Microsoft Office Update, and Visual Basic for Applications to Return

MacRumors · 11:10 AM

Microsoft announced today record sales of Mac Office 2008 which was launched at Macworld San Francisco:

Quote:

"The response has been amazing; since we launched in January, the velocity of sales for Office 2008 is nearly three times what we saw after the launch of Office 2004," said Craig Eisler, general manager of the Mac BU at Microsoft. "As we set our course for future versions, we are working closely with customers and will also expand our staff to ensure that Office for Mac remains the most powerful and compatible productivity suite for Mac customers."

Microsoft also released the first Service Pack (SP1) for Mac Office 2008 which provides stability, security and performance enhancements. The update will be available at at Microsoft.com or via your Office software update. A list of fixes are provided in the press release.

Also notable is that Microsoft has announced that they will be bringing back Visual Basic for Applications in the next version of Mac Office:

Quote:

...the team recognizes that VBA-language support is important to a select group of customers who rely on sharing macros across platforms. The Mac BU is always working to meet customers' needs and already is hard at work on the next version of Office for Mac.

Article Link

longofest · May 13, 2008, 10:54 AM

so, i guess i'm just skipping a version until the next version of Office. 2004 will do for now.

Glad they're bringing back VBA support.

DMann · May 13, 2008, 10:54 AM

Keep the updates coming - Office 2008 ought to be more optimized for Leopard than it is.
Would like to see snappier performance overall.

Str8edgepunker · May 13, 2008, 10:56 AM

Oh thank goodness they're bringing back VBA. Now I might be able to run Solver again!

ctachme · May 13, 2008, 10:57 AM

I think Office 2008 is a pretty decent product (for coming from microsoft

), but I'm glad that they're releasing somewhat frequent updates, AND are listening to users about what features to add in and work on. They're not ALL evil...

daneoni · May 13, 2008, 11:01 AM

I dont get it, both MR and Macworld are reporting that the SP1 update is now available via MS's site or SU but i've been checking both mediums for the last 5 hrs and still cant find the update.

Where is it?

anthonyjr · May 13, 2008, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daneoni

I dont get it, both MR and Macworld are reporting that the SP1 update is now available via MS's site or SU but i've been checking both mediums for the last 5 hrs and still cant find the update.

I noticed that also. Someone needs to get their facts straight.

baleensavage · May 13, 2008, 11:03 AM

Putting visual basic back in is a very good move. I never could figure out why they removed it. There are many businesses and people who have extensive amounts of macros that they use on a day-to-day basis and suddenly dropping this feature was a really bad move IMHO. Too bad they aren't adding it back in a service pack. Instead we have to wait until Office 2012

dr_lha · May 13, 2008, 11:03 AM

Microsoft should be congratulated for doing the write thing with regards to VBA scripting, which was a massive error. I wish that the fix will come soon and not in Office 2012 though.

BornAgainMac · May 13, 2008, 11:03 AM

So this probably means that VBA will stay in future versions of Office on the Windows platform. Microsoft realizes that VBA isn't just for developing viruses.

geniusj · May 13, 2008, 11:05 AM

I like their business plan.

1) Remove critical feature as if it's never coming back
2) Get people to upgrade for some other feature
3) Announce that users can get critical feature back in a year or two for only $200 (or whatever)!
4) ???
5) profit?
6) repeat

lazyrighteye · May 13, 2008, 11:05 AM

What is MR's record for new Threads in one day?
Today is one after another...

Thanks.

MacsRgr8 · May 13, 2008, 11:06 AM

Next version of Office....

Will that be Office 2011?

Shasterball · May 13, 2008, 11:08 AM

Good news. I was about to buy a copy before I saw the terrible, terrible reviews. I'd be curious to hear if this helps the overall performance/stability.

ejbenjamin · May 13, 2008, 11:10 AM

I'm using Office 2008 with Leopard and there's a bug in Word that intermittently displays the cursor one line above or one line below where it "actually" is. It's unbelievably annoying, and that one thing makes the program almost unusable. I really hope this update fixes it.

FriarTuck · May 13, 2008, 11:11 AM

I wonder to what extent the Office 2008 launch numbers are "juiced" by the great deals they had going. They had a $100 rebate on Office 2004, and a "free" upgrade from 2004 to 2008 (pay only $6.99 shipping), which made my effective cost for Office 2008 only $32 (plus two stamps), which is less than half the cost of iWork.

