Up till now, I've been using Office 2003 and have been very happy with it.

But we've been forced to upgrade to 2007.

Why oh why oh why do people insist on having the world's biggest icons. I'm not frikkin blind.

Try running an Office 2007 application on a 800x600 screen resolution - you wouldn't be able to do anything because half your screen would be composed of noddy-sized icons.

I'm sorry, but I want to have the maximum working area on my screen. Desktop realestate is too valuable to have half of it taken up by useless icons. They don't need to be pretty, they need to be small and discreet allowing me to work.

Over the last five years or so, the usable desktop area has increased with large resolution monitors. But with bloated icon size apps like these, it's taking us back to Windows 3.0

:orb_mad::soapbox::soapbox:

Subtle hint: anyway to return to the normal 16x16 px icon size or whatever they were so I can get my desktop back? :(

Edited 22 June, 200917 yr by tfboy

Can't 'Google up' anything but in Office 2003 if you right click in Menu area you will see Customize at bottom.

Then under Options there is 'Large icons' - maybe similar in Office 2007.

Forget it - just tried a portable version and no such options.

Try the Classic menu addons

Classic Menu for Office 2007 - Free software downloads and reviews - CNET Download.com

supposed to be shareware but they state cannot see time out period anywhere.

Office (Classic) Menu Addins for Office 2007

Edit

And the truly freeware one I was originally thinking about but couldn't find before.

UbitMenu: use the Office 2003 interface in Office 2007 | freewaregenius.com

Edited 22 June, 200917 yr by anonymouse
cos

if screen real esate is of such importance to you what are you doing with 90's resolution :P

Yeah the icons annoy me on my laptop with it being widescreen, they seem much better suited to 4:3 profile. On the plus side once you get used to it I do think the new setup is quicker.

And do you want your desktop icons smaller too ?

Who uses 800x600 these days? lol

Who uses 800x600 these days? lol

I think he's not too Xavvy about computer 'things' :P

I was just making an analogy. If you had to work with office 2000 / 2003 but had a 800x600 res monitor, you'd think you don't have a lot of space to work. With the big chunky icons of 2007, the benefits of a larger resolution are lost with those frikkin icons so it's almost as if you're going back 10 years in desktop realestate :(

I know people and the marketing blurb says the new ribbon system should be quicker, but with my initial musings, I just can't seem to get to the options I had before, and I didn't have a customised menu before either...

Thanks for the links. Will have a look

My point of complaint is not so much the new system which I hope I'll get used to and find my icons, it was more the unecessary waste of space for the sake of having pretty icons. I don't need an already enlarged icon to have text underneath it saying "copy". I already know what a copy icon looks like

I hate the Office 2007 look.

Why I've stayed with 2003 (despite the addons to 'cure' the menus).

And to read 2007 formats Microsoft do have patches so 2003 can open 2007 docx etc files.

Customise the Quick Access toolbar, then minimize the ribbon? About all I can come up with I'm afraid.

Steve

It should be aptly named 'Fisher Price Office 2007'

These big icons are a pain, you can't find anything easily.