[Toe_MW]

I CAN"T WAIT!!!!!
(for the Mac-native version of Open Office)
http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/

P.S. As a reminder, you do not need to be a programmer to contribute to an open source project. Help out OpenOffice for Mac!
http://contributing.openoffice.org/

[heisetax]

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You won't, and you're out of luck. I'm planning on continuing to use Office 2004, though I may try Open Office/NeoOffice, which now supposedly supports Excel macros (I haven't tested it yet).
-rob.

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I'm like you are far as still using Excel 2004. But unlike you the use of NeoOffice or OpenOffice will not do enough to replace my income tax prop program written in Excel.
If Excel for the Mac has the ribbons like Excel for Windows does, I probably wouldn't use the new version of Excel anyway. The problem is I still have about 2 courses at school that are built around MS Ofice for Windows. The Word is that school will change to MS OFfice 2007 & Vista in August for the fall term.
But the lack of macros will keep me from changing to Office 2008 for the Mac. But the lack of features will keep me from changing to one of the other Office programs. I really do not expect Apple to write an Office replacement. Say I am wrong & they add a spreadsheet, the spreadsheet probably not have the needed features in it for at least several updates, if ever. Pages is pretty looking, but lacks many features.
Excel already has 2 strikes against it & its not even out yet. Excel 11 or as mentioned before, Excel 2004 will have to last for a long time to come. It runs fast enugh on my Intel Mac Pro. So why upgrade?
Bill the TaxMan

[heisetax]

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What about the news they're dropping VBA in this release. What will that mean for 2004-created Macros, and how will we be able to create new Excel macros?

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As if M$ has sold any copies of Office 2007. Since no one will be upgrading to the new Office on either platform, I wouldn't worry to much about this pending upgrade.

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You better watch out there about no one upgrading or at least having MS Office 2007. I was given a free copy for going to a Vista Office 2007 kick-off show in early jan. 2007. That way if I do not use it for anything other than school starting in the fall, I will only have spent the amount of money that it is worth to me.
I think we will have to stop using the term upgrading when we refer to MS Office 2007 or 2008. Maybe the term changing to or maybe just plain using temporarilly will have to be used. I've had the Windows version of Office 2007 since sometime last summer. Because I've used MS Excel since its first days in 1984-85 for the Mac, the use of ribbons will require a complete relearning of the program if I am to use it. It took me well over 15 minutes to figure out how to use the simple GOTO command. Then when I needed to do it again I had to start the same process over again. I think that it took even longer the second time. After that I tried not to use any command that I could not get to work on the single toolbar. I have a 23" & 30" screens so I can have a very long 1 line tool bar.
Bill the TaxMan

[schalliol]

Certainly I'll be able to write some new macros, right? It's one thing to re-write them, but it's another to omit them.
Excel is valuable particularly because of its compatibility to Windows Excel. If I get a Windows Excel file with the new Macros, I'll be able to use this converter to use in Office 2004 at least, right?

[griffman]

You will be able to code macros, in some fashion, using AppleScript -- but only using AppleScript. There won't, it seems, be a "record macro" button in the new version of Office, for instance. You'll have to hand-code in AppleScript -- at least, that's my understanding after talking with them at Macworld Expo in January.
Things may change before release, but as of now, I believe that's where things stand.
-rob.

[Grapho]

If memory serves me right, didn't AppleScript include a record feature back in the System 8/9 days. I have not used AppleScript since then, so I am not sure if this was carried over, or if it might be included in Leopard.

[SPOOF]

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I CAN"T WAIT!!!!!
(for the Mac-native version of Open Office)
http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/
P.S. As a reminder, you do not need to be a programmer to contribute to an open source project. Help out OpenOffice for Mac!
http://contributing.openoffice.org/

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While I completely support OpenOffice, and what they are doing, I find it also important to mention the following.
NeoOffice, found at [www.neooffice.org|"www.neooffice.org"], uses OpenOffice with a native Mac OS X front end already. It is slightly slower, and may have some slightly different interface issues, but it is easy enough for most anybody to install and use, since it just runs under Mac OS X without extras like X11 being required.
OpenOffice, currently, requires X11 and some additional knowledge to make run in the Mac environment. The push by Sun to help them will bring this to being a fully native Mac GUI so that anybody can easily install and use it.
I can't wait to see the OpenOffice update happen, however NeoOffice is a good solution for those that want to give it a test drive now, but don't have X11 installed, nor the will to learn more at this time.

