Well, it turns out that there was one tiny little thing that I've forgotten to do with my book's manuscript. I totally overlooked the page numbers. To be perfectly honest I haven't needed them all this time. I'm so intimately familiar with my book, I can zero in on any part of the 140,000-some work. Page numbers seemed like an afterthought, at best.
Those are what I'm trying to implement. But I'm having a surprising amount of difficulty. What I need to happen is for the numbering to begin several pages in, after the dedication, at the start of part one.
But I can't do that straightforward. I doubt anyone can. Doing so requires some splitting the manuscript into sections and that is a task all its own. And then giving each section its own numbering.
I'm sure this lends itself toward boasting about Microsoft Word's prowess. Buuuuut...
There has to be a much simpler way of doing this. Come to think of it, there are quite a few things that Word could do better. Recently a friend was lamenting on how imprecise Word is when comes to placing images. Among other issues that I've heard of across the years.
It's enough to make me wonder: is Microsoft actively monitoring the issues that have arisen in Word? Or has the company rested too much on its laurels with arguably its flagship productivity software?
Because seriously, when was the last time that Microsoft really lauded serious innovation in Word? I can't think of much going all the way back to the arrival of Windows 95, thirty years ago last month. Oh sure, there have been numerous refinements of the program... but a serious examination under the hood for purpose of - gasp! - improving it?
I'll say it if nobody else will or can: Microsoft Word needs to be rebuilt. From the bottom-up and the inside-out. The company needs to make a comprehensive list of all the requests and concerns and take them into account and recreate their product. And then produce a Word that will set the platinum standard once again for word processing.
They can do this. We know that they can. We will absolutely appreciate it if they do. Well, this writer in particular certainly shall.
Come on Microsoft. I don't know if one humble blogger might have any sway with you. But I know that I'm not alone and I think you know it, too.
Reboot Word. You know you should. Microsoft's original mission was to put a computer on every desktop: a tool for letting its users achieve the impossible. Redesigning Word would be in keeping with that, and very much so.
