Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Upgrade

Microsoft Office 2008 4 Mac was purchased as an upgrade. I work as an editor & publisher of niche publications & it is necessary 4 me 2 have recent versions of software 2 serve my clients.

That said, this is the slowest, most memory-sucking MS Office yet. The performance on a G5 2.0 Dual GHz Mac running Mac OS 10.5.5 is abysmal. On my Intel Mac Dual Core 2.0 GHz MacBook Pro, the performance is only slightly better.

I suspect the primary reason 4 the slow boot-up time is that (as a publishing professional) each machine has more than 100 fonts open at any given time. MS Word does not handle large font libraries very well.

My recommendation is 2 avoid this program if you can. The Text Editor that is part of Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) is far more nimble & allows documents 2 be saved as any number of MS Word version documents. It is a better bet 4 casual Mac users.

PowerPoint is only useful 2 view PowerPoint documents. I seldom need this function. I do not use MS Messaging or Ms Entourage (Mac Mail is better integrated with my iPhone).

I use MS Excel from time 2 time. Again, it is slow starting up, but functions well beyond that.

The bottom line is that I own MS Office 2008 4 Mac because I have to, not because I want to.

In general I found this 2 be a good upgrade & specifically useful since in my work I am being sent files from the PCs that are XML using Microsoft Office 2007. I like the changes in PowerPoint that make it easier 2 make changes. In addition this program allows me 2 make any file into a PDF without having 2 go print & making a copy. So far no problems or crashes.

Well, it could be worse. Before I purchased this upgrade I was working on Office X 4 Mac, & it was definitely worse than this is--Word in Office X was crashing on me upwards of twenty times a day. The 2008 version is definitely more stable than what I was using, but all of the other reviews that say it is slow were not exaggerating. (I'm using a well-equipped MacBook Pro, so it's not the computer.) I often work on multiple documents at a time in Word, & at times it can take up 2 & more than twenty seconds 2 switch between documents...in the same program. That seems a little ridiculous 2 me. I think it's the usual issue you run into when you use Microsoft products: new versions just pile new functions on top of poorly written code, so yeah, you're getting some cool stuff, but it's all based on something that doesn't work particularly well. I did try out iWork, but I work with files from a lot of different people & iWork just wasn't able 2 work seamlessly enough with those files 4 what I needed. (In fact, it kept crashing every time I tried 2 open an RTF file.)

So, what's my overall take on Office 2008? It is definitely more stable than the version I was working on. It has some nice features, but a lot of those features bog down the programs, making getting things done quickly a bit of a problem. Was it worth the money 4 the upgrade? I'd have 2 say "yes," but there are some annoying "features" that take some getting used to.

Since the files produced are xml, they are not compatible with previous version. One has 2 set the default files 2 the last version of Office so that others can open your files.

There are still a few bugs--can't open attachments. Must save first & then open from the application.

2008 Office has lots of great features, but I am not sure it's worth it because of the incompatibility with previous versions.

I got the upgrade 4 Microsoft Office Mac 2008. Wow... I have never seen such an awful application in my life. It take over 20 minutes 4 the application 2 open on my Mac. I say, run!! Run in the other direction. This product is just simply awful & a total waste of money & time. My production has suffered a great deal since it's purchase.

A streamlined user interface, hundreds of new themes & templates, & better compatibility with your Windows-based colleagues--with Microsoft Office 2008 4 Mac, you'll simplify your work & achieve more with less effort.

