Advice about Windows Vista

Staff in the office of Information Technologies (IT) are currently testing and evaluating Microsoft's new Vista operating system. The most important thing for you to know is that, although Vista itself appears quite robust, some software is not yet compatible with Vista.

Upgrade and Purchase Recommendations

Before making a decision, look at the work you do and the software you use to do that work. Our current advice is as follows:

• If you are able to do the work you need to do with your current Windows computer, do not upgrade from Windows XP to Vista at this time.
• If purchasing a new computer, check to verify that the software you use will work with Vista before you purchase a Vista computer. (Two good resources to check for more information: Microsoft's listing; University of Wisconsin listing).
• If buying a computer with Microsoft Vista, we'd recommend that most UD faculty and staff purchase a license for Vista Business. Vista Business or Vista Home Premium are both good matches for student computers. For more information on the different versions of Vista, visit this Microsoft web site or contact the Technology Solutions Center [302-831-8895 or tsc-info@udel.edu].

Saving Microsoft Office 2007 Files for Compatibility with Other Programs

If you run Office 2007 on your computer and want to e-mail a Word 2007 document to a colleague or to a student, the file will not open if that individual does not also use Word 2007.

However, you can still share files with others who do not use Office 2007. To do so, you must use the "Save As" feature to save files in an older, compatible format.

You need to save files in this format because Office 2003 for Windows and Macintosh computers as well as other word processors cannot currently open an Office 2007 file.

Follow these steps to save a file created in Office 2007 as a file compatible with older programs:

1. Open Word 2007.
2. Click the Office Button in the upper-left corner of the screen.
3. Click Save As.
4. Click Word 97-2003 Document.
5. Select where you want to save the file (e.g., the desktop).
6. Type a name for the file.
7. Click Save.

Now when you send the document to a colleague, even if that individual does not use Office 2007, the file will open in the program that he or she uses. For more help, contact the IT Help Center.