Question about Excel versions

[Live2Fish]

Hi all. New user here with another Excel question. I am moving from a PC with 2003 excel to my MBP 2011 with Lion 10.7.5 on it. Would I be better off with 2004, 2008, or the oddly named vX? I may for a while have to go back and forth between computers, but mostly it's about making it easy enough without a huge learning curve. I still have enough of a learning curve with the laptop change over as it is! I don't (at this time anyway) plan on going to Maverick since it still has a few too many bugs (for the mail program anyway), so I may not do a lot of upgrades for a while, but eventually, some will happen I'm sure. So please let me know which version of Excel (and maybe Word as well?) would be the best choice for my computer an needs? I don't do a lot of fancy or super difficult stuff with excel - mostly just keeping track of data, and using some lightweight formulas - no charts or anything like that.

Thanks in advance!
Sharon

 

[Pharmscott]

Unless there is a cost factor, I say make the jump to 2011. Any of the newer versions are going to have Microsoft's new "ribbon" toolbar (as 2011 does). It's a little different than PC 2003 Excel but not hard to get used to. Also, you can customize it your way so that's a bonus.

If you're doing the basic functions you mention, any version will work. I have Mac 2011 at home and PC 2003 at work so if I can test something or tell you how something is different, just ask.

 

[MisterMe]

Hi all. New user here with another Excel question. I am moving from a PC with 2003 excel to my MBP 2011 with Lion 10.7.5 on it. Would I be better off with 2004, 2008, or the oddly named vX? I may for a while have to go back and forth between computers, but mostly it's about making it easy enough without a huge learning curve. I still have enough of a learning curve with the laptop change over as it is! I don't (at this time anyway) plan on going to Maverick since it still has a few too many bugs (for the mail program anyway), so I may not do a lot of upgrades for a while, but eventually, some will happen I'm sure. So please let me know which version of Excel (and maybe Word as well?) would be the best choice for my computer an needs? I don't do a lot of fancy or super difficult stuff with excel - mostly just keeping track of data, and using some lightweight formulas - no charts or anything like that.

Thanks in advance!
Sharon

Actually, Sharon, you haven't much choice. Excel 2011 is fully compatible with OS X 10.7. Excel 2008 will run natively, but it must be installed using an earlier version of OS X--one that features Rosetta. Excel 2004 and Excel v.X cannot run on OS X 10.7 because they are PPC-based apps. They require Rosetta to run on Intel-based Macs. OS X 10.7 does not include Rosetta.

The bottom-line is that you should use Excel 2011. It is the best version of Excel for Intel-based Macs.

 

[bakechad]

Sharon,

It sounds like for you needs, you could save yourself a few dollars and switch to Libreoffice or iWork. I've used Openoffice/Libreoffice at home for many years and can tell you that you won't have much of a learning curve doing basic stuff.

With that said and even though I am no fan of Microsoft, Excel 2011 is the Ferrari of spreadsheets on the Mac. I use it for work all day everyday and 2011 is a huge upgrade which added many many features. If you truly need Excel or you don't want to switch to something else, it is worth every penny.

 

[Live2Fish]

Wow, thank you all for keeping me from making a mistake! I would have gotten 2008 just from a cost standpoint - but it wasn't going to work right - well, that would have been wasted money! Sure appreciate you guys setting me straight!!

 

[Gregg2]

Excel 2004 and Excel v.X cannot run on OS X 10.7 because they are PPC-based apps. They require Rosetta to run on Intel-based Macs. OS X 10.7 does not include Rosetta.

I'm running 2004 with 10.5.8 on a core 2 duo 2007 Mini. I've never been able to detect the presence of Rosetta. So if it's running, it's awfully quiet.