The September 2005 edition of Microsoft’s Professional Developers Conference got under way today with a keynote address by Bill Gates and a “live preview” of the next version of Office, according to a CNET report.

“With the next version of Office–currently dubbed Office 12–Microsoft plans to change the user interface to better fit the task a person is performing. The new look will apply to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access and parts of Outlook,” CNET reports.

“The first test version of Office 12 is due in fall 2005, and the finished product in the second half of 2006,” CNET reports.

More images here.

A Slashdot blurb states, “Bearing more than a passing resemblance to Aqua and brushed metal looks from Mac OS X the menus now appear to operate more like a tab popping-out the right toolbar instead of a sub-menu.”

Full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: There’s a reason why the Microsofties up in Redmond call Apple “R&D South.” Microsoft is perpetually behind the curve, as Apple has already moved on from brushed metal with their latest iTunes 5 for Windows interface.

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