Achiever · May 13, 2008, 11:12 AM

Can I install both Office 2004 & Office 2008 on my Mac or must I uninstall one in order to install/run the other? If I can have & use both concurrently, is anybody doing this? Have you experienced any interoperability problems?

xUKHCx · May 13, 2008, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Achiever

Can I install both Office 2004 & Office 2008 on my Mac or must I uninstall one in order to install/run the other? If I can have & use both concurrently, is anybody doing this? Have you experienced any interoperability problems?

You can have both installed at once no problems. I have been running that way ever since I got Office 2008 although to be honest I have been using 2004 90% of the time as 2008 is a nightmare.

macridah · May 13, 2008, 11:14 AM

glad vba is coming back. didn't want to port all of my financial macros to applescript because i have so much. I guess when the next version of office for mac comes out, I could also stop using vmware. I only use vmware to work on excel ... that's it!

J@ffa · May 13, 2008, 11:15 AM

I think I read somewhere that the SP1 update will be available at 12pm... PST, EST, WTF, I'm not sure. It would be nice if it didn't take longer than Photoshop CS3 to open cold, that's for sure.

Lershac · May 13, 2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by longofest

so, i guess i'm just skipping a version until the next version of Office. 2004 will do for now.

Glad they're bringing back VBA support.

Unless you need to open some of those .xlsx or .docx files.

Anyone know of any update for mso2004 for this?

admadan · May 13, 2008, 11:17 AM

@ ejbenjamin. I thought I was going crazy. Everyone I asked running office 2008 hadn't had that happen to them and when I looked online a while a go I couldn't find any other reports of the same problem, although I haven't seen it reoccur for a few weeks now.

bdkennedy1 · May 13, 2008, 11:18 AM

Well, I guess it's great that they're bring it back, but I have to wonder... why are they realizing this now?

flamejob · May 13, 2008, 11:18 AM

I have one thing to say...

NeoOffice

yeroen · May 13, 2008, 11:19 AM

When they say 'next version of Office' do they mean Office 2009 or 2010 (or 2012), or do they mean a revision number of 2008?

May 13, 2008, 10:54 AM	#3
DMann macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: 10023	iPhone 2 Keep the updates coming - Office 2008 ought to be more optimized for Leopard than it is. Would like to see snappier performance overall. __________________ Think Different - Innovate

May 13, 2008, 10:56 AM	#4
Str8edgepunker macrumors 6502 Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Philadelphia, PA	Oh thank goodness they're bringing back VBA. Now I might be able to run Solver again! __________________ -Those who dream big, make it big. Those who dream small, earn chump change for the rest of their lives.

May 13, 2008, 10:57 AM	#5
ctachme macrumors member Join Date: Dec 2003	I think Office 2008 is a pretty decent product (for coming from microsoft ), but I'm glad that they're releasing somewhat frequent updates, AND are listening to users about what features to add in and work on. They're not ALL evil... __________________ "With the recent accomplishment of the manned lunar landing, the next frontier is manned exploration of the planets.... The 1981 manned Mars mission (1982 landing on Mars) is shown as an integral part of the total space program in the next two decades." - Space Task Group August 4. 1969

May 13, 2008, 11:03 AM	#8
baleensavage macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: On an island in Maine	Putting visual basic back in is a very good move. I never could figure out why they removed it. There are many businesses and people who have extensive amounts of macros that they use on a day-to-day basis and suddenly dropping this feature was a really bad move IMHO. Too bad they aren't adding it back in a service pack. Instead we have to wait until Office 2012 __________________ View my animated, scifi/horror, online comic book at www.heliosforsaken.com.

May 13, 2008, 11:03 AM	#9
dr_lha macrumors 68000 Join Date: Oct 2003	Microsoft should be congratulated for doing the write thing with regards to VBA scripting, which was a massive error. I wish that the fix will come soon and not in Office 2012 though. __________________ Me: 1Ghz 12" PB and Mac mini Intel Core Solo 1.5Ghz, The Wife: 1.86Ghz CD MacBook, Me@Work: 2.66Ghz Mac Pro and a 2.33Ghz C2D 15" Mac Book Pro

May 13, 2008, 10:54 AM	#2
longofest Demi-God (Editor) Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Falls Church, VA	so, i guess i'm just skipping a version until the next version of Office. 2004 will do for now. Glad they're bringing back VBA support.

