Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Installation

With a release data getting closer, let's see how the Trial version installs. Remember that I had had the Beta version installed, and that I had then upgraded to Beta2, found it awkward, and deleted it.

That done, I physically deleted the folder from c:\Program Files and ran the ToniArts EasyCleaner 2.0.5 to flush out now-redundant registry entries.

The whole process took significantly less than 30 minutes. I say less than because the time-stamps on my screen snapshots show less than 30 minutes, and some of that time was spent back-tracking to see what happens if I cancel and restart installation, and taking and saving snapshots.

When installation was complete, I ran Word2007, and then ran Word97, Word2000 and Word2003 for good measure. There appeared no major conflict between the 2007Trial and earlier installed versions of Word.
The Download
Two files are required for download. Think of them as X12 and X13 for obvious reasons. They total 650MB on your hard drive.

I had seen no indication on the web site as to which to run first, so I tossed a coin and lost. Run the X12 before the X13. There is probably a ReadMe file somewhere on the web site. It's not a big deal. I would have been happier if the installation process had recognized my mistake, found the X12 in the folder, and run that file for me.

The previous files (all files other than my X12 and X13) are probably redundant. I had left them in the folder because I hate throwing anything away; two minutes after emptying the recycle bin, I want the files back.

Installation fired up, and I was happy until I noticed that a Program Files was involved, and I hadn't been consulted. I'm rather particular about folders, having managed to corral Office into folders "Office1997", "Office2000", "Office2003" and "Office2007" in my previous efforts.

Where will today's installation take me? "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12" by the look of it; no ifs ands or buts. Pity. It spoils my nice arrangement.

The product key is emailed to you. Looks like this "W6EE3-KZSYM-KSD93-DC3KW-SY8PG" (but that's not my real product key). Write it down. Or better yet, save it in your file Passwords.DOC, and yes, I know we don't call it that.

What happens if you don't supply your key?

You get a warning that suggests you might be nagged more often than you'd like, so you may was well key it in.

Once the software is installed, a pop-up warns you that you have installed the Trial version. It says and suggests that I have only so many days (in my case it tuned out to be two months), after which not all the features will be available.

At this time I'd assume (again, without having bothered to read the documentation) that after March 31st I'll be able to open existing files, but not save any changes; that sort of thing.

Then you register across the Internet. So now Microsoft has identified me by an email address and some machine characteristic.

Frankly, I'm not that worried about it all.

I am in the habit of reinstalling Windows every 9 or 12 months anyway, as part of my procedures for flushing out old software traces.

And here I am in Word2007. The clock in the lower-right corner indicates 11:21, but remember, some of the time had been spent restarting installation, making notes, and so on.

For What It's Worth, my MRUse facility worked from the get go. This is a "contingency" test if you like, because MRUse access registry entries for all versions of Office. That MRUse did not fall over gives me confidence in Office2007.

The next time I loaded Office2007, after a quick run of Office2000, I was greeted with a re-configuration pop-up. I hoped this would not be a regular feature of alternating between running versions.

And soon my first problem reared its ugly head.

Here part of my Under (the hood) utility has failed. This utility ran well in 2007Beta and 2007Beta2, but in 2007Trial it seems that the command bar object has problems.

I'll be examining this in my blog Office 2007 for the Developer.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home