Microsoft Office

[Branskins]

Hello, I have a question: will I have to purchase the Mac version of Office or will I be able to use a PC version?

Sorry for the dumb question, but I really don't want to pay another 150+ dollars on top of 1,100! So I thought I would fact check

 

[dukebound85]

mac version

look into open office if u want a free alternative though

 

[cjacks68]

You have to buy the Mac version of Office. Unless you install Windows via Bootcamp or parallels and run it using Windows

 

[Branskins]

I guess that would be the best option with Parallels!

Thank you!!

I am so close to finally getting a Mac!! Would be my first time! I am looking at the 13" one

 

[dukebound85]

I guess that would be the best option with Parallels!

Thank you!!

I am so close to finally getting a Mac!! Would be my first time! I am looking at the 13" one

before yuo go buy parallels, look into the free alternative (which is great btw). parallels and the like cost around 80-100

virtual box

 

[Branskins]

Ya! Leo Laporte talks about that one on TWiT and MacBreak Weekly a lot! I would definitely get that one over spending a lot of money!

Thanks

 

[Freyqq]

make sure you have 4 gig of ram if you try parallels/vmware/virtual box.

 

[DeuceDeuce]

make sure you have 4 gig of ram if you try parallels/vmware/virtual box.

I have 2gb and Parallels runs just fine...

 

[Buzz Bumble]

Unless you need full Microsoft Office compatiblity (and even then Mac Office 2008 does have bits missing - no Access for a start), there are other cheaper options. As dukebound85 said, there's Open Office. There's also Apple's own Pages, Numbers, etc.

 

[techound1]

The mac version of open office is NEOOFFICE. It does everything I need it to do for interfacing with MS office docs and the cost was $0.

An aside, if you use a virutal machine to run PC apps, you'll still need to invest in a copy of the PC OS, be it Win XP or Vista. The total cost of virtalization is the virtualization software + the OS software + the actual app you need to run.

On the plus side, VMWare Fusion 2 is currently $25 after rebate at Amazon - huzzah!

 

[omarjk]

I have always used Mac Office and it has never given me any real problems. I regularly write articles and used to complete essays on Word, as well as accounting on Excel, all requiring cross-platform harmony, delivering fine every time.