Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Solutions for Switching Office: Need Help

J

jkaz

macrumors 6502
Original poster
So, I convinced the boss to buy an eMac for himself and his assistant.
(this was in July)

We've been using filemaker pro for all of the database needs: transferred the windoze version into a file that filemaker accepts and redesigned whatever was necessary.

The assistant still uses word on the pc.

The boss still uses email on his pc which i believe is running doze 98.

Need:

Either to run virtual pc on the assistant's mac so he can use word and eventually convert him over to at least office mac down the road

or get for him office for mac?


The boss: I'll deal with him after the assistant.


So, virtual pc will be a cheaper fix because I have all of the doze software already, right? But will it be much worse or much better than office for mac?

Remember, the goal is appleworks anyway or at least something that isn't windoze and is still compatible with all of the other businesses we have to share documents with.


What do you think?

p.s. I need scanned document management software too

THANKS!
 
There's been a lot of discussion lately regarding the usability of VPC for running windows apps on a Mac. I think the consensus is, if you absolutely have to, run VPC 7 with windows 2000 (you have to purchase VPC and the OS), and use it to run non-graphic intensive apps (I use it to run Access out of necessity), and for that it runs ok. You need lots of RAM for this also.

However, I would never use an app in VPC that has a version that runs natively in OSX!

So from both a cost view (VPC, Win2000, +/- RAM) and a performance point of view (even basic apps may not run great), you are far better off going straight to Office 2004 for Mac.
 
Thanks for the response.

To clarify: We already have the Windoze OS software and Office software.

so I would only need VPC, right?

actually, come to think of it, i've got a copy of doze xp and office 2000. the 2000 will run on xp, right?

thanks!


edit:
the eMacs in question are from last julyish: 1.25 ghz, 1 gig ram
 
Well, it sounds like Word is the primary application from office that is being used, right? A copy of just Word has got to be cheaper than getting VPC... if you find that ou need to get the full office suite at some point down the toad, the Office upgrade edition will work if you have just a previous copy of Word, I believe.

There's also AbiWord, an opensource, free word processor that runs natively in OSX and is compatible with MS Office file formats. I really like it, and since 90% of my office suite application use is word processing, it's a great tool, rather than buying Office. My other 10% is spreadsheet useage, so I use OpenOffice's Calc application for that, but I wish there was a good opensouce, standalone, OSX native spreadsheet; based of GNUmeric maybe?

Anyways, I would try one of those two routes rather than VPC... try Abiword first (it's free!) and if that's no good for you, try a copy of just Word for OSX.

Rob

EDIT/PS: I have a theory that MS will or at least could and should release VPC 8 as a stand alone only application (ie, you buy VPC XP or VPC 2000, but not VPC w/o an OS) and base it, at least partially, on the PowerPC kernel that the XBox2 will likely use. So the core of VPC would run much much faster, and they could emulate a few of the 'other' functions, but as a whole it would probably be much more usable. They could charge an arm and a leg for it, too, and people would still pay for the massive speed increase, especially if it included support, even partial, for DirectX.
 
jkaz said:
Thanks for the response.

To clarify: We already have the Windoze OS software and Office software.

so I would only need VPC, right?

actually, come to think of it, i've got a copy of doze xp and office 2000. the 2000 will run on xp, right?

thanks!


edit:
the eMacs in question are from last julyish: 1.25 ghz, 1 gig ram
Click to expand...

Yes - buy VPC, then use your Windows 2000 install disk to install the OS. Then you can install your other Windows office apps. I run VPC/Win2000 on a PB 1.25 with 1.5G of RAM, with 512 of it dedicated to VPC when it is running. Your setup will work, although it may be a little clunky and slow.

This is my personal opinion - I cringe at the thought of of running MS office under Win2000 under VPC under OSX. Cost may be a major factor, but Office 2004 is a better solution in my opinion.
 
thanks for all the response

so what i'm looking at here is:

eMac 1.25, 1 gig ram

VPC 7.0

Windoze XP

Office 2000

You said that you dedicated part of your RAM to the VPC

Any other recommendations ? and just how did you do that and how necessary is it?

thanks!!
 
jkaz said:
thanks for all the response

so what i'm looking at here is:

eMac 1.25, 1 gig ram

VPC 7.0

Windoze XP

Office 2000

You said that you dedicated part of your RAM to the VPC

Any other recommendations ? and just how did you do that and how necessary is it?

thanks!!
Click to expand...