May 13, 2008, 11:01 AM	#6
daneoni macrumors 601 Join Date: Mar 2006	I dont get it, both MR and Macworld are reporting that the SP1 update is now available via MS's site or SU but i've been checking both mediums for the last 5 hrs and still cant find the update. Where is it?

May 13, 2008, 11:03 AM	#10
BornAgainMac macrumors 68030 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Florida Resident	So this probably means that VBA will stay in future versions of Office on the Windows platform. Microsoft realizes that VBA isn't just for developing viruses.

May 13, 2008, 11:05 AM	#11
geniusj macrumors member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Santa Clara, CA	I like their business plan. 1) Remove critical feature as if it's never coming back 2) Get people to upgrade for some other feature 3) Announce that users can get critical feature back in a year or two for only $200 (or whatever)! 4) ??? 5) profit? 6) repeat

May 13, 2008, 11:05 AM	#12
lazyrighteye macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Denver, CO	What is MR's record for new Threads in one day? Today is one after another... Thanks.

May 13, 2008, 11:06 AM	#13
MacsRgr8 macrumors 601 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: The Netherlands	Next version of Office.... Will that be Office 2011? __________________ Drag and Drop for Windows users: DRAG your peecee off your desk, and DROP it in the trash.

May 13, 2008, 11:08 AM	#14
Shasterball macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NYC	Good news. I was about to buy a copy before I saw the terrible, terrible reviews. I'd be curious to hear if this helps the overall performance/stability.

May 13, 2008, 11:10 AM	#15
ejbenjamin macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2005	I'm using Office 2008 with Leopard and there's a bug in Word that intermittently displays the cursor one line above or one line below where it "actually" is. It's unbelievably annoying, and that one thing makes the program almost unusable. I really hope this update fixes it.

May 13, 2008, 11:11 AM	#16
FriarTuck macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago area	I wonder to what extent the Office 2008 launch numbers are "juiced" by the great deals they had going. They had a $100 rebate on Office 2004, and a "free" upgrade from 2004 to 2008 (pay only $6.99 shipping), which made my effective cost for Office 2008 only $32 (plus two stamps), which is less than half the cost of iWork. __________________ Respectfully yours, FriarTuck

May 13, 2008, 11:12 AM	#17
Achiever macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2008	Dumb question.... Can I install both Office 2004 & Office 2008 on my Mac or must I uninstall one in order to install/run the other? If I can have & use both concurrently, is anybody doing this? Have you experienced any interoperability problems?

May 13, 2008, 11:14 AM	#19
macridah macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: city, CA	glad vba is coming back. didn't want to port all of my financial macros to applescript because i have so much. I guess when the next version of office for mac comes out, I could also stop using vmware. I only use vmware to work on excel ... that's it!

May 13, 2008, 11:15 AM	#20
J@ffa macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Behind you!	I think I read somewhere that the SP1 update will be available at 12pm... PST, EST, WTF, I'm not sure. It would be nice if it didn't take longer than Photoshop CS3 to open cold, that's for sure.

May 13, 2008, 11:17 AM	#22
admadan macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: S.California	@ ejbenjamin. I thought I was going crazy. Everyone I asked running office 2008 hadn't had that happen to them and when I looked online a while a go I couldn't find any other reports of the same problem, although I haven't seen it reoccur for a few weeks now.

May 13, 2008, 11:18 AM	#23
bdkennedy1 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Dec 2003	Well, I guess it's great that they're bring it back, but I have to wonder... why are they realizing this now?

May 13, 2008, 11:18 AM	#24
flamejob macrumors member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London	I have one thing to say... NeoOffice __________________ I've got way more/older/faster/modded Apple stuff than you- So there!

May 13, 2008, 11:19 AM	#25
yeroen macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cambridge, MA	When they say 'next version of Office' do they mean Office 2009 or 2010 (or 2012), or do they mean a revision number of 2008? __________________ all Jarvis, all the time

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