
No mention of Vista. Therefore I am making the assumption it is not Vista compatible. Amazon would be advised to read what is says on the tin before selling it!

Very Good information management system, 03 Dec 2007
I do a lot of private research in many subject areas and this is the best product I have found for the price that allows you to collate information from many electronic sources.

In essence OneNote allows you to create a virtual filing cabinet with different draws into which you can place folders that have notes and sub-notes. The notes and sub-notes can contain virtually any data format including images, drawings, voice or text. During installation plug-ins are added to your Office products and Explorer enabling information to be imported to OneNote very easily and this makes research on the Web very efficient.


Non MS applications 'see' OneNote as an installed printer so any file that can be printed can be sent to OneNote. If you do not want to import the d