Filed under: Software, Bugs/Recalls
Microsoft releases Office 2008 update to fix Entourage issue
How long is two weeks? If you're vacationing someplace warm and sunny, it might seem to pass in a flash; if you're in bed with the flu, it probably seems like a lifetime. For Office 2008 users who got bit by a bug in the recent 12.1.3 update, chances are the latter assessment is more on target. Those who ran the 12.1.3 update and met a particular set of criteria (Entourage users connected to Exchange + a secondary POP or IMAP account for personal email) found themselves unable to send calendar invitations or reply to meeting requests. The most straightforward fix was a rollback to the 12.1.2 version; otherwise, using a webmail client or Outlook was the best way to manage calendars. Not fun.Two weeks, though, is what it took for the Mac Business Unit to get a tested patch out the door that resolves this problem. Today, Product Manager Andy Ruff announced on the Mactopia support forum that Office 2008 12.1.4 is now available for download (16 MB, requires 12.1.3 installed), billed as follows:
This update fixes a calendar issue in versions of Microsoft Entourage that were updated with the Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac 12.1.3 Update. The issue prevents Exchange accounts in Entourage from sending meeting invitations and responses. This issue can occur when an Entourage identity is configured with more than one mail account. We strongly recommend that all Entourage users who installed Office 2008 for Mac 12.1.3 Update install this update.
While this particular fortnight may have been difficult for Entourage users, I will say that this is definitely the fastest response to an Office bug that I have ever seen from the Mac BU; in terms of the development cycle on a suite as large as Office 2008, it's an eyeblink. Kudos to the MBU for its quick action; now, the next prudent PR step is a little bit of transparency about why this bug -- which should have been fairly obvious to anyone who tested with both Exchange and POP accounts configured in the same identity -- managed to make it through to the release.
Update: Wow, talk about your rapid response... Andy has posted an explanation of the issue and the testing circumstances at the Mac Mojo blog. The missing piece of the puzzle, apparently, was account creation order: if the Exchange account was added to Entourage after the POP or IMAP setup, the problem got triggered -- a condition that never made it onto the testing radar. Points for transparency: awarded.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Roberto said 2:10PM on 10-30-2008
Too little too late. I already upgraded all my home and work computers to Open Office 3.
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adisor19 said 2:24PM on 10-30-2008
I'm sorry, Open Office 3 supports Exchange ?!!
Adi
David said 2:21PM on 10-30-2008
Interesting - I've been having this problem recently and couldn't figure out what was causing it. I do not have any POP accounts setup in Entourage, but have access to multiple email and calendar accounts of co-workers. I recently found that I could not respond to meeting invitations and was getting "unknown data" errors with the resulting response just staying put in my outbox. This update indeed fixed that glitch.
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Joe said 2:56PM on 10-30-2008
I can't apply this update. When I get to the "Destination Select" it says: "You cannot install Office 2008 12.1.4 Update on this volume. A version of the software required to install this update was not found on this volume."
WTF?
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Chris said 3:15PM on 10-30-2008
you need to have 12.1.3 to install the 12.1.4 update
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William Lane said 6:36AM on 10-31-2008
And that, of course, is an issue in and of itself, in that many folks can't even get the previous update to install.
iomatic said 1:28PM on 10-31-2008
Still no Outlook Tasks. Weak.
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Yazdgerd said 5:09PM on 10-30-2008
Any update to fix Microsoft issue?
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Trevor said 5:39PM on 10-30-2008
It would be helpful is Microsoft Mac division would release a combined package including
- AutoUpdate updater
- all updates 12.1.0 -> 12.1.4
All in all, really like Office 08. Thanks again for using standard .pkg for installation now, but check out the receipts, it's absurd to have a separate package for each tiny component of the program suite, and it slows down system maintenance checking all those tiny bundles and their bom files.
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Denton said 6:09PM on 10-30-2008
When is Microsoft going to fix the fact that Office 2008 doesn't work with Spaces? I've switched back to iWork because I'm sick of spending all my time chasing the Formatting Palate around instead of getting work done.
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dance said 6:37PM on 10-30-2008
An MS developer has posted about the issue with Spaces here:
http://www.schwieb.com/blog/2008/10/23/risks-and-rewards/
Joe said 7:02PM on 10-30-2008
I do have 12.1.3 installed already but it will NOT let me install 12.1.4.
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pank said 7:28PM on 10-30-2008
Same here. Ran the microsoft updater and it is saying there are not updates??
Nick said 8:47PM on 11-13-2008
Here is the solution, works for the 12.1.4 update.
http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20080815074014531
Boyo said 1:40PM on 10-31-2008
Hi I'm Mark Wahlberg, Entourage update huh, that's cool you know i produce the HBO show Entourage. Say Hi to your mother for me.
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Frank said 7:41PM on 10-31-2008
You, sir, made me laugh. :-)
Good one.
Daniel Saul Zeff said 7:32AM on 11-01-2008
Office 2008 still sucks on the mac. I've moved over to google docs and iwork.
http://blog.evidently.com
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Gregory Pierce said 12:46PM on 11-07-2008
I'm glad that they did this. Maybe now they can work on getting the analytics packages ported over to the latest Excel so I don't have to run ancient version, VMWare, or SPSS just do do what I used to be able to do.
Its all a bunch of scripts, how bad could it be?
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K. Stevens said 8:40PM on 12-26-2008
I very recently got a Mac book pro laptop. Since I have never used Mac products before I am having trouble learning ALL the differences. I am wondering if there is such a thing as "Apple or Mac for dummies?" Also I am used to using Outlook & Office at work & home. I have all my addresses, phone numbers, etc. on Outlook as well as my calendar. I won't spend $300 or $400. to upgrade to Office 2008 for Mac. I really only want to use the Outlook/Office features. Can anyone advise me on the above two questions?
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K Stevens said 8:42PM on 12-26-2008
Was hoping for some answers to my email sent last evening?
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