Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Menu
Search
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Reviews

    Office for Mac 2011 Due in October; Will It Matter?

    By
    P. J. Connolly
    -
    August 2, 2010
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Microsoft announced today that the next version of Office for Mac would be available in a little over two months. That’s good.

      Unlike the Windows version of Office, Office for Mac 2011 will only be offered as a 32-bit application suite. That’s bad.

      It will include a full-blown version of Outlook (for the first time in years). That’s good.

      It will have a version of the Ribbon interface. That’s, well, it’s meh.

      It may have some SharePoint integration, but if it does, Microsoft’s keeping that very quiet. If that isn’t there, it’s terrible.

      Now let me explain why I feel the way I do, in what approaches an order of importance.

      First, we have the interface discussion: People get very used to interfaces, and vendors mess with them at their peril. Once users become comfortable with an interface, they really don’t want to switch. For example, the muscles of my hands still remember the Lotus 1-2-3 menu sequences, even though I’m pretty sure that I haven’t seen the classic spreadsheet in a dozen or more years. I only hope that the Mac version of Microsoft’s Ribbon doesn’t impede my work the way the Office 2007 implementation has; I’ve been using that suite for months, and I still can’t find features that I use until I’ve spent a good 10 minutes poking at the silly thing.

      Moving on, I’m really disappointed that in this release, Microsoft continues to treat its only moneymaker for the Mac platform like a second-class citizen. By refusing to provide 64-bit versions of Office for Mac, Microsoft is essentially telling users to wait for a few more years, and then maybe they can have it. Although I may not have much call for the additional data capacity that 64-bit applications would provide, I know people who do, especially when spreadsheets enter the discussion.

      (This is an opportunity for Apple, which has done a very good job of promoting its iWork application suite as an alternative to Office. If Apple wants to make the point, upgrading the next release of Numbers to 64-bit would be a shot across Microsoft’s bow. The Mac OS X Mail application already runs in 64-bit mode on supported hardware, so that’s already a generation ahead of Outlook.)

      I will kick the tires on the new version of Outlook with interest, but that’s only because I still haven’t found the time to migrate the last 10 years of mail that I have archived on a machine at home from Outlook 2003 to Mac Mail. The only use I’ve had for Outlook in the last year has been for Exchange integration; this release of Outlook for Mac has to support a broader range of Exchange installations than Mac Mail, or it’s going to be kind of pointless.

      Finally, SharePoint is the main reason to choose Microsoft Office over OpenOffice.org on the Windows side of the desktop; if Microsoft isn’t including better hooks between SharePoint and Office for Mac in this release, it’s not simply blowing an opportunity. I’ve suspected for years that the main Office team and the Mac BU only worked for the same company in name; leaving SharePoint off the table in Office for Mac 2011 would prove that point for all time.

      Yes, I know that in the business world Macs represent only about 3 percent of the installed desktops. That’s money that Microsoft can (in theory) leave on the table; but by once again throwing out an inferior version of Office to Apple’s customers, Microsoft is sacrificing mind share that it really can’t afford to lose.

      P. J. Connolly
      P. J. Connolly began writing for IT publications in 1997 and has a lengthy track record in both news and reviews. Since then, he's built two test labs from scratch and earned a reputation as the nicest skeptic you'll ever meet. Before taking up journalism, P. J. was an IT manager and consultant in San Francisco with a knack for networking the Apple Macintosh, and his love for technology is exceeded only by his contempt for the flavor of the month. Speaking of which, you can follow P. J. on Twitter at pjc415, or drop him an email at [email protected]

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      How NVIDIA A100 Station Brings Data Center...

      Zeus Kerravala - November 18, 2020 0
      There’s little debate that graphics processor unit manufacturer NVIDIA is the de facto standard when it comes to providing silicon to power machine learning...
      Read more
      Apple

      Why iPhone 12 Pro Makes Sense for...

      Wayne Rash - November 26, 2020 0
      If you’ve been watching the Apple commercials for the past three weeks, you already know what the company thinks will happen if you buy...
      Read more

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×