I have a spreadsheet created in Excel 2003 that has two columns with
conditional formatting such that if the entry is zero no data appears in
those columns. There is no conditional formatting in any other columns of
this spreadsheet that has many embedded formulae.
When that spreadsheet is opened in Excel 2007, whether or not it is
converted to the 2007 file structure or used in compatibility mode as a 2003
format spreadsheet, Excel 2007 does not let me see data being entered into
any cell as I type. I can see the key strokes appearing in the formula bar
but the cursor remains in the cell. If the data entered is one where
auto-complete applies then part of the cell turns black.
This spreadsheet behaves this way in Excel 2007 run under XP or Vista and
regardless of whether the cell has any or no embedded formulae.
The only way to correct this is to turn off conditional formatting for the
entire sheet, even though only two columns have any conditional formatting
in the entire spreadsheet. I can then reapply the conditional formatting to
those two columns and everything seems to work as it should. This holds true
whether I maintain the spreadsheet in 2003 format or convert to 2007 file
format.
It took me more time than it was worth to figure that out with no help from
Microsoft.
I want to congratulate the geniuses who designed the Ribbon of Abomination
for gifting me this additional annoyance in Excel 2007.
I would also like  to note that on every computer I have used, ranging from
single to Quad core machines, Excel 2007 opens and performs disk access
operations notably slower than Excel 2003 in both XP and Vista, the latter
imposing time by your wristwatch performance penalties of its own. I presume
the geniuses who programmed Vista gifted Office 2007 with the fruits of
their misbegotten labors.
If Microsoft cannot deliver performance or usability what advantage is there
to using local Excel over using web based applications? With the Ribbon of
Abomination Microsoft has destroyed familiarity with the product as reason
for users to keep using Excel.
I cannot be alone in looking at other options.