Filed under: Software
Office 2008 now available for pre-order
Many of you have already gotten the email inviting you to dig deep into your pockets, so let me relay the news to them that hasn't: you can now pre-order Microsoft Office 2008 from Apple and Amazon, with delivery scheduled on January 15th.If you were hoping to install Office 2008 in the first few moments after its official release... well, my suggestion is to wait a few days for the issues to shake out. Otherwise, better have a second machine around to get work done.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Brian said 10:14AM on 1-10-2008
Having just bought iWorks I wonder why you would buy this except for the email
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Robb said 12:02PM on 1-10-2008
Go to your corporate IT and ask to have iWork installed and supported. Then ask if they'll support Microsoft Office.
John Coxon said 11:05AM on 1-10-2008
Anyone working in Physics or another science really needs the equation features in Microsoft Word, as well as the ability to open and work with files created in Word, so Microsoft Office is really a must. Plus, Excel is so superior to Numbers it's untrue.
Microsoft Office is actually not a bad bit of software, at the end of the day!
Mystic said 11:28AM on 1-10-2008
Besides myself, it looks like others would disagree with you.
"Another plug for LaTeX. Have stopped using Word completely. At first we thought it would be intimidating, but after four months my entire research group is very happy and comfortable with LaTeX for all types of documents. Of course I use Keynote for presentations and LaTeX Equation Editor for dropping equations into the presentation.
Word simply does not deliver the quality provided by LaTeX. The latter is free too!
RPS"
Ryan said 11:39AM on 1-10-2008
LaTex is a great editor but there is a decent sized learning curve which I think is a little bit steep for most users
Sportsmedjosh said 10:21AM on 1-10-2008
Brian to address you concern in academics a lot of work is done in Word. Most Reference databases also work best in word as well as the grammar check for passive voice. For that reason it is hard for individuals who are in academia to not have Office, I personally have both.
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spencer.cutler said 10:36AM on 1-10-2008
Just beware if you're an EndNote user, it is not compatible with Word 2008 because they get rid of VBasic macros. I'll be sticking with Office 2004 for the time being (if it isn't broken - don't fix it)
Sportsmedjosh said 10:44AM on 1-10-2008
Wow are you serious about the EndNote issue? That is not good at all.
iGO said 10:28AM on 1-10-2008
I wanted to take advantage of the MacOffice SuperSuite Deal, so I purchased an Office 2004 copy. Now, I have to decide which of these TWO offers I want to get for the $6.99:
OPTION ONE: Send me Office 2008 for Mac Special Media
Edition (includes 1 license for business or personal use, also includes Exchange Server support , additional Automator Actions plus Microsoft Expression Media for Mac)
OR
OPTION TWO: Send me Office 2008 for Mac Home & Student Edition (includes 3 licenses for home or non-commercial use only; does NOT include Exchange
Server support or Automator Actions) + Microsoft Expression Media for Mac
Dollar-wise the first option is worth $499.0 and the second is $149.00
License-wise, I can install the latter on three Macs but can this version be upgraded down the road.
Additionally,
What are the pro's and con's for each choice, features-wise?
Thanks
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wei said 2:07PM on 1-10-2008
I chose option 2. The main motivator was to have 3 licenses. If you look carefully at the pricing, it's actually almost identical. Mac Office Special Media Edition is the standard Office package plus Expression Media. Retail price is around $500. The Home & Student edition is worth about $150 but also includes Expression Media, which by itself is worth $300 retail. So it really comes down to the small features that are different between the two packages. But I really found that package 1 provides nothing worthwhile over package 2 and restricts you to one license. Hope that helps.
wei said 2:07PM on 1-10-2008
I chose option 2. The main motivator was to have 3 licenses. If you look carefully at the pricing, it's actually almost identical. Mac Office Special Media Edition is the standard Office package plus Expression Media. Retail price is around $500. The Home & Student edition is worth about $150 but also includes Expression Media, which by itself is worth $300 retail. So it really comes down to the small features that are different between the two packages. But I really found that package 1 provides nothing worthwhile over package 2 and restricts you to one license. Hope that helps.
