Microsoft to Extend Support for Office 2004 Until 2012

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/10/12/microsoft-to-extend-support-for-office-2004-until-2012/)

Microsoft today announced (http://www.officeformac.com/blog/Office-2004-Mainstream-Support-Has-Been-Extended) that it will extend Mainstream Support for Office 2004 for Mac through January 10th, 2012. The company had previously announced (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/04/20/microsoft-to-end-support-for-office-2004-in-october/) that support would end on October 13th, 2009, but in light of the significant number of users still using Office 2004 in order to take advantage of Visual Basic features missing in Office 2008, Microsoft has decided to extend support for Office 2004 well beyond Office 2010's launch planned for late 2010 that will bring back Visual Basic features to the company's Office suite on the Mac platform.While most customers have upgraded to Office 2008 for Mac, some have remained on Office 2004 in order to take advantage of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), which is supported in Office 2004, but did not make it into Office 2008. Today I am happy to share that we have extended the Mainstream Support date for Office 2004, originally scheduled to end October 13, 2009, through January 10, 2012.

The date has been extended to 2012 specifically to ensure continuous cross-platform compatibility for Office 2004 customers reliant on VBA until support for VBA is released in the next version of Office for Mac.

Article Link: Microsoft to Extend Support for Office 2004 Until 2012 (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/10/12/microsoft-to-extend-support-for-office-2004-until-2012/)

[thegoldenmackid]

Gotta love .docx

[KingYaba]

So... why don't they just update 2008 for VBA support?

[rdowns]

This is a good thing. Let's not turn this into the inevitable Microsoft bashing.

[amusiccale]

Well, that's impressive. Glad to hear it.

[Rocketman]

This is some rare good news from Microsoft.

I have a suggestion for you, MS. Do a software update on O-M-04 to bring it compatible with current file formats from that point rearward, just like Apple did a "last known photo" update for Tiger at 10.4.11 before the early-mid-life Leopard updates started ramping.

Then 8 years into O-M-08 do the same file and media format compatibility update before tossing it to the curb in favor of whatever is next.

Real people need real file compatibility. Computers are tools to users just like they are revenue sources to MS. Heck, do something radical yet welcome. Charge $19.95 for the "final compatibility update" for the elder package. Bring new revenue from old software. Some people have BOTH 04 and 08 so you will get double the money.

Last I checked, you were in business to make money and satisfy customers. Maybe it's time to focus on your modal customers.

Just a suggestion from the people at Rocketman.

Rocketman

[longofest]

So... why don't they just update 2008 for VBA support?

They have said that re-writing the visual basic runtime for Mac OS X-Intel is extremely resource intensive due to the amount of low-level code that it uses. Keep in mind that the original PPC code has been around for a decade or more (Office is a carbon application).

Therefore, Microsoft considers an Intel-native Mac OS X Visual Basic runtime to be a major feature and worthy of a paid upgrade, not a free upgrade to Office 2008.

[aprilfools]

And I think it's gonna be a long long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no I'm a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone


This is some rare good news from Microsoft.

I have a suggestion for you, MS. Do a software update on O-M-04 to bring it compatible with current file formats from that point rearward, just like Apple did a "last known photo" update for Tiger at 10.4.11 before the early-mid-life Leopard updates started ramping.

Then 8 years into O-M-08 do the same file and media format compatibility update before tossing it to the curb in favor of whatever is next.

Real people need real file compatibility. Computers are tools to users just like they are revenue sources to MS. Heck, do something radical yet welcome. Charge $19.95 for the "final compatibility update" for the elder package. Bring new revenue from old software. Some people have BOTH 04 and 08 so you will get double the money.

Last I checked, you were in business to make money and satisfy customers. Maybe it's time to focus on your modal customers.

Just a suggestion from the people at Rocketman.

Rocketman

[Beric]

Based on the reviews, I'll never buy 2008. Hope 2010 is better, or I'll still be using 2004.

[StudioGuy]

I wonder if this will put more pressure on Apple to fix the "Rosetta bug" or whatever makes Excel 2004 and other non-Intel programs do the auto-logout thing, when you lose everything you were running and really wack any vmware sessions.

It was for this reason alone I was thinking I need to update to 2008.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2143178&start=0&tstart=0

Apple has acknowledged this supposedly, but no reports of a fix.

[BBCWatcher]

It's important to note that Microsoft was also facing a potential class action lawsuit if the company did not reverse its premature end of support on Microsoft Office 2004. Their previous EoS announcement violated their own support lifecycle statement, a statement which Office 2004 buyers relied on when they made their purchases.

But, that said, Microsoft still deserves praise for reversing their bad decision.

[superspiffy]

That's fine. Everyone knows it won't really matter after 2012 anyway ;)

[donga]

Gotta love .docx

is anyone else completely annoyed with .docx?

