It'll be interesting to see how much easier the new UI is.
Well for me, I don't necessarily require 'easy' I require consistancy; if I change my language in one application, the value should be inherited in all applications.
Really I think the windows UI is borrowing somewhat heavily from what the mac already has with the side bar where depending on what you have clicked on it shows different options that you can expand out. I rather like the mac system as it is now.
I'm certain they are working on a new version though. This will be the first office in a while to really carry some serious changes to it.
In case you haven't noticed, the latest revision of MS Office for Mac (2004 SP2) is actually rather stable, fast and has a more matured interface, with a relatively better integration with the Mac OS X experience (in relative terms of course, Im not saying its perfect). In light of this, I think the Mac BU at MS will focus on three areas for the next release (and leave any other new features for a future version):
1) moving their code from Codewarrior to Xcode.
2) compiling to Intel.
3) Supporting the new XML based doc format to achieve basic compability with Office 12 for Windows.
I don't think MS is in a hurry to implement this, as Word will probably work just fine under Rosetta, meaning that Office 2004 will do just fine on the new Intel machines. I would guess at a release around summer 2006. Perhaps even later.
I agree that Office (and VPC) for Mactels are the highest priorities right now, especially if Apple replaces AppleWorks with a full iWork suite - and I expect they will when the Mactels come out as it will be cheaper than converting AppleWorks.
MBU might add some of the new features in Office 12, but getting the Mactel conversion is probably keeping a lot of programmers working long hours right now.
Comments
Originally posted by david_oc
Hi,
Does anyone know if there's a new Mac version of Office in the pipeline?
It's not exciting, but knowing would help.
It might come after Office 12 arrives.
It'll be interesting to see how much easier the new UI is.
Originally posted by hmurchison
It might come after Office 12 arrives.
It'll be interesting to see how much easier the new UI is.
Well for me, I don't necessarily require 'easy' I require consistancy; if I change my language in one application, the value should be inherited in all applications.
I'm certain they are working on a new version though. This will be the first office in a while to really carry some serious changes to it.
1) moving their code from Codewarrior to Xcode.
2) compiling to Intel.
3) Supporting the new XML based doc format to achieve basic compability with Office 12 for Windows.
I don't think MS is in a hurry to implement this, as Word will probably work just fine under Rosetta, meaning that Office 2004 will do just fine on the new Intel machines. I would guess at a release around summer 2006. Perhaps even later.
MBU might add some of the new features in Office 12, but getting the Mactel conversion is probably keeping a lot of programmers working long hours right now.