I hate the paperclip too, but you can turn it off. Giving choices is the key, which to Microsofts credit (in regards to MSWord at least<g>) it does. Not many people would download the paperclip and while the technology is annoying; someday when the AI is there, it will be quite useful. Also too, those 'assistences' are useful for people who need assesstence, but most of us on this formum have been using junk like computers and word processors for so long we don't need them...but other people (e.g. my little sister who has to ask me how to make a new document) can and do benefit from such technologies.

In the end, its perhaps Microsoft trying to cater to a wide audience that annoys us. In trying to cater to everyone, in evitably they annoying someone. Usually its the high and more proficient users of the computer world; but it seems we are in the minority to the majority of users...Still I don't mind word too much, its just getting to know it and disabling junk...

What really pisses me off is when company's don't let you turn stuff off or make it so complex you need 2 hrs worth of time to figure it out and disable it. Like in XP, Microsoft practically embedded msn messenger with their OS and certainly outlook.

Oh and I agree, its impossible to test all the bugs these days on most programs without heavy beta testing, and most co's don't seem to like to spend that much time...

m