Five Great Reasons 2 Upgrade 2 Office 2008 4 Mac: Universal applications: Office 2008 runs natively on both Intel- & PowerPC-based Macs. Easier interface: You'll quickly build professional, compatible & complex documents using the simplified user interface & new tools like Document Elements. With a visual gallery 4 selecting elements like cover pages, bibliographies, & citations, you're one-click from finished. Your Mac, more compatible: Office 2008 4 Mac & the Windows-based 2007 Office System share the Open XML file formats, the Office Art graphics engine, & many other features that result in compatibility & file fidelity. You'll be confident when sharing ideas & documents with colleagues regardless of which platform they're on. Great documents: Professional design is within your power with hundreds of new customizable templates & suite-wide themes, SmartArt graphics, & the new Publishing Layout View in Word 2008. Your day, well managed: My Day keeps you connected 2 all of the day's action. Command your calendar, tackle your tasks, & simplify your day with this easy 2 use but powerful little tool. Which Version of Office 2008 is right 4 you? View this comparison chart.

Simplify Your Work
Your presentation will make an impact. Your documents will be professional. Your analysis will be insightful. And Office 2008 will be there.
The latest version of the industry standard 4 productivity software on the Macintosh platform, Microsoft Office 2008 4 Mac is more powerful & easier 2 use. Office 2008 combines Microsoft Word 4 Mac, Microsoft PowerPoint 4 Mac, Microsoft Excel 4 Mac, Microsoft Entourage 4 Mac, & Microsoft Messenger 4 Mac & lets you easily create high-impact documents & seamlessly share your ideas with others, whether they are on the Mac or Windows platform.

What's New in Office 4 Mac?

• Universal versions of the most popular productivity applications on the Macintosh platform (Universal applications run natively on Intel- & PowerPC-based Macs.)
• Microsoft Office 4 Mac natively supports the Open XML file formats 4 compatibility with Windows-based 2007 Microsoft Office products.
• A redesigned user interface & powerful new tools 4 simplifying work, creating great looking documents, & exchanging ideas & information with others.

Highlights of Office 2008 4 Mac

• Office 2008 is a Universal Binary, was built by Mac users 4 Mac users, & includes many features which take advantage of underlying technologies of the Macintosh platform.
• Office 2008 uses Open XML file formats 4 compatibility with Windows-based 2007 Microsoft Office products. XML file formats help reduce the risk of lost information due 2 damaged or corrupted files & also result in smaller file sizes--up 2 75 percent smaller than comparable binary documents. Office 2008 4 Mac is backward-compatible with earlier file formats & users can continue 2 use the older .doc, .xls, & .ppt binary formats.
• Elements Gallery is the foundation of the new user interface, & gives easy access 2 the most commonly used tools & templates. With the new UI, you'll harness the capabilities of Office 4 Mac more easily than ever before.
• Office 2008 includes OfficeArt, the powerful graphics engine also used in the Windows-based Office 2007 products. You get great cross-platform file fidelity & easy access 2 stunning visual & graphic effects.
• Your words will make an impact with the modern styling of SmartArt graphics, which makes transforming text & bulleted lists into professional diagrams & graphics one-click easy.
• A new Themes capability simplifies the process of applying a consistent look & feel across documents. Easily apply a complete set of colors, fonts, & effects 2 your Office 2008 documents, & change them as easily as changing your mind.
• Automator Actions 4 Workflows in Microsoft Office enables you 2 automate Office 2008 with more than 70 pre-defined actions built 2 simplify your work & extend your productivity. (Available in Office 2008 4 Mac & Office 2008 4 Mac Special Media Edition.)

Entourage 2008, the hub of Office 2008, helps it 2 happen, one task at a time.

Enjoy powerful new tools, over 100 designer templates, rich themes, & an intuitive user interface in Word 2008.

Entourage 2008
Your e-mails will spark ideas, you'll schedule meetings where creativity abounds. Entourage 2008, the hub of Office 2008, helps it 2 happen, one task at a time.

• My Day keeps you connected 2 the action. Schedules, tasks, & priorities in one easy, standalone interface. Time will have no choice but 2 be well-managed.
• Use color-coded categories, status indicators, & flexible To-Do list management humble even the most hectic schedules.
• Office 2008 4 Mac & Office 2008 Special Media Edition enable users 2 access their Microsoft Exchange server accounts with Entourage.
• Improved Junk E-Mail filtering capabilities & phishing protection tools help shield your inbox from the scourge of junk. Your inbox will breathe a sigh of relief.
• Projects submit 2 your superior management skills when you unleash the power of Project Center, With project details like e-mail messages, documents, schedules, & contacts in one convenient place, Project Center helps keep your information--and your stress--under control.