I think you're making a mistake to go the VPC route in this case.......you'll only convince the boss and the assissent that Macs are slow and sluggish machines....VPC is a viable alternative when there isn't a Mac version of the software available, but that isn't the case in your situation

As was previously pointed out, a copy of just Word is about the same as VPC ....buying VPC is a waste of money if they're just going to find that they actually prefer using Word on a real PC instead of the Mac with mediocre VPC performance
 
Get Office for the eMac

Though virtual PC may have some uses with simple software for Windows that is not available for a Mac. It would be painfully slow when using Word in Virtual PC rather than Word made for the Mac. What is most important in an office environment is total cost. Though Virtual PC may be cheaper in the short run Office 2004 for the mac would be cheaper in the long run since it would be far more responsive and increase productivity.

Other options to consider would be OpenOffice from www.openoffice.org for the mac, which is free. To create simpler networking between the Mac and PC, if it is a problem, use Dave 5.0.
 
I would also agree with everyone else who said that you ought to buy Word/Office 2004 that runs natively on OS X. It will be MUCH faster. However, I did some quick research at Compusa.com and found that purchasing VPC is going to be the cheaper option (130 vs 230/400 for Word/Office 2004, respectively). But I did say cheaper, not better.

Also, as velocityg4 said, openoffice is a good, free alternative that creates compatable documents with MS Office. Even though it doesnt look nice, version 2.0, which is due out soon, is supposedly being re-written as a native OS X application.
 
jkaz said:
thanks for all the response

so what i'm looking at here is:

eMac 1.25, 1 gig ram

VPC 7.0

Windoze XP

Office 2000

You said that you dedicated part of your RAM to the VPC

Any other recommendations ? and just how did you do that and how necessary is it?

thanks!!
Click to expand...

Windows XP will be veerrry slow on a 1.25 G4, even with all the extras turned off. If you really really want to go this route (I say again you will likely be much more satisfied with Office 2004), you should use Windows 2000 OS, NOT XP.

As for the RAM, it is assigned through a preference panel within VPC.
 
Seriously, try Abiword. You can download an OSX dmg file here: http://www.abisource.com/download/
It takes about 1 minute to install and you can try it out for a couple days. I find it to be better than the older versions of Word (97) and close to as good as the newest versions. It is also more stable in my opinion. Anyways, why shell out $100+ before at least TRYING the free stuff?

If they aren't massive power user types (doesn't sound like they are) AbiWord will be prefect for them. Word compatible, fast, stable, OSX native, FREE, and OPENSOURCE. You don't have to give MS any more $$... =p

Rob

PS here's a screenshot just so you can see that it is a professional looking application 🙂
 

Attachments

  • abi-macosx.jpg
    abi-macosx.jpg
    97.2 KB · Views: 114
May I strongly suggest that if you don't want this switch to fail you avoid VPC for all but windows only programs. Word is fine on OSX, I would suggest you buy that, or the cheaper office without VPC. You can pick up VPC without a windows install for $99.... if you end up using word and all your apps in VPC your boss is gonna wonder what was the point of buying a mac anyways!!

And Appleworks IS NOT viable in any business sense that I can see... especially when there is open-office...

Good Luck.

P.S Windows 2000 is recommended over XP for speed reasons.
 
Thanks for all the response!

The assistant prefers Word to Works because of how it works and for file types.

Will these open source alternatives satisfy these issues?

Also, it is only needed for writing maybe 10 business letters a day.

Further, I thought of VPC for it's ability to absolutely put the pc away forever.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
 
jkaz said:
Thanks for all the response!

The assistant prefers Word to Works because of how it works and for file types.

Will these open source alternatives satisfy these issues?

Also, it is only needed for writing maybe 10 business letters a day.

Further, I thought of VPC for it's ability to absolutely put the pc away forever.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

If all you are using it for is to write 10 letters a day then Abiword will be perfect. It is compatible with all of MS Words formats, and just about everything else out there. It is very similar to Word with how it works, except that I find it has the commonly used options right out in front for easy access. I would download it, give it a try for a week or something, and then decide if you want to spend any money on MS producsts, be it VPC, Office, or Word.

Rob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back