Microsoft Launches Mac Office 2008

[megatronbomb]

The startup time of Word seems slower than the old version... but it works, so I guess that's a good thing. Honestly I haven't noticed any major improvements yet, but I just installed it last night and I haven't had to write anything up yet.

 

[Virgil-TB2]

Steve thanked them, you should too.

They have done so much short of giving them away. If you are paying full price for this software you aren't paying attention.

They are still sticking it to people with the 400 dollar edition though. Why have multiple editions at all? They throw in exchange support and a crappy image viewer and all of a sudden it jumps from 150 bucks to 400?

The recent price sales are out of desperation IMO.
MS is not doing anyone any favors here.

 

[Yankees 4 Life]

i hope its good.

 

[jasonklee]

i installed it already, and it seems much stronger than 2004, but start up of Word seems a bit sluggish... not very snappy... takes 8 bounces after start up, then about another 10 seconds of a static splash screen... it might be something with my computer, because it's really not acceptable for Word to take longer to start up that Photoshop or Illustrator.

i thought i was the only one with this problem. word 2004 was much faster, ironically.

 

[Amigori]

I bought it yesterday and installed it.

I haven't had much time to use it, but initial impressions are:

1. It's faster, but not crazy fast
2. New interface is weird. Sometimes better, sometimes a train wreck.
3. No scripts is a disastrous decision. This was my last "lock-in" to the MSOffice world, and now that it is gone, it will speed my move to iWork.

I agree with your post and my copy of 2008 is ordered. Yes, Microsoft dropped VBA from Office, but they it replaced with Applescript. Here's the developer link to read about the new macro system. Also, Regular and Special Eds. support Automator actions and workflows.

Office 2008 Developers

 

[72930]

The apps are pretty fast, but they take ages to start up. Hopefully updates will bring the speed of Pages

 

[FiveMonkies]

What about Exchange

I can't understand why I had exchange under my student version and now all of a sudden I have to pay for the more expensive version to continue using exchange. BS to me.

 

[Virgil-TB2]

I should have Office 2008 sometime this week and am excited about using it. Especially the new Entourage, looks like it spanks mail and iCal all over the place.

My question is will there be a My Day app for the iPhone come February? It seems like an obvious path for this mini-app. And if there isn't, how hard would it be for a developer to make this?

When the developers were asking for early feedback, I said almost this exact thing. That the "MyDay" feature looked so much like the "Today" screen on WinMobile that it was "obvious they were trying to lure people into using Windows Mobile software." (can you tell i didn't like it? ).

Her reply was that the similarity/resemblance had not occurred to her.

Personally, I can't see the use of the thing unless that is what it's for.

 

[Virgil-TB2]

The apps are pretty fast, but they take ages to start up. Hopefully updates will bring the speed of Pages

Yeah. Even on a mid-range iMac, Pages starts up so fast I sometimes think I must have left it running.

On the other hand, Pages can be deadly slow with larger documents. A book-length document on a less than super-duper machine can be a bit on the excruciating side.

 

[Abstract]

I really want this app.

For real work, you really do need Excel. Nothing works better. Maybe one day, Numbers will replace Excel for me, and I'll be able to save in a MS format very reliably, but for now, Excel (2004) spanks Numbers, and Entourage is Entourage.

Numbers looks prettier, though, and iCal is already included. Some people don't like change.

 

[iMikeT]

Meh. I'll stick with iWork.

 

[Macula]

Can someone elaborate on the bibliographical capabilities?

Thanks.

 

[MattG]

Meh...I just hope Entourage is better and faster for all of us Mac users stuck in an Exchange environment. I still can't get Apple Mail to work with it so this is all I've got.

 

[chelsel]

I hope these new file formats don't take off. If they do, then I'll have to upgrade.

They've already bitten me and forced me to upgrade.

 

[Dreamer2go]

lol
a lot of you guys seems skeptical about this release.
Is it because you guys hate microsoft a lot or something?

Personally, as a windows switcher since last summer, I'm excited to receive an upgrade to Office 2004.
Having using Office 2007 for Windows a few times, I think that 2004 definitely lacked something.
Based on the videos I watched and screenshots I saw (also previews), I am excited for this new release. Just ordered in Amazon. Should arrive in a few days.

 

[dawnrazor]

Anyone else think its 'interesting', that the student and teacher edition, that required photo ID to purchase has been replaced by a Home and Student edition, that requires no special ID to purchase. Yet the price differential between the regular edition and this H and S edition is still considerable.


How the heck is going to buy the regular edition?

 

[tcoleman]

Steve thanked them, you should too.

They have done so much short of giving them away. If you are paying full price for this software you aren't paying attention.

Yeah, either that or you're not American.

 

[twoodcc]

so maybe i'll get it sometime

 

[wallaby]

Is there any significant reason to upgrade to 2008 over 2004? People have already stated that Word starts faster in 2004 so the development on the intel platform apparently hasn't made any difference. Word in 2004 isn't exactly speedy, either. What are the major differences in Word and Excel 2008?

 

[Roderick Usher]

I agree with your post and my copy of 2008 is ordered. Yes, Microsoft dropped VBA from Office, but they it replaced with Applescript. Here's the developer link to read about the new macro system. Also, Regular and Special Eds. support Automator actions and workflows.

Office 2008 Developers

Eric Schwiebert commented that the MacBU would continue to examine how to implement macro support. VBA's on its way out - MS doesn't even sell distribution licenses anymore - so a total replacement is the best option, but AppleScript's viability for this doesn't seem clear (especially since, and correct me if I'm wrong, anything implemented in AppleScript is DOA when encountered by Office 2007, unless there's some sort of translator).

Obviously the ideal solution would be something compatible with the .NET languages employed in Office 2007, but I can't imagine the work that would take.

 

[stoutboy1]

Those that have already installed student 2008, did you have to uninstall 2004 to install 2008? Or does it work like an upgrade?

 

[flipshot]

Its a shame that Office 2008 isn't part of the ultimate steal offer. I'll probably wait and see if its offered in the Home User Program then I can get it for £15 but its usually a couple of months after release before its offered.

 

[rogerm]

Its a very good deal. Just £89 on the Amazon UK site for the full version which isn't limited to just students now. I'm tempted.

I really have to applaud Microsoft for introducing a "home" license for their software now. It's $130 here in the States on Amazon and you can install it on up to 3 Macs in your household. This is a great deal, and for the first time, MS Office is really affordable for the home user (that is not a student or teacher) that uses Word and Excel just a few time a month. Although I love OpenOffice, I think I will actually buy MS Office for my 2 Macs.

I really hope that Microsoft is setting a precedence here and that other big companies like Adobe will follow their example. I always wanted Photoshop for the Mac, and if it were available for $130 as a home license you can install on multiple Macs, I would totally buy it.

 

[Stinkypalm]

I have had no start up speed issues at all:

Word - 5 sec
Excel - 5 sec
Powerpoint - 8 sec
Entourage - 4 sec

 

[Stinkypalm]

I really have to applaud Microsoft for introducing a "home" license for their software now. It's $130 here in the States on Amazon and you can install it on up to 3 Macs in your household. This is a great deal, and for the first time, MS Office is really affordable for the home user (that is not a student or teacher) that uses Word and Excel just a few time a month. Although I love OpenOffice, I think I will actually buy MS Office for my 2 Macs.

I really hope that Microsoft is setting a precedence here and that other big companies like Adobe will follow their example. I always wanted Photoshop for the Mac, and if it were available for $130 as a home license you can install on multiple Macs, I would totally buy it.

Agreed and no silly Online Activation on this.