[MW Forums]

A Universal version of Office that runs natively on Intel- and PowerPC-based Macs will be available in the second half of 2007. more

[deemery]

The big question is whether Microsoft changes its mind about VB macros in this release. Without this capability, there's no reason for me to spend anything on the update, as it won't open about 75% of the documents I recieve these days that do contain macros. I'd be better off with the current version (in emulation, my MacBook Pro is in the mail) and the XML translators.
dave

[MGP]

Ditto's on this. If Mac users will be unable to use MOST of the spreadsheets we get from Windows users because of Visualbasic Scripting then we (meaning most business offices) cannot upgrade to it. If nothing else were added and 100 cross-platform support with VB was there it would be a MUST UPGRADE situation. As it is it is barely functional. Sadly, we will most likely still need to emulate the Win version to survive.

[heisetax]

Quote:

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The big question is whether Microsoft changes its mind about VB macros in this release. Without this capability, there's no reason for me to spend anything on the update, as it won't open about 75% of the documents I recieve these days that do contain macros. I'd be better off with the current version (in emulation, my MacBook Pro is in the mail) and the XML translators.
dave

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The lack of VB support in Mac Office 2008 will probably keep me from updating. I have no problem running Mac Office 2004 on my Intel Mac Pro. This lack of sales will give MS a reason to stop writting a Mac version in the future.
Bill the TaxMan

[griffman]

I intend to ask that exact question in their booth, and if I get any useful info, I'll post it. FYI, NeoOffice has announced that they will have full Excel VB Macro support in an upcoming Q1 2007 release.
-rob.

[ibeetle]

Quote:

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NeoOffice has announced that they will have full Excel VB Macro support in an upcoming Q1 2007 release.

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and with that support (as well as with continued development) NeoOffice is making (Microsoft) Office less significant; at least to the Apple community.
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As word processing goes which do you use griffman? If that is not too personal a question? Appleworks? NeoOffice? Office '04?
Do many of the Macworld staff use the same program? Can anyone use what ever they are most comfortable with?
I was asking because I was just curious what a publisher uses in the business world. or How important is Office these days with so many competitors.

[OpticDisc]

I want to know about Excel and WEB QUERIES. They seen quite clunky compared to the PC version of office.. if they improve on those, I'll upgrade.

[macimmortal]

Microsoft is once again leaving Mac users out in the cold. There are at least two (probably more) third party solutions to translate docx Word files:
http://www.panergy-s...rter/index.html

and

http://docx-converter.com/widget/
Do you really expect me to believe that these small developers can toss off these projects as quickly as they have, yet Microsoft can't fix Office 2004 with an update to translate from the new file format to the old in a timely manner?
Please...I'm done with MS /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

[pairof9s]

"Office 2008"...I guess that says it all. It'll be late Q4 before we see this.
I really am becoming accustomed to NeoOffice. While 2004 does perfectly well on Intel Macs, I like the one-app approach of NeoOffice. I'm not sure if Mac users will see a need for 2008 by the time it ships, given the performance of 2004, the free XML converters for 2007 PC Office, the withdrawal of key Excel features and the alternatives now abounding.
I really think Microsoft doesn't understand what kind of an assault they are under from all areas of computing. Sure, they'll make billions from the PC stooges who know no better but it won't be the tens of billions as before. There just doesn't seem to be as much a need for "new" Microsoft software these days.
Of course, I'm probably dead wrong!
/

[TomT]

Three Words:
FULL EXCHANGE CAPABILITY?????

That is all.

[pairof9s]

Plus...in all the hoopla today, I realized not a single thing was stated about iWork, iLife or even Leopard! This is "Macworld" Expo, remember?! I guess these are to be discussed at a later date. Still, I'd have thought iLife would be mentioned w/ the iTunes/iPod slant. I'm really curious about a new iWork w/ a spreadsheet option.
/

[tuqqer]

All I want is a kick-butt improvement of Entourage, some reason to continue not to switch to Mail/iChat/Address Book blah blah. The rest of the Office apps I don't need improvements on.

[David_Foster]

Without VB macros, full exchange capability, and file compatibility right out of the box (non-beta) I think we can sum up this version of MacOffice as too little, too late and irrelevant to boot.

[kaesau]

MS Access (intel only)? All their excuses are gone!