Fun in Phoenix

I'm in Phoenix, Arizona. Microsoft held what they called a "launch event" here for the new version of Windows: Windows Vista, and the new Office 2007 release. And let's be clear. The fact that it is 70 degrees had nothing to do with my deciding that I needed to attend this launch event.

Why do we radio guys care about this? Time savings. We all need to save time. And a lot of us rely on a combination of Windows and the various Office programs to help us get through the paperwork every day.

Well, from the front line, I can report that it looks really good. There are a lot of improvements, and synergies, that will be part of the new software. And the learning curve has not proven to be too steep.

Yes, I can hear you Apple fans in the background. Microsoft is only "catching up" with things you've been used to for months or years. Fine. You're probably right. And it is equally good news that Apple moves forward all the time, particularly if they drag Microsoft along.

My suggestions:

1. Get Vista. Get Office 2007. Install them. The sooner you do, the sooner you're gaining the benefits. I think it is safe to say that they are both going to be around for a long time.

2. Get one of the introductory books about Vista and read it. Investiment time: perhaps 4 hours. Worth it.

3. Office? Frankly, you can figure out most of the new features and changes on your own. But if you find that your job involves more time with Word, Excel and Powerpoint than it does with Selector, you might want to check out your local bookstore or Amazon.

4. Outlook 2007 is another thing. It is greatly enhanced. it can help you organize your life, save your job and stay sane. Spending some time with a book on how to use it as a powerful personal infomation manager would probably be very useful. If you're using any other mail program, you might be missing out on the best solution to managing your time, tasks and communication.