RSSMicrosoft Commits to Office for Mac
By Ed Oswald | Published January 9, 2007, 2:50 PM
Microsoft said Tuesday that it is committed to shipping the newest version of Office for Mac OS X, however still up in the air is a release date: the company only said it would be available "in the second half of 2007."
Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac would be the first version of the productivity suite that willbe a Universal Binary, compatible with both the PowerPC and Intel platforms. Enhancements planned include support for Microsoft's Open XML document format, as well as improvements based on "extensive customer research."
"Office 2008 is, by far, the most comprehensive, Mac-complementary productivity suite we've developed to date," Mac BU general manager Roz Ho said in a statement.
"I've witnessed firsthand the progression of this product, and am excited to think about the possibilities that soon will be available to our customers when Office 2008 launches later this year," she continued.
To make the Windows and Mac OS versions of Office more similar, each share the same graphics engine. Mac Office would also gain a new user interface that would work similarly to the new "Ribbon" UI that has been introduced in Office 2007 for Windows.
Like in previous Office for Mac versions, the software would include Mac-first and Mac-only features that would give the software a more Mac-like feel.
A Publishing Layout View would allow the user to create layout-rich documents through the use of tools and text box entry. Excel would gain Ledger Sheets, which would simplify the use of the software for basic tasks like balancing checkbooks or tracking accounts.
Finally, a separate application known as "My Day" would allow for the user to view scheduling and task viewing without the need to open up the Entourage application.
Since Office 2008 for Mac would come out several months after its Windows counterpart, the Mac BU has committed to deliver converters for users of the current version the productivity suite. This would allow users to read and write in the Open XML format.
Six to eight weeks following the release of the final version of Office for Mac, Microsoft would release the final versions of the converters.
"For more than two decades, Microsoft has been committed to delivering quality and innovation on the Macintosh platform while retaining unparalleled compatibility with PCs," Ho said.
Problem is, Microsoft sees that Apple is killing it on the design level in every way — and the OS level if you believe the Macheads — and since the market share for Office has already started eroding a la Firefox, they want to make quick cash in the Apple market with Office. (And yes, I hate all things Apple, but only a few things Microsoft.) Half the people I know use Macs and not a single one uses any version of Microsoft Office because Microsoft doesn't consistently support or upgrade it. Besides, the OXML format is jumbled garbage when you bother to examine it. Macheads stopped anticipating Office almost a decade ago; they have toys now! Besides, it's pretty pathetic that Microsoft has to give away expensive laptops to bloggers to get them to say anything positive about Office 07, and now get this, Microsoft is also offering a space ride prize for talking up vista/zune/whatever and playing their online puzzle game. That's called jumping the shark big time.
[Wait for it.... PC_Tool's ever so predictable troll-flame coming next].
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|Well I gotta say you kinda ask to get flammed when you spout off garbage such as calling the new format "jumbled garbage"
Now if you called the *old* formats jumbled garbage I think you could garner some pretty quick and enthusiastic support.
'Fact is, the new formats are totally documented and even reasonably easy to understand if one has half a clue about xml, or even just basic html. The old formats were in fact jumbled garbage, binary blob images of the in-memory representation used in the app.
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|Here's a link on a much more detailed explanation on the OXML converters for Mac Office, along with the fact that the OXML spec is ten times the size of the OASIS OpenDocument Format (ODF) ISO-certified spec. Here are some others, including Microsoft's Brian Jones' comparison of OXML to ODF:
Why is OXML so slow?
http://www.robweir.com/b.../why-is-ooxml-slow.html
LINKS/Comparisons
http://www.groklaw.net/a...story=20051125144611543
Microsoft's XML spec download page
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/xps/downloads.mspx
Microsoft's Brian Jones has posted a sample document in both MS XML (docx) and OpenDocument (odt) format
http://blogs.msdn.com/br.../2005/06/20/430892.aspx
Don't trust me: get the facts for yourself — OXML is a trainwreck that has forfeited the format war to ODF for good.
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|OXML...has forfeited the format war to ODF for good.
You can't seriously believe that. ODF is supported only by 2 (actually one, since their basically the same damn thing) office suites that have marginal (at best) market share.
Disregarding any qualities of the formats themselves the obvious winner will be OXML simply due to market share.
The only way ODF would stand a chance is if MS adopted it. Since that would equate to propping up a poor substitute, I'm sure you can guess how quickly they'll jump on that bandwagon.
Do you actually think the majority of consumers give a shlt what format their documents are in? They don't. ODF is dead, people like you just haven't figured that out yet.
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|the OXML spec is ten times the size of the OASIS OpenDocument Format (ODF) ISO-certified spec
You say that like its a bad thing...but then again, I like C/C++ and think things like Java and C# need to stop hand-holding programmers, and PHP needs to stop pretending it has objects.
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|*laughs*
ODF was written for one limited, feature incomplete, "mostly" functional suite. Yes, I have used it.
OXML was written to support a powerhouse suite, its enormous feature-set, and functional interoperability between the applications of that suite.
Yeah, OXML is bigger? Who'da thunk it...
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|[Wait for it.... PC_Tool's ever so predictable troll-flame coming next].
How can you blame me when you just make it so damned easy...
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|A space ride prize? Can i get drunk on the way up? Will they supply airsickness bags? What I can't figure is what that has to do with the substance of the article.
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|Yay.
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|Yea, I would tend to agree, most of your classic mac heads don't need or appreciate MS Office since more than capable productivity software *comes* with the mac.
OTOH, Having MS Office is pretty much neccesary if you work for most businesses outside of the creative market. So, for a home user who wants to make the switch, this is a good thing.
Common people, PC vs. Mac is so 1985 and so irrelevent, lets give it a rest.
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|Will Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac have a kill switch to turn a MAC off?
Screw microsoft
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|I'm sure Apple wouldn't mind if it broke illegal installations of MacOS X.
Of course, since Office 2007 won't even break illegal installations of Vista, I really fail to see your point.
Oh, right...you'd actually have to have one.
... {insert derogatory remark regarding your intelligence here} ...
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|"... {insert derogatory remark regarding your intelligence here} ..."
Aren't you assuming to much thinking they can fill in that blank adequately?
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|Well, this site surely does not lack in examples of those type of comments. I'm sure if he can manage to hit the "post your comment" button, he can find a few. ;)
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|When will Apple make Macs for PCs???
MS should stop making products for Macs.
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|That makes no sense.
MS will continue this until there is no more money to be made from it.
MS has no desire to push apple to allow MacOS to run on standard PCs.
Apple has no desire to compete directly with MS.
Never gonna happen.
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|It's a shame Darwinism doesn't work so well in our society.
The morons are on patrol. :P
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|"...When will Apple make Macs for PCs???..."
It is true that the lowest priced PC is far cheaper than a Mac Mini. But, if you had extra cash, nobody is forcing you to buy a PC.
I use both PCs and Macs, and I have to say that the new Macs with Bootcamp and XP Pro, are the ultimate dream machine.
Look it this way... Microsoft makes money also by selling extra Windows copies to Apple users. Don't worry about MS. The more Apple succeeds, the more money they make.
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