After much anticipation, Beta 2 has arrived and is now publicly available. Anyone can visit the Preview site (this is the UK link), download the programs and take the 2007 Microsoft Office system out for a spin.

So, first impressions... If, as with people, we form an opinion within a minute of meeting them, how does 2007 Office shape up?

1.    It’s different. This is a big change from the 2003 version. A lot of the talk on the Preview site, is about the new “user interface” (horrible expression). What it boils down to is that 2007 Office looks very different from previous versions. Nobody will be asking “so how exactly is this new?” – it hits you straight in the face (not literally, clearly).

2.    It’s sort of the same. Sure, it looks different and you could tell from 10 yards whether someone was using 2007 or a previous version, but it’s still somehow familiar. The button for bold hasn’t changed and ctrl+s still saves your work. I could sit down and write a letter without really having to think about it – this isn’t a case of starting from scratch.

3.    Darwin would be proud. 2007 Office embodies the survival of the fittest – well, the most used :-). Everything you used to do is there, but better – easier, simpler, and much more visual. And the stuff you do the most (according to vast amounts of usability testing) is easiest to find.

If this was a party, 2007 Office would be the old school friend who’s got a new haircut and finally discovered fashion; the person you’ve known for ages but who’s only just coming out of their shell. You'd definitely be going over to say hello!