Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010 (Product Key Card) - Windows

I wanted Outlook at home because I was used to using it. It was also a bonus to get PowerPoint so I can work on work presentations at home without bring home my work laptop. I also use Word and Excel occasionally. I haven't used One Note before, but I do like it. It's what I wanted, but it seems to be expensive...which is the going price. Not much you can do about it if you want Microsoft Office at home.

This software upgrade has so many changes from the version available from 2005. It does take some getting used to as many routine items in Word or Excel are not where you expect to find them. A MS Office user can use the product but may find they spend a good deal of time search for the little things like routine icons, etc. that initial overalll production is lower. I had to call for assistance a few times to find basic things like the 'open file' icon in Word. Luckily I have IT tech people who are related and I was able to get this assistance quickly and free. Overall a good product but be prepared for a learning curve.

Basically easy to install - no problems. Bundled price much better than getting individual components. Moved from 2002 Office Suite to 2010 when upgrading to new laptop and latest Windows. Word documents and pictures had no problems, other than getting used to new locations of options. Extensive on-line Help available, but still pretty upsetting when first dealing with it. Geek Squad assisted.. Only real concern was Outlook files. Had 2002 version of Office Suite with Carbonite back-up of extensive e-mail files. Installing Outlook 2010 built basic .psp files, which interfered with Carbonite's fully restoring older data. Carbonite support was able to get all files restored but it took a week to put things back in order. Condider completing restore of Outlook files before loading that piece of software, although this might create different installation issues.

I thought the product key would be in the expensive peice of cardboard but I had to create a Microsoft account first to get the key. I just don't want another account and another password to remember.

What can I say other than the new MS office is so different from older versions and more difficult to adjust settings. The layout and functionality seems to have been created by a child. It has a sloppy layout and ergonomically not setup for ease of use. Poor job by Microsoft.

As an ex employee of Microsoft, one would assume that I love their products. Not True! I bought Office because I had to (all my previous 15 years of data/life built around Outlook, Word, Excel, etc). That being said, they need to improve the process, drop their pricing and throw away Internet Explorer (IE 9). Windows 7 is a nightmare with all types of bugs, fixes, issues, freezes, constant upgrades, etc.... Consider me not a willing victim and someday I will get the nerve to totally walk away completely from everything MSFT does unless they totally reinvent themselves and do it quickly.

Why does MS always assume you want a document to be auto-saved? And who decided what the default fonts would be for Office? And the margins settings... etc. Instead of having to hunt for and fix each of MS's bad default choices, users should be presented with a one page menu the first time they open any Office app and asked to pick their starting defaults. Although identical to Office 2007 in most ways, MS always has to change a few things just to annoy you. I recommend Office, because there is no viable alternative.

Microsoft Product Key Cards has 2 differant versions, the old one that has a number under a black tape strip really sucks. When you pull off the tape, the number will be damaged and you can not read the number. If you get the newer version with a scratch-off, and the number under it, you should be fine. DO NOT leave the store until you check that you can read the key number. I had to drive an hour back to the store to get the card replaced. FYI: Microsoft said they could not help me even though this is a Microsoft product.