Office 2007 viewers for Mac - anyone know when they will beavailable?

[Alan Hamilton]

I am increasingly getting docx, xlsx and pptx files from colleagues but
can't of course read them on the Mac. I read in the interview with the head
of the MacBU @ Microsoft that viewers were coming but I haven't found
anything since.

Does anyone know any more?

 

[CyberTaz]

I believe most everyone expected to se the converters by now, but I'm afraid
you know as much as any of us. The Mactopia site is the place to check
periodically - I'm certain they will be posted for d/l there as soon as they
are available.

In the meantime the only option is to have the user re-send in 97-2003
format - which I realize is a royal PITA

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

In the meantime the only option is to have the user re-send in 97-2003
format - which I realize is a royal PITA

Well--there are supposedly some widgets and such that will convert the
format (try Google, I downloaded something called docx-converter that I
haven't installed yet), and NeoOffice 2 also opens the format,
apparently. For complex documents, you may lose some formatting--the MS
converters are supposed to handle just about every possible case
(presumably what's taking so long), and the existing tools out there
don't promise that. But they may handle the basics enough to save you a
few requests for resending.

Somewhere I also thought there was a website that would let you upload
and give you back a converted doc.

IIRC, the date promised was Spring 2007 (US Spring--so maybe second
quarter?), which is very fuzzy and not yet over.

 

[William Smith]

IIRC, the date promised was Spring 2007 (US Spring--so maybe second
quarter?), which is very fuzzy and not yet over.

And let's not forget that these will be betas! They may be buggy or not
meet initial user expectations altogether. If they work then great! But
keep in mind that they may not work properly right away.

bill

 

[JE McGimpsey]

In the meantime the only option is to have the user re-send in 97-2003
format - which I realize is a royal PITA

NeoOffice 2.1 will open and save Word 2007 format docs, according to its
web site (haven't tried, myself).

http://www.neooffice.org/

 

[dag.oyvind]

And let's not forget that these will be betas! They may be buggy or not
meet initial user expectations altogether. If they work then great! But
keep in mind that they may not work properly right away.

bill

You could also try http://www.docx2doc.com/ . Online conversion in
just a few seconds. It may help you until better client software is
available. Check it out.

 

[Alan Hamilton]

Good tip - thanks.

FYI - Neo office does open Office 2007 but in my experience doesn't do it
well enough - the usual fonts/layout issues come up.

Alan

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Daiya -

I've tried a couple of the other options with "mixed" results at best. And
as far as the web site deal... Well, I'm not crazy about spraying my scent
on a strange site & leaving copies of my docs behind to boot I think I'd
rather spend $400 on a cheap PeeCee

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac