Upgrading from v.X to Word:Mac 2008?

[Guest]

Version: v.X
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Intel

Hi,

I’m hoping someone can help me out. Here’s the situation:

* I had been using Word:Mac v.X for a while on my MacBookPro (I had migrated it over from an older iBook) but I recently needed to reinstall all my software and will now upgrade to Leopard from Tiger (but I have not reinstalled Word:Mac v.X yet).

MY QUESTIONS:

* Is it okay to run Word:Mac v.X on Leopard? If not, is there somehow a specific advantage (in terms of compatibility) that Word:Mac 2008 has?

* If I do decide to get Word:Mac 2008, do I need to reinstall the old Word:Mac v.X version to upgrade to the Word:Mac 2008? (I’d rather not if at all possible.) Or can I just use my old serial number from the Word:Mac v.X disc (OR the disc itself) to “prove” I’m eligible to use the upgrade?

This article from 2005 seems to suggest you can just use the CD and not install the whole previous program. Would this technique work with the 2008 update as well?
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892962>

According to the Microsoft website, you should be able to upgrade from Word:Mac v.X, but I called Microsoft and got conflicting info. I should also point out that the website says that you can even upgrade from Word 98 (for the Mac) and since you can’t actually install this PowerPC version on a machine running any version of Mac OSX, then there has to be another way to upgrade than just install it “on top of on existing program.” Or the website is inaccurate.

Thanks for any help you can offer...

 

[CyberTaz]

Your questions are answered in line below

Version: v.X
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Intel

Hi,

I¹m hoping someone can help me out. Here¹s the situation:

* I had been using Word:Mac v.X for a while on my MacBookPro (I had migrated
it over from an older iBook) but I recently needed to reinstall all my
software and will now upgrade to Leopard from Tiger (but I have not
reinstalled Word:Mac v.X yet).

MY QUESTIONS:

* Is it okay to run Word:Mac v.X on Leopard? If not, is there somehow a
specific advantage (in terms of compatibility) that Word:Mac 2008 has?

Clive Huggan states it well:

"I strongly endorse CyberTaz's remarks. Office X was brought out in a great
hurry to support Apple's launch of OS X. OS X has successively changed
almost beyond recognition since then; Leopard and Office X are not at all
comfortably matched."

* If I do decide to get Word:Mac 2008, do I need to reinstall the old Word:Mac
v.X version to upgrade to the Word:Mac 2008? (I¹d rather not if at all
possible.) Or can I just use my old serial number from the Word:Mac v.X disc
(OR the disc itself) to ³prove² I¹m eligible to use the upgrade?

You need not install X. When you install the 2008 upgrade you'll be prompted
to locate the "qualifying prior version". Simply insert the Office X disk as
the source. The 2008 package will have its own Product Key.

This article from 2005 seems to suggest you can just use the CD and not
install the whole previous program. Would this technique work with the 2008
update as well?
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892962>

According to the Microsoft website, you should be able to upgrade from
Word:Mac v.X, but I called Microsoft and got conflicting info. I should also
point out that the website says that you can even upgrade from Word 98 (for
the Mac) and since you can¹t actually install this PowerPC version on a
machine running any version of Mac OSX, then there has to be another way to
upgrade than just install it ³on top of on existing program.² Or the website
is inaccurate.

I'm surprised that you received "conflicting info", although not all first
tier support folks are as familiar with Mac stuff as perhaps they should be.

Office X was introduced prior to the switch to Intel processors, but it
isn't PPC-only. It will run in *any* version of OS X regardless of
processor. The whole purpose for the introduction of X was to be an OS
X-compatible version of Office - hence the "X" naming As Clive's
statement indicates, however, it was rushed to market, it is beyond
end-of-life & has become increasingly problematic as the OS has progressed.

Thanks for any help you can offer...

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