2004 is still going strong for me

[Maserati7200]

Will Office 2010 be 64 bit and Intel, or be 32 bit and universal? I'm hoping the former..

[PeterQC]

Based on the reviews, I'll never buy 2008. Hope 2010 is better, or I'll still be using 2004.

No matter what, IMO I still consider 2004 utter ****. That and Microsoft Messenger. They are the only applications under Leopard that cause me problem.

I really hope Microsoft will update MM. Now I can't even send image or anything to my contacts now, because my version is too old. I have the last one for Mac! It's ridiculous.

[Hemingray]

Now if they'd only step it up and bring Entourage into 2009 with... (gasp)... full HTML support! Imagine that! :rolleyes:

[ingenious]

just like Apple did a "last known photo" update for Tiger at 10.4.11 before the early-mid-life Leopard updates started ramping.


What do you mean by "last known photo"? Is that just a figure of speech referring to how 10.4.11 was released after 10.5 shipped?

[FoxyKaye]

They have said that re-writing the visual basic runtime for Mac OS X-Intel is extremely resource intensive due to the amount of low-level code that it uses. Keep in mind that the original PPC code has been around for a decade or more (Office is a carbon application).

Therefore, Microsoft considers an Intel-native Mac OS X Visual Basic runtime to be a major feature and worthy of a paid upgrade, not a free upgrade to Office 2008.
I love how Microsoft, one of the largest and richest companies in the world, couldn't find the "resources" to pull VBA into Office 2008. And out the other side of their mouths they want us to pay for Office 2010 that will have it.

I don't care how many times the MBU makes this argument, the world's smallest violin plays every time and I call *************.

Here's what I think really happened:

* Microsoft broke development for the Mac and Win Office suites onto two separate tracks
* Office 2007 launches and with it docx, etc.
* Mac users want a UB version of Office, and suddenly start receiving docx files in their In boxes that Office 2004 can't open.
* Because the development tracks for Office Win and Office Mac are broken apart, the docx file version undergoes metamorphasis and MS drags its heels making a proper docx converter for Office 2004.
* Microsoft uses the UB excuse to ram through the only reasonably compatible version of Office with the new docx files, meanwhile the Office 2004 docx converter remains in unstable Beta for almost a year.
* Mac users are cornered into buying Office 2008 to get UB and docx support.
* Microsoft cries "tough choices" and "limited resources" while keeping VBA support out of Office 2008.
* Microsoft still makes money.

[SFJon]

I wonder if this will put more pressure on Apple to fix the "Rosetta bug" or whatever makes Excel 2004 and other non-Intel programs do the auto-logout thing, when you lose everything you were running and really wack any vmware sessions.

It was for this reason alone I was thinking I need to update to 2008.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2143178&start=0&tstart=0

Apple has acknowledged this supposedly, but no reports of a fix.

Good lord, I've been suffering this, and various attempts at fixes, for over a year. The "Rosetta Bug" is the best description I've used for it. Not using much VBA, or at least not any that's easily re-done under the 2008 version of macros, has been my only reason to upgrade to 2008. I haven't done it yet but it totally seems worth the expense.

[spillproof]

is anyone else completely annoyed with .docx?

2004 is still going strong for me

Yes, I save everything Office related with out the "x". I need to know that my professor is able to open my document on ANY computer. It is not fun arguing with your professor that your document was lost in cyberspace because it was a .docx and the school computers are to archaic to send it or display it.

I don't trust ".x" files. I get apprehensive when opening one, just waiting for it to crash Office like it did Open Office for a while when it was new.

[Doctor Q]

I bought 2008 when it came out, upgraded, and was soon sorry I did. But... after a few Office updates I'm OK with 2008. They got the worst of the glitches out. There was little I really needed that 2004 didn't have, but you (usually) have to keep up with the times or be left behind. Being an early adopter was probably a mistake, but I think being an eventual adopter makes sense.

[iPhone 62S]

So Microsoft has to once again expand compatability for their old stuff because it's better than the new crap they're selling everyone?

Bravo, Microsoft.

[KingYaba]

Therefore, Microsoft considers an Intel-native Mac OS X Visual Basic runtime to be a major feature and worthy of a paid upgrade, not a free upgrade to Office 2008.

Oh wow I didn't know that. Make sense now that you've explained it.

[Amdahl]

For showing Apple customers what real support looks like. It means standing behind your product for a serious period of time, not just until the next year's fashion show.

[Michael73]

I bought 2008 when it came out, upgraded, and was soon sorry I did. But... after a few Office updates I'm OK with 2008. They got the worst of the glitches out. There was little I really needed that 2004 didn't have, but you (usually) have to keep up with the times or be left behind. Being an early adopter was probably a mistake, but I think being an eventual adopter makes sense.

ditto. Maybe it's because I have a MP and I know that many of the newer versions of software will be finally able to take advantage of the hardware architecture that I usually buy the software within days or weeks of it's release. In fact, I have October 27th marked on my calendar as the release date of VMWare Fusion 3 and once I get that, I'll be able to buy Win 7 and run Aero visualizations. And I'll buy Office for Mac 2010 when it comes out as well. That said, it's not cheap either...I'm looking forward to upgrading to Adobe CS5 when it comes out but not the upgrade price. Good thing all this gets written off as a business expense.

