Comments on: Design Your Next Microsoft Office http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/ The Apple Blog, published by and for the day-to-day Apple user, is a prominent source for news, reviews, walkthroughs, and real life application of all Apple products. Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:23:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Alex Krenvalk http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-112951 Alex Krenvalk Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:59:52 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-112951 I know good tool - <a href="http://www.recoverytoolbox.com/outlook.html" rel="nofollow">restore outlook</a>, it may recover data from Microsoft Outlook pst files, program can be also used to recover information from Microsoft Exchange ost files and/or convert them into Microsoft Outlook pst files, also restore mail messages, tasks, contacts, meetings, notes and logs in files with the .pst extension, recover Outlook email and data from corrupted pst files larger than 2GB with the maximum size for *.pst files of 32TB. I know good tool - restore outlook, it may recover data from Microsoft Outlook pst files, program can be also used to recover information from Microsoft Exchange ost files and/or convert them into Microsoft Outlook pst files, also restore mail messages, tasks, contacts, meetings, notes and logs in files with the .pst extension, recover Outlook email and data from corrupted pst files larger than 2GB with the maximum size for *.pst files of 32TB.

]]> By: Joey Livingston http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108727 Joey Livingston Thu, 16 Aug 2007 20:36:42 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108727 Unless the make MS Access available for Mac, I'll stick with iWork. I found out recently that you can paste back and forth pretty much seemlessly between MS Access in Parallels and iWork Numbers. Unless the make MS Access available for Mac, I’ll stick with iWork. I found out recently that you can paste back and forth pretty much seemlessly between MS Access in Parallels and iWork Numbers.

]]> By: Nick Brogna http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108589 Nick Brogna Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:21:39 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108589 I would really, really hope that the stability of Entourage is greatly improved, especially with large Identity databases (pretty much anything over 2GB). I have a number of entertainment industry clients where email is their life and it's hard to keep telling them that they have to repeatedly rebuild their database (a task that can take upwards of 2 hours for a ~2GB database on a G4 PowerBook) simply because Entourage is a piece of ass that chokes unless you continuously monitor the size of your identity database and prune it when it gets too large. Better yet, we could jump into the 21st century and do away with the monolithic, proprietary single-point-of-failure monstrosity that is the Identity database all together. Something that actually makes disaster recovery not a chore and doesn't completely lock you into using Entourage until you die or get around to tediously exporting everything by hand. Something that when a mailbox gets corrupted (which shouldn't happen to begin with) doesn't also take down your other mailboxes, calendar and contacts with it. Words do no justice to the amount of hate I have for Entourage and the administration headaches it has caused me. I would really, really hope that the stability of Entourage is greatly improved, especially with large Identity databases (pretty much anything over 2GB). I have a number of entertainment industry clients where email is their life and it’s hard to keep telling them that they have to repeatedly rebuild their database (a task that can take upwards of 2 hours for a ~2GB database on a G4 PowerBook) simply because Entourage is a piece of ass that chokes unless you continuously monitor the size of your identity database and prune it when it gets too large.

Better yet, we could jump into the 21st century and do away with the monolithic, proprietary single-point-of-failure monstrosity that is the Identity database all together. Something that actually makes disaster recovery not a chore and doesn’t completely lock you into using Entourage until you die or get around to tediously exporting everything by hand. Something that when a mailbox gets corrupted (which shouldn’t happen to begin with) doesn’t also take down your other mailboxes, calendar and contacts with it.

Words do no justice to the amount of hate I have for Entourage and the administration headaches it has caused me.

]]> By: Gideon http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108444 Gideon Tue, 07 Aug 2007 23:00:40 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108444 Well, nevermind.. Pages '08 is doing a bang-up job doing most the things I need it to do, in a much more user friendly way than the last version. I've only played with it a few minutes now, but I'm very enthusiasitic about it as a replacement for Office. I don't give a fig about exchange or vba myself (though I certainly understand the real need) so for me this works perfectly. Sure, I'd like a more sophisticated Mail/PIM but... eh, so it goes. Well, nevermind..