[SPOOF]

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If memory serves me right, didn't AppleScript include a record feature back in the System 8/9 days. I have not used AppleScript since then, so I am not sure if this was carried over, or if it might be included in Leopard.

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It is there, but doesn't work very reliably.

[Bloobie]

You will need to migrate over to AppleScript. The April issue of MacTech magazine contains a guide for transitioning from VBA over to AppleScript, and you may also download a PDF version from them as well.
MacTech Guide

[macimmortal]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h....TEARS IN MY FREAKIN EYES
The largest software company in the world with the most cash assets can only muster a stand-alone converter when open source programmers directly integrated .docx conversionn into OpenOffice/NeoOffice over THREE WEEKS earlier. What a joke. I'm done. I will never recommend MS Office again.
Ok...I'm back because the above comment isn't helpful. Let me try again. If ANYONE who works at Microsoft sees this, please send this to Ballmer and Gates:
Dear Microsoft,
Please...for the love of all...COMPETE. Don't freakin manipulate, cheat, FUD-fest, litigate, or abuse patents. COMPETE! YOU HAVE SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED PROGRAMMERS in the world (ok...so I've heard you stole most of them from Apple...let's not split hairs). Use those programmers to their fullest and COMPETE! You absolutely CANNOT win by pulling this stuff. We might actually buy your products if you turned your talented staff loose and let them COMPETE.
Signed,
Sick and Tired of this Cr*p (btw, I represent the freakin world)

[schalliol]

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You will be able to code macros, in some fashion, using AppleScript -- but only using AppleScript.

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Thanks, Rob. Now, if I can use external apps with Excel's AppleScript (inc. Automator), that could provide enhanced abilities over the existing VBA. That could be interesting. However, it really creates problems for those of us in the corporate world who may exchange workbooks with outside individuals likely not using Macs.

[lwdesign]

Another classic case of Microsoft "knowing what's best for us" and missing the boat entirely. How nice it would be to rave about Microsoft's products for the Mac. Wouldn't it be great to say, "hey, have you seen the newest updates to Office? Boy, they sure work great and help me get a lot more done, and are easier to use and more functional than the previous version."
I would LOVE to be able to say that. Instead, I constantly feel betrayed and somewhat put-upon that I have to use this software that is clunky to say the least. After all the complaints you'd think that Microsoft would get it and make real innovative changes toward ease of use, increased functionality and intuitiveness. Instead they continue to hand out the same old thing with new "features" (read: security systems) and reduced functionality (read: deleting VBA support).
It seems they should actually listen to their customers--but that may be an impediment to their business plans.

[griffman]

Yea, I wrote about this issue a while back in an opinion piece, covering why I thought it was an absolutely terrible business decision:
Microsoft makes a Basic mistake with Office 2007
-rob.

[jelockwood]

Not only is Office 2007 losing VBA support [by far the biggest failing in Office 2007, and it has already resulted in Microsoft loosing tens of thousands of dollars worth of upgrades from my company alone], but once again Microsoft are going to fail to add support for right-to-left languages like Hebrew and Arabic, despite the fact that Mac OS X has supported this for years, and that many, many other word processors including NeoOffice already do this on the Mac.
I am fed up Microsoft keep boasting their Mac Business Unit is the biggest team of Mac developers outside Apple when they produce so little, and of such poor quality.
Go ahead Microsoft, make my day and discontinue Office.
I look forward to the end of 2007 when we can all see the massive flop that Office 2008 will turn out to be.
Microsoft should stick to what they are good at - making mice and keyboards.