'04 vs '08

[Kurt Ullman]

My daughter will be getting a new MacBook in a couple of weeks. I
still have a license left out of the three when I bought Office '04 with
my computer. She will get the student discount. So, any particular
reason I should/n't just use the last license for '04 rather than get
the '08?

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Kurt -

IMHO - The only 'significant' reason to go to 2008 is the OOXML file format
she'll be running into because of others using Mac Office 2008 or Win Office
2007. Although 2004 will still work with those docs using the appropriate
converters (Word & PPt *only at the moment) there could be something lost in
the translation.

Quite frankly, it wouldn't hurt to have *both* available.

 

[Kurt Ullman]

Hi Kurt -

IMHO - The only 'significant' reason to go to 2008 is the OOXML file format
she'll be running into because of others using Mac Office 2008 or Win Office
2007. Although 2004 will still work with those docs using the appropriate
converters (Word & PPt *only at the moment) there could be something lost in
the translation.

Quite frankly, it wouldn't hurt to have *both* available.

Thanks. I am still running only "04 and haven't run into any major
problems. What is the OOXML format and where would it cause concerns.
She will mostly be using if for word docs related to school and work.
Although if she gets '08 student with multiple licenses then I could
trade her one license of '04 for one of '08 for me (g).

 

[CyberTaz]

Nutshell Synopsis:

Open Office Extensible Markup Language (OOXML) is the new defacto file
format used by all MS Office 2007/2008 applications. The new programs
include features not directly supported or not supported at all in the
earlier versions. The older versions need to use converters to open files
which have been saved in the newer format, so there is the possibility that
there will be some difference from how it was intended to be.

The newer versions can open & save in the older formats (.doc, .xls, .ppt)
but must work in "Compatibility Mode" which inhibits/negates some of their
new-found capabilities.