Pages ‘08 is doing a bang-up job doing most the things I need it to do, in a much more user friendly way than the last version.

I’ve only played with it a few minutes now, but I’m very enthusiasitic about it as a replacement for Office.

I don’t give a fig about exchange or vba myself (though I certainly understand the real need) so for me this works perfectly. Sure, I’d like a more sophisticated Mail/PIM but… eh, so it goes.

]]> By: PSGInfinity http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108419 PSGInfinity Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:03:26 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108419 Thanks for the offer, Nadyne; I'll likely cross-post. :) 1) Entourage needs to be able to fully sync w/Exchange (tasks, notes) 2) PowerPoint needs the "Package as CD" feature, with an extra twist: please include a optional WMP-compatible QT plugin. 3) Speed. Stability. Thanks for the offer, Nadyne; I’ll likely cross-post. :)

1) Entourage needs to be able to fully sync w/Exchange (tasks, notes)
2) PowerPoint needs the “Package as CD” feature, with an extra twist: please include a optional WMP-compatible QT plugin.
3) Speed. Stability.

]]> By: Billy Halsey http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108416 Billy Halsey Tue, 07 Aug 2007 07:17:42 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108416 What I'd most like to see (besides Universal binaries) is a completely Cocoa implementation, no more Microsoft-specific font handling, etc. The Unicode support in Office 2004 is appalling, and I can't even use Apple Symbol as a font. What gives? As for other features, I think Office is rounding that point where anything else is mostly overkill. It's mature, it's (*laugh*) stable (*snort*), and any other "features" will just be unnecessary eyecandy and/or bloat that introduces new bugs. So, yeah, maybe a few software companies here and there are letting bugs slip by so they have something to do in a future release. Solve all the problems, and there's no job for problem-solvers. What I’d most like to see (besides Universal binaries) is a completely Cocoa implementation, no more Microsoft-specific font handling, etc. The Unicode support in Office 2004 is appalling, and I can’t even use Apple Symbol as a font. What gives?

As for other features, I think Office is rounding that point where anything else is mostly overkill. It’s mature, it’s (*laugh*) stable (*snort*), and any other “features” will just be unnecessary eyecandy and/or bloat that introduces new bugs. So, yeah, maybe a few software companies here and there are letting bugs slip by so they have something to do in a future release. Solve all the problems, and there’s no job for problem-solvers.

]]> By: Math http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108415 Math Tue, 07 Aug 2007 06:31:09 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108415 Hi, As I spend a lot of time in web developpment, i'd like that office 2008 comes with <b>Internet Explorer 7</b>.... It's not that I want to make it my browser (I prefer Firefox) but I'm tired of debugging what does work on Firefox and what doesn't work on IE. Moreover this debugging, I must do it at work in a <strong>WinSHIT OS</strong>.. Sorry for my english > I'm from France so.. Have all a nice day<i>Math</i> Hi,

As I spend a lot of time in web developpment, i’d like that office 2008 comes with Internet Explorer 7…. It’s not that I want to make it my browser (I prefer Firefox) but I’m tired of debugging what does work on Firefox and what doesn’t work on IE. Moreover this debugging, I must do it at work in a WinSHIT OS..
Sorry for my english > I’m from France so.. Have all a nice dayMath