Word 2008
Powerful new tools, over 100 designer templates, rich themes, & an intuitive user interface in Word 2008 will help you 2 make your ideas look as good as they are.

• When you turn blah into brilliant, Publishing Layout View will elevate the way you think about Word 2008. This new specialized & customizable workspace lets users create incredibly rich documents such as newletters, flyers & brochures without a degree in design.
• Great looking document construction won't require a hard hat. New Templates, Themes, & Document Elements like cover pages & bibliographies make creating professional-looking output a snap.
• Your words will make an impact with the modern styling of SmartArt, which makes transforming text into high-quality graphics & diagrams as easy as one click.
• Dynamic Guides will help you keep all of your words & graphics in line & on point.
• Mass mailings will have a personal touch & Word 2008 Mail Merge Manager will guide you step by easy step.

Inspire your audience's imagination with compelling visuals & engaging layout in PowerPoint 2008.

Analyze, share, & manage your data, & easily create persuasive charts & thought-provoking graphs 4 powerful results with Excel 2008.

PowerPoint 2008
Your presentation is a story. PowerPoint 2008 will illustrate it. Inspire your audience's imagination with compelling visuals & engaging layout.

• Great ideas will get their graphic due with SmartArt graphics in PowerPoint 2008. Start with a blank slide or a bulleted list, and, with a click of a button, you'll have a stunning chart, table, map, or diagram.
• Designer Themes help you give your presentation a creative look, simply & quickly.
• The new Object Palette allows quick access 2 all your shapes, art, symbols, & pictures--including iPhoto files--in one easy-to-access space.
• Dynamic Guides will help you place & resize your graphic element 2 create professional-looking presentations in a snap.
• You'll lay out custom designs 2 showcase your unique content with custom layout capabilities in PowerPoint 2008.
• PowerPoint 2008 integration with Apple Remote Control lets you concentrate on your words, not your keyboard. Now control your presentation & engage your audience unleashed from the podium.

  Excel 2008
  It's a numbers game. With Excel 2008, analyze, share, & manage your data, & easily create persuasive charts & thought-provoking graphs 4 powerful results.

  • Ledger Sheets in Excel 2008 make tracking finances, inventories, even invoices & portfolios easy with preformulated spreadsheets & automatic calculations.
  • Charting improvements artfully convey the message your data is telling. You'll see your numbers in a whole new way.
  • The new prebuilt functions tackle the most common tasks & make creating error-free complex conditional formulas easier.
  • Quick access 2 formulas makes functions more functional with Formula Builder in Excel 2008.
  • Your data will know virtually no limits. Excel 2008 now supports over 16,000 columns & over 1 million rows.
  • Whether you're an Excel expert or a complete novice, Excel 2008 Formula AutoComplete simplifies your calculations by providing a dynamic pop-up menu so you can select & complete your formula.

  Messenger 4 Mac
  Convenience is the name of the game 4 Mac users who want 2 communicate instantly with family, friends & colleagues from one convenient place. Messenger 4 Mac is now a Universal application, & gives you more ways 2 share what's on your mind or on your plate.

  Use Messenger 4 Mac 2 instantly check the status of project team members, streamline workflow by sending documents directly from Word, or offer questions or comments on document changes instantly.

  • Yahoo! Interoperability will allow personal users 2 connect & message with Yahoo! Messenger 4 Mac users.
  • Your intentions will never again be in doubt when you create your own custom emoticons in Messenger 4 Mac.
  • Spelling Checker is now included in Messenger 4 Mac.
  • Let the world know your tastes when you display your iTunes selection with the new "What I'm listening 2 now" feature.