John Lin said 6:58PM on 1-10-2008
Does anyone know if "one license" means you can only install it on one machine or does it mean you can install on multiple machines if you own all of them? I was juggling the same decision as to whether to go with Option 1 or 2. I need to be able to connect to an exchange server, but I have two computers - a laptop and a desktop.
rener said 11:01AM on 1-10-2008
Funnily enough, I just today received this "Back Order" update from Microsoft on my upgrade from recently purchased Office 2004:
Thank you for your recent order. The product listed below is currently out of stock.
The new expected ship date for your product is 2/4/2008.
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Chris Maddocks said 11:11AM on 1-10-2008
One thing that is driving me crazy is the prices for Canadian residents. At the moment, the Candian dollar is worth more than the US greenback but we are still being charged for the 'exchange rate' that was appropriate a year ago. It is infuriating because most big businesses are slow to react when swings in circumstances favour the consumer but are instantaneous when it is in their favour--just look at gas prices ...
Just another example that MS cares more about money than customers. If they could only get it through their think skulls that if you take care of the latter the former takes care of itself. In fact, in the long run, you make more money being customer-centric than money centric. I suppose the blue-faced screaming id*ot Steve Ballmer can't see this very simple fact.
A question: does anyone know if the Exchange Server version is available for multiple licenses?
thanks
Chris
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Tim Gardner said 2:37PM on 1-10-2008
Has anyone noticed the price discrepancy between the US and UK Apple Stores? As usual us Brits are expected to pay between a half and a third more depending on which version. Do Apple and Microsoft not use exchange rates? I know we have differing local taxes but this wouldn't add as big a difference. With Apple having to change their pricing on the iTunes Store for the UK I'm amazed that they and Microsoft continue to screw over their customers on this side of the Atlantic!
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MorrowLess said 11:19AM on 1-10-2008
It's a merit less comment to say that you'll need a 2nd machine to get any work done. You honestly think they'll ship something that doesn't work at all?? I'm all for Microsoft bashing when they deserve it, but get real.
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Mr Lizard said 1:51PM on 1-10-2008
I'd go further and say you probably don't need a second machine as the apps will be installed in their own Office 2008 folder, and not the Office 2004 folder that the present version uses.
Therefore, there's no reason why both apps can't run side-by-side (useful if your working in Excel 2008 and someone emails you an .xls file with VB macros)
Russell said 11:35AM on 1-10-2008
@Anyone who is trying to get Office 2008 through the "Super Suite Deal" - the one where you bought Office 2004 recently and are getting 2008 for $7:
I just got an email that says (among other things):
"The new expected ship date for your product is 2/4/2008.
If you wish to receive this product, if available by the new expected ship date shown above, NO RESPONSE IS REQUIRED.
If you no longer wish to receive this product, you may cancel your order by responding to this e-mail and placing an X in front of option #1 below or by contacting our customer service department at 506-694-4328.
If we are unable to ship this product by the new expected ship date shown, but you wish to receive the product when it becomes available, you may update your order by responding to this e-mail and placing an X in front of option #2 below or by contacting our customer service department at 506-694-4328."
If you don't read that carefully you might just ignore it, but what it says is that if they don't have Office 2008 in stock on February 4th (and I suspect they will make a point of not having any) they will cancel your order, and you will have to purchase it for full price. In order to prevent this you have to awkwardly "place an X in front of option #2 below". God only knows why they couldn't have made a website with a check box, I guess that would have been a bit too modern for Microsoft.
Sincerely,
Russell
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mchugh24 said 2:55PM on 1-10-2008
Thanks for pointing that out. I got the same message, and would have ignored it.
Bobnease said 1:44PM on 1-10-2008
It's also available for pre-order at www.macmall.com
It's only $130.98 for the Home & Student edition from them.
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