]]> By: Gideon http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108408 Gideon Mon, 06 Aug 2007 23:59:00 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108408 Unfortunately, Office is like the Mac of the document world. What do I mean? It just works, and it works well. It's also more aesthetically pleasing.. But beyond that, having used Office 2007 most of last year and found it to be an incredibly pleasant experience (even in beta) and then coming to Mac and finding Office 2004 works like crap on my Intel mac and there are no serious contenders for ease of use and power (sorry, neither NeoOffice nor OpenOffice are nearly as sophisticated or easy to use when working on large, complex documents.) Pages can do some wonderful work when you're doing something very specific, but not so much when you're doing something that complex. Nisus Writer can't even create real doc format files (just try to use one on an iPhone). So, I may change. But personally I'm not thrilled about waiting longer. Maybe the new OpenOffice Aqua will be nice, maybe not. But right now I'm not convinced that the Open guys have committed to any sort of strong UI. Unfortunately, Office is like the Mac of the document world. What do I mean? It just works, and it works well. It’s also more aesthetically pleasing..

But beyond that, having used Office 2007 most of last year and found it to be an incredibly pleasant experience (even in beta) and then coming to Mac and finding Office 2004 works like crap on my Intel mac and there are no serious contenders for ease of use and power (sorry, neither NeoOffice nor OpenOffice are nearly as sophisticated or easy to use when working on large, complex documents.)

Pages can do some wonderful work when you’re doing something very specific, but not so much when you’re doing something that complex. Nisus Writer can’t even create real doc format files (just try to use one on an iPhone).

So, I may change. But personally I’m not thrilled about waiting longer. Maybe the new OpenOffice Aqua will be nice, maybe not. But right now I’m not convinced that the Open guys have committed to any sort of strong UI.

]]> By: Dan http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108407 Dan Mon, 06 Aug 2007 23:00:47 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108407 From what I've seen so far since January it looks like the basic layout of the software is going in the right direction (one window interfaces, less floating boxes), although I think My Day could probably be reduced to a menu bar app. <strong>I'm highly anticipating an Entourage revamp</strong>. It'd be great to have tasks synced with Exchange, for instance. From what I’ve seen so far since January it looks like the basic layout of the software is going in the right direction (one window interfaces, less floating boxes), although I think My Day could probably be reduced to a menu bar app.

I’m highly anticipating an Entourage revamp. It’d be great to have tasks synced with Exchange, for instance.

]]> By: Steven http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108397 Steven Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:28:28 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108397 The only thing I can think of to encourage an upgrade is the ability to export Powerpoint presentations to PC format that don not need tweaking. If they do that, OR if Keynote had a real PC player, I wouldn't need to touch PC software of any kind. The only thing I can think of to encourage an upgrade is the ability to export Powerpoint presentations to PC format that don not need tweaking. If they do that, OR if Keynote had a real PC player, I wouldn’t need to touch PC software of any kind.

]]> By: Alan http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108396 Alan Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:49:49 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108396 Bittorrent! Bittorrent!

]]> By: Ryan http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108393 Ryan Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:20:53 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108393 @Chris I plug OpenOffice almost every chance I get. Although I don't personally use it since I don't do that much documentin', I have used it in the past and liked it a lot. Most people just don't know about it, or really understand it. They see MS Office as the standard, and this OpenOffice stuff as secondhand. Though, if I were to put it on their PC (or Mac) they would never notice. @Chris

I plug OpenOffice almost every chance I get. Although I don’t personally use it since I don’t do that much documentin’, I have used it in the past and liked it a lot.

Most people just don’t know about it, or really understand it. They see MS Office as the standard, and this OpenOffice stuff as secondhand.

Though, if I were to put it on their PC (or Mac) they would never notice.

]]> By: Chris Fields http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108392 Chris Fields Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:46:52 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108392 I'm curious what MS Office features compel users to stick with using it over alternatives such as OpenOffice? For instance, OpenOffice is expected to have a decently working Aqua port by the time Office 2008 comes out (maybe even a full non-beta release); beta releases are already currently available. And, as mentioned above, VB support will be removed in Office 2008. I’m curious what MS Office features compel users to stick with using it over alternatives such as OpenOffice?

For instance, OpenOffice is expected to have a decently working Aqua port by the time Office 2008 comes out (maybe even a full non-beta release); beta releases are already currently available. And, as mentioned above, VB support will be removed in Office 2008.