[Mattie Num Nums]

So Microsoft has to once again expand compatability for their old stuff because it's better than the new crap they're selling everyone?

Bravo, Microsoft.

False. People just are slow to buy newer versions making docx transmission difficult. Office 2008 has been solid for my company.

[fastred]

Has anyone else noticed how much the situation at the Mac Business Unit of Microsoft has improved under new management?

Many of the decisions Mac users have complained about have been reversed / addressed since change occurred at the management level (removing VBA, data analysis tools, Entourage vs Outlook, "full" Exchange connection, etc), while the previous senior management has gone on to glory running the Mobile units of Microsoft (into the ground...)

Yes, "Microsoft" is a large, often 'faceless' corporation, but in this case its pretty clear that the individual managers involved have made a massive difference (for good or ill). That in itself is interesting, I find.

[twoodcc]

well that was nice of microsoft. i'm actually surprised that they did this. glad to see it all the same though

[lamadude]

For showing Apple customers what real support looks like. It means standing behind your product for a serious period of time, not just until the next year's fashion show.

Exactly, people are just bashing this because it's microsoft, but in reality apple drops support for products very fast while updates for both windows and ms office last for ages. You still have support for win xp and it works great for me, try to do that for macos 10.0

And allthough I miss VBA support, word for mac is still far better than pages. The docx file extension is annoying, I agree, but at least it's not forced upon people, you can still save in doc, and it allows extra features such as automatic bibliographies, that are sorely missing in pages.

But yeah office is crap and microsoft is hypocritical for continuing support etc...

[zw-gator]

Say what you want about MS, but at least they support the products they make for a good few years, unlike say, Adobe, who drop support for a 2 year old program that cost $1K+

[Trek2100]

And now you know why I run an XP partition and Office 2007 Enterprise on my MBP:o. I wish Apple would spend the funds necessary to fully develop Pages and Numbers.

[Compile 'em all]

Last time I used MS Office was 3 years ago. Here is hoping I never have to in the future!

[ravenvii]

Has anyone else noticed how much the situation at the Mac Business Unit of Microsoft has improved under new management?

Many of the decisions Mac users have complained about have been reversed / addressed since change occurred at the management level (removing VBA, data analysis tools, Entourage vs Outlook, "full" Exchange connection, etc), while the previous senior management has gone on to glory running the Mobile units of Microsoft (into the ground...)

Yes, "Microsoft" is a large, often 'faceless' corporation, but in this case its pretty clear that the individual managers involved have made a massive difference (for good or ill). That in itself is interesting, I find.

I must say that I agree. Now the only thing they have to do to make me very happy: OneNote! Pretty please with cherries on top!!!

And no, the Notebook view in Word does NOT cut it! One flaw that I saw immediately? No top tabs! In OneNote you can categorize your stuff into tabs (class, work, home, vacation, whatever), then inside the tabs, there's multiple tabs on the side (homework, schedule, whatever).

And it doesn't have true drag-anywhere and write-anywhere like OneNote. And it doesn't have the awesome tablet support OneNote does.

ONENOTE FOR MAC PLEASE!!!

Office 2008 isn't as bad as some people say. I still use Pages and Keynote for most of my stuff, but Excel owns Numbers, and Word is very useful when people send me .doc files. I had Office 2007 previously, but got rid of it after I got 2008 because it serves all my purposes. Less reboots into Windows is always a good thing! :D

[MWPULSE]

i admit that its a good thing, but i do however just see one issue, are they not just keeping up the support and updates because the last coupla versions of Microsoft office-mac have been naff. The last one i remember being half decent was 04, which i have and even then its a bit sluggish..

I find the situation the same myself.. the only reason that i can see that microsoft have extended support for XP is cos no-one took up vista within the enterprise and they are not about to jump ship without hearing the reports of its "improved compatibility, system responsiveness and better drivers" My personal opinion :-)

PTP

[xIGmanIx]

microsoft has demonastrated time and time again that they continue to support older versions of their products either OS's or office suites.

i admit that its a good thing, but i do however just see one issue, are they not just keeping up the support and updates because the last coupla versions of Microsoft office-mac have been naff. The last one i remember being half decent was 04, which i have and even then its a bit sluggish..

I find the situation the same myself.. the only reason that i can see that microsoft have extended support for XP is cos no-one took up vista within the enterprise and they are not about to jump ship without hearing the reports of its "improved compatibility, system responsiveness and better drivers" My personal opinion :-)

PTP