Visuals: Just like Windows Vista, Office 12 has got a tremendous amount of graphical eye candy. So much so that it has started to resemble the Microsoft Office version for Mac with all the brushed metal finishing and integrated menus with no cluttering of menu bar separators among other things.

The second thing you’ll notice about the software is the arrangement of icons and commands. They are more tasks oriented than structured and categorised, unlike previous versions. The concept, as stated previously, is to make the interface more intuitive and features easily accessible.

The word document background is now textured like a fine mesh instead of the mass of grey that the current office shows.

Apart from the menu and the brushed metal look snitched from the Mac version of office, there aren’t any major changes that will throw you off. Overall, we think it looks quite pleasant and pretty.  

User Interface: There has been just one mantra for Microsoft in Office 12: easy accessibility of existing features. The priority of this mission has been so high that they haven’t included too many new features, although they have included some, and they promise to bring you to a level of convenience where you can easily label yourself as an indolent user.

Ribbon: The first change in the user interface is something that has been codenamed "ribbon". At the outset, before we begin explaining the ribbon in detail, there just isn’t any more function toolbars or drop down menus. They have all been more or less replaced by the ribbon.

What exactly is so amazingly impressive about it? Well, the ribbon is all about authoring, whether you are creating a .doc file, a presentation or an excel sheet. This is the one-stop-shop for all commands related to it. Below is what the Ribbon looks like in Microsoft word. 

Credit: Microsoft

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