I need to put Word on my MacBook and my son also needs it on his PC. I was told that you can load PC MS office on a Mac, but I haven't been able to find any directions. I really don't want to have to purchase both. Any help would be appreciated.
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Microsoft Word for Mac
- Thread starter CandieB
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You can install Windows on the Mac with Boot Camp, or you can run Windows apps in Parallels or VMware Fusion. Otherwise, you'll have to purchase MS Office for Mac, since Windows apps don't run in native Mac OS X.
As an alternative, you can use iWork, NeoOffice, OpenOffice or Google Docs.
http://www.apple.com/macosx/compatibility/
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http://guides.macrumors.com/Booting_Windows_on_the_Mac
In other words, you either use Boot Camp and install Windows and MS Office via those means, or you use Windows in a virtual machine and run Windows and MS Office inside Mac OS X.
In other words, you either use Boot Camp and install Windows and MS Office via those means, or you use Windows in a virtual machine and run Windows and MS Office inside Mac OS X.
1. Either buy Office for Mac
2. Dual boot and install Windows...Then install Office for Windows
3. Buy Parallels/VMware...Install Windows...Install Office for Windows
Click the link I provided.
It is easy, but it involves installing Windows like you would on any other PC.
Are you capable of that?
BootCamp is a utility that allow you to create a seperate bootable partiton to load Windows (XP, Vista, or 7). You would need a copy of Windows in addition to the copy of Office. That might be more costly than buying a copy of Microsoft Office 11 for Mac.
Unfortunately you will need the Mac version of MS Office. The windows version cannot be installed on a mac. Also, Mac and Windows licensing numbers are different. This means purchasing a license for one version will not transfer to another OS.
That said there are alternatives out there. One, if you are a student or teacher you can purchase the reduced price version. This includes homeschooling parents etc. Proof is on the burden of the applicant.
If you are working for the federal government, there is a program out there to assist you with your duties by offering a reduced price on the Office program.
Now you can purchase and install "Parallels" or another emulation program to run Windows within your mac enviroment but I am not sure you would want to go through that route. The licensing aspect of Microsoft can be conveluted at times.
Edit: slow typing so was late to convo
That said there are alternatives out there. One, if you are a student or teacher you can purchase the reduced price version. This includes homeschooling parents etc. Proof is on the burden of the applicant.
If you are working for the federal government, there is a program out there to assist you with your duties by offering a reduced price on the Office program.
Now you can purchase and install "Parallels" or another emulation program to run Windows within your mac enviroment but I am not sure you would want to go through that route. The licensing aspect of Microsoft can be conveluted at times.
Edit: slow typing so was late to convo
Hmmm, It would probably be best/easier if you just purchase Office for MAC...if you can dish out the cash. I don't think you would want to load Boot Camp Windows or Parallels just to run Office.
Unfortunately you will need the Mac version of MS Office. The windows version cannot be installed on a mac. Also, Mac and Windows licensing numbers are different. This means purchasing a license for one version will not transfer to another OS.
That said there are alternatives out there. One, if you are a student or teacher you can purchase the reduced price version. This includes homeschooling parents etc. Proof is on the burden of the applicant.
If you are working for the federal government, there is a program out there to assist you with your duties by offering a reduced price on the Office program.
Now you can purchase and install "Parallels" or another emulation program to run Windows within your mac enviroment but I am not sure you would want to go through that route. The licensing aspect of Microsoft can be conveluted at times.
Edit: slow typing so was late to convo
Is this true? Why would there be barriers if the full Windows OS is running via boot camp? Interesting...
Let me be more clear. One cannot take a Windows Office 2011 DVD and insert it into your Mac computer and just plain old install it. You will need the Windows OS enviroment to run Windows Office 2011 - via bootcamp or via an emulation program. Both expensive propositions.
To natively install Office 2011 into an OS X enviroment, one needs the Mac version of Office 2011.
Better?
To natively install Office 2011 into an OS X enviroment, one needs the Mac version of Office 2011.
Better?Let me be more clear. One cannot take a Windows Office 2011 DVD and insert it into your Mac computer and just plain old install it. You will need the Windows OS enviroment to run Windows Office 2011 - via bootcamp or via an emulation program. Both expensive propositions.
To natively install Office 2011 into an OS X enviroment, one needs the Mac version of Office 2011.
Perfect. LOL
And if you only need word, don't buy office for Mac....buy word for mac. If your son is in college then take advantage of student pricing which is dirt cheap.
Also, you could probably do a free trial of Pages for your Mac- it may already be installed for a free trial depending on how old your mac is. I use Pages at home, word at my school and never have issues opening or saving things in word format when necessary.
Another option is to buy an older version of Word or office (either 2004 or 2008) to run on the mac. Amazon sells them really cheap usually. I run 2004 on my MacBook at school which runs the latest OSx version and have no issues (although tech dept just upgraded me to 2007 this week for no reason. Right when I finally got a stable word of course!!) (I would rec. 2008 for better compatibility with the newest word)
Or you could just sell ALL THE PC STUFF and get your son a Mac too!
Also, you could probably do a free trial of Pages for your Mac- it may already be installed for a free trial depending on how old your mac is. I use Pages at home, word at my school and never have issues opening or saving things in word format when necessary.
Another option is to buy an older version of Word or office (either 2004 or 2008) to run on the mac. Amazon sells them really cheap usually. I run 2004 on my MacBook at school which runs the latest OSx version and have no issues (although tech dept just upgraded me to 2007 this week for no reason. Right when I finally got a stable word of course!!) (I would rec. 2008 for better compatibility with the newest word)
Or you could just sell ALL THE PC STUFF and get your son a Mac too!
I could be wrong, but I am 99% sure that you can't purchase the idividual programs, you are required to purchase the entire office suite (unless you are purchasing a realllllllllly old version, in which case I wouldn't bother as you are opening yourself up to compatibility issues). Unless you get a real good deal, don't waste your money on the 2004 version (and don't buy the 2008 version as it is absolutely awful and missing so much on the excel side it is a pain to use if you need vbscript support).
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Wow when I went to The mactopia sight (the official Mircosoft mac site) they don't even offer it there. I still wonder why you would pay that price when you can get the Home and Student version for just a few dollars more (the mactopia site sells it for 149.99). But I stand corrected that you can buy it standalone, but can't help but wonder why you would spend that amount when the suite costs little more.
I would say not! The Windows version of Office is at 2010
In all seriousness - Office for Mac and Office for Windows are considered two distinctly different products and are licensed completely differently. Buying one product does not grant you any rights to the other.
Well, I agree buy the home-student edition for $150 That gets you the latest version and compatibility and all the suite programs if you need all those programs.
HOwever, if you want to get by with a $79 purchase buy iWork from Apple. At least try it and see if you like it. For what I do for word processing it works great and reads all word files sent to me.
I guess it all depends on what the OP uses Word for. Are you using it for work, just letter writing, sharing of things your son types or something else???
First if you need just a word program get Pages, iWork or Openoffice. It will be a lot cheaper than purchasing a loan Microsoft app. It is compatible with MS Word. I use iWork interchanged with my work items and have no issues with Pages being compatible.
For your son go here:
http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/default.aspx#whats-new
See if his school is eligible for the student discount and get it for a fraction of the cost. I don't know if you could get 2 different programs under the discount but it is worth a shot.
Good luck.
For your son go here:
http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/default.aspx#whats-new
See if his school is eligible for the student discount and get it for a fraction of the cost. I don't know if you could get 2 different programs under the discount but it is worth a shot.
Good luck.