Did you just complain about the default font size in a word processing app? Really, you can dig deeper than that next time you want to criticize Microsoft.
No but its just one of the pesky things that shouldn't be. Most people are typing things on word that are formal or formal-like. Meaning, they want TNR font, pt 12, and perhaps 1 inch margins double spaced. Of course, Microsoft wouldn't know that because rather than listening to users they're trying to buy yahoo to expand their horizons.
I'm not really trying to criticize microsoft, I just felt that I should point out that Microsoft seems to be overreaching in terms of the things its trying to do and pushing "ahead" when many aren't really ready or willing to deal with the changes they make. Are they listening to their customers anymore or are they simply assuming that people will use their stuff because thats all they know to use?
Seems to me its the latter, and that they're going ahead to be a jack-of-all-trades instead of doing what they do well.
You misunderstand Microsoft. They listen to their customers probably more than any other software company I know. Unfortunately, they have way more customers than any other software company I know. Hence the feature creep. They'll pretty much add anything people ask for (especially if people = big companies paying $75/Office seat). The definition of "what they do well" is Office, and in particular the fact that it's a jack of all trades, and a master of most.
As for the default font, I believe it's actually Calibri, which is a great sans serif font. Personal preference will dictate whether it's appropriate for your uses, but that's why it's a dropdown menu and not a hardcoded value. If I had to guess why they left Times New Roman, I would guess because based on their collected statistics more people use sans serif fonts, or maybe just that it's more readable. Also, TNR is pretty ugly.
Yeah you're right...that makes sense. But how would they collect statistics on whether people use sans serif fonts more? Because at a glance, it seems serif is used more. Students, teachers, professors and professional people who use office need formality, thus serif seems to be the obvious answer...
At any rate, yeah I guess it makes sense to me now. I still maintain that I feel like I'm drowning in the new interface for office though. Thanks for the insight.
