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Office 2007 Compatibility Pack for Office:Mac Coming "(Fairly) Fast"

REVENGE

By REVENGE

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It is now widely known that Microsoft Office 2007 will introduce a new XML based file format (.docx/.xlsx/.pptx/.etcx) designed with a variety of improvements over the current file format in mind. In fact, it seems that Microsoft has even gone out of their way to ensure file format compatibility with folks who don't want to pay up to upgrade to Office 2007 by providing them with free "Microsoft Office Compatibility Packs" for users running at least Office 2000 SP3 on Windows 2000 SP4.

 

But wait a minute... how come I don't see any Office:Mac editions on the "System Requirements" list? Actually, I've been searching for a compatibility pack for Office:Mac for weeks now with null results, until recently when I've finally discovered some negative news. Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit (or MacBU) had announced at WWDC that "free downloadable converters would be available" sometime after Office 2007 is released in January. Well as it turns out, that "sometime" means "6-8 weeks" at best for a beta compatibility pack and "6-8 months" for a final release due after the new Office:Mac is released. And according to Office for Mac team, this is "(Fairly) Fast".

 

As a temporary solution, Office 2007 users will be forced to save their work in the old .doc/.xls/.ppt formats in order to maintain compatibility with Macs. Unfortunately, this could entail the loss of formatting fidelity or the ability to edit some document elements made in the new Office.

 

Of course, not that I'm suggesting Office:Mac users are "screwed" or that a "lock-out" has begun (well, at least not permanently anyways); I'm simply irritated that Microsoft's Office team would leave compatibility with their Mac counterparts on the backburner while pushing out a file converter for older "Office:Win" editions before Office 2007 had even left the beta stage. Apparently, I'm supposed to be thankful that a converter is coming at all, and even free at that...

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IHMUGGER
Now, pardon my ignorance here, but what sort of improvements are we talking here over the old format? It seems like MS is just attempting to introduce yet another crazy standard, when the old one seems to work perfectly well.

 

I can easily see an unofficial converter being made rather quickly...a simple AppleScript of sorts to strip out the essential text and formatting and dump it into a nice .doc. Of course, it really underscores the fact that MS is pretty much leaving Mac users in the cold again... =/

- Matthew

 

Just joined the forum list. Sorry for the late comment.

 

As I recall, the new MS Word format is based on XML (an open format...) BUT it still supports binary inclusions, including WMFs, etc., whicn enable them to insert proprietary enhancements to make their products superior to others since only they can handle these enhancements. Think DRM, vertical integration, feeping creaturism, etc.

 

Oh, and the fact that they support WMFs (and support the executable code within them (that's part of WMFs)), is a huge security hole. Anyone wanting to avoid such problems (e.g., virus filters) will want to avoid passing these binary attachments, making end users choose between additional MS functionality and security.

 

People probably already know about socially-engineered malware email that encourage users to turn off MS Office Macro restrictions, right? Same issue here.

 

Open format? Well...sort of.

 

Sigh.

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