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Posted on 02/22/2008 7:34:37 PM PST by Swordmaker
Microsoft offered Mac fans both good news and bad news on Thursday, and it all depends on which version of Office for Mac one is using.
The software maker said that it plans on March 11 to deliver the first update to Office 2008 for Mac, delivering several key fixes. At the same time though, it has again pushed out the release of converters needed by users of Office 2004 to read documents saved in the new XML file formats used by Office 2007 for Windows.
"The team is mobilized to get Office 2008 updates out as soon as possible," Microsoft said in a blog posting. "As a result we are pushing back the release of the final Open XML File Format Converter Update to Office 2004 for Mac."
Microsoft said that it now expects to make the converter available by late June. Most recently the company had said final converters would be released six to eight weeks after Office 2008 was released in the U.S. However, that timeline was already delayed from Microsoft's original plan, which called for the tools to be available by late 2006 or early 2007.
By further delaying the converters as more documents are created in Office 2007's new file formats, the software maker is creating more headaches for Mac users, particularly those with older systems. Microsoft does have a beta version of its converter.
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ABOUT DARNED TIME...!
What this all boils down to... why add this new proprietary file format support to older versions of your software, when you can include it in the newest version (paid upgrade, of course) and make money off of it...
Open Office works pretty good on my MacBook Pro. Who needs MSFT?
OpenOffice / NeoOffice is good and free. I recently switched to iWork ‘08. Beautiful. I was able to start right in using Pages without even reading any documentation. The interface is simple without the overwhelming icon-itis of M/S Office.
I am wondering if it is woth the money to upgrade from iWork ‘07? Can anyone give me input on this? Also comparing Numbers to Excel?
iWork isn’t that expensive. I’m running old excel files on it. For me, it’s money well spent.
Numbers is what I bought iWork for - I get a lot of Excel attachments from work that I would need to launch windows to view. Excel’s always been a PITA to me, and I rarely create documents in it. I’m an IT guy - very technical. I don’t do a lot of financial calculations, but lots of matrix work.
I find I use numbers a lot - by choice. The ability to create multiple tables on one sheet is great!! I’ve had a number of colleagues comment on that feature - it’s a ‘data’ vs ‘information’ thing. I can’t speak to how Numbers compares in terms of complex formula’s, but in terms of entering and presenting data, Numbers kicks ass.
I've also talked with some dyed-in-the-wool Windows users who are not happy with the new M/S Office for Windows. They say it is hard to find basic operational commands and they can't get use to the new 'ribbon'.
I recently worked setting up office ‘08 on OSX an ‘07 on XP.
I can just tell you, good luck.
I had to buy extra software to convert some of the folders,
and I still was not able to convert everything.
But, you have to love Boot camp.
Do a Google search for it... I found a family pack (5 licenses) for $47.50 on the web a month ago... Makes it real inexpensive.
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