]]> By: Ryan http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108389 Ryan Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:47:19 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108389 Got me a copy of Office 2007 Enterprise for $25 from a special offer from my employer, a $700 value. Went straight to eBay! Hurray! I use my Windows box for a lot of things alongside my MacBook, but I <i>hate</i> Office. Especially Excel. Blarr. Just too much going on, and you can never find the formatting you need. Got me a copy of Office 2007 Enterprise for $25 from a special offer from my employer, a $700 value.

Went straight to eBay! Hurray!

I use my Windows box for a lot of things alongside my MacBook, but I hate Office. Especially Excel. Blarr.

Just too much going on, and you can never find the formatting you need.

]]> By: Louis Gray http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108387 Louis Gray Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:21:57 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108387 @Nadyne, your feedback is absolutely appreciated. I hope The Apple Blog community can contribute some good suggestions for you and the team, so your presence here is welcomed. Thanks for the note on Office 2004 compatibility. What about us Version X holdouts? @Nadyne, your feedback is absolutely appreciated. I hope The Apple Blog community can contribute some good suggestions for you and the team, so your presence here is welcomed. Thanks for the note on Office 2004 compatibility. What about us Version X holdouts?

]]> By: Craig http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108386 Craig Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:06:57 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108386 I'd love to dump MS office, but no-one has successfully created an alternative that will deal with complex .doc files in the same way so I'm stuck. And the change to .docx means an upgrade is inevitable someday. Bah. I’d love to dump MS office, but no-one has successfully created an alternative that will deal with complex .doc files in the same way so I’m stuck. And the change to .docx means an upgrade is inevitable someday. Bah.

]]> By: Nadyne Mielke http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108384 Nadyne Mielke Mon, 06 Aug 2007 15:20:07 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108384 Office 2004 will be able to read the new file formats as well. There's a beta of the file format converters out now (for .docx and .pptx files, with support for .xlsx files coming), and we'll update Office 2004 after Office 2008 is released so that the support will be native. One great way to get feedback to us is by using our product feedback website: http://www.microsoft.com/mac/default.aspx?pid=feedback I'm not trying to stop the conversation here. :) I just want to say that you can send us feedback directly instead of hoping that we read (and remember, when planning time comes around again) the comments here. Office 2004 will be able to read the new file formats as well. There’s a beta of the file format converters out now (for .docx and .pptx files, with support for .xlsx files coming), and we’ll update Office 2004 after Office 2008 is released so that the support will be native.

One great way to get feedback to us is by using our product feedback website:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/default.aspx?pid=feedback

I’m not trying to stop the conversation here. :) I just want to say that you can send us feedback directly instead of hoping that we read (and remember, when planning time comes around again) the comments here.

]]> By: Barry http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108383 Barry Mon, 06 Aug 2007 15:08:00 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108383 How about less useless features, more stability and HIG compliance? How about less useless features, more stability and HIG compliance?

]]> By: Peter http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108381 Peter Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:43:57 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/08/06/design-your-next-microsoft-office-for-mac/#comment-108381 I'm not going to upgrade for the simple reason that I need VBA ( for Excel ) and that'll be gone in Office 2008 for Mac I don't care for new all the new features : I want to be able to script my spreadsheets ! VBA, Applescript, I don't care - bring it back ASAP. Meanwhile the free File Format Converter will do just fine : http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx?pid=download&location=/mac/download/Office2004/ConverterBeta_0_2.xml I’m not going to upgrade for the simple reason that I need VBA ( for Excel ) and that’ll be gone in Office 2008 for Mac
I don’t care for new all the new features : I want to be able to script my spreadsheets !
VBA, Applescript, I don’t care - bring it back ASAP.
Meanwhile the free File Format Converter will do just fine :

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx?pid=download&location=/mac/download/Office2004/ConverterBeta_0_2.xml

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