Upgrading to MS Office 2008

[smiths42]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

What steps do I need to take to upgrade from MS Office 2004 to MS Office 2008? Since I already have the 2004 version on my computer, can I simply pay for & download the update online? Or, do I need to go out and purchase the boxed MS Office 2008, install it and then uninstall the 2004 version? I seldom update/upgrade my software (I know this is not a good idea, trying to do better) so I don't remember how this works...

 

[MC]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

What steps do I need to take to upgrade from MS Office 2004 to MS Office
2008? Since I already have the 2004 version on my computer, can I simply pay
for & download the update online? Or, do I need to go out and purchase the
boxed MS Office 2008, install it and then uninstall the 2004 version? I
seldom update/upgrade my software (I know this is not a good idea, trying to
do better) so I don't remember how this works...

Having made the upgrade I rather wish I hadn't. 2008 is designed to be
more stable and versatile, but they've crippled macros, no one I work
with or for can open the default file format, they've screwed around
with some features without informing users what they've done or how to
undo it and although they've issued a service pack, it still seems buggy
for a great many uers.

My advice would be, hold off for a year or so if you can. If you don't
have a truly compelling reason to upgrade, you're probably better off
with the devil you know while Microsoft irons out some more kinks.

 

[Bryan Grunwald]

Since I installed Office 2008 on my Mac I am seeing overtyping and unusual spacing. Any ideas on how to fix it?

 

[MC]

Since I installed Office 2008 on my Mac I am seeing overtyping and unusual
spacing. Any ideas on how to fix it?

Overtyping is in Prefs in an obvious place.

When you say "spacing" do you mean between words or between lines?

If the latter it's a new feature (also known in my house as a bug) that
inserts a single space that looks like a double space at the end of
paragraphs.

There have been innumerable posts in this group about what to do to
eliminate it, and the next time someone posts the boilerplate answer I
promise I'll copy it and keep it soi can post it too.

In the meantime, you might want to Google seacrh it in Google Groups.
Seek and ye shall find.

 

[John McGhie]

No. Unless we get all your version information, we can't answer the
question.

Since I installed Office 2008 on my Mac I am seeing overtyping and unusual
spacing. Any ideas on how to fix it?

--

Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[John McGhie]

There's currently no way to download the new version (it's over a gigabyte
-- too big to download).

It's not an "Update" to your existing, it's a whole new version. To get it,
you either go to a shop or order it online and wait for it to be delivered
to you.

It would be a very good idea to run Apple's Software Update, then go to
Help>Check for Updates in any Office 2004 application and make sure you are
fully up-to-date, BEFORE you install the new version. Great misery is on
offer if your OS or your previous version are not fully patched before you
upgrade

When you install Office 2008, it will offer to look for old versions. If it
finds any, it will offer to remove the old versions. I very strongly
suggest that you say "NO" to that. I think you will want to keep your old
version installed for a couple of years

Cheers

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

What steps do I need to take to upgrade from MS Office 2004 to MS Office 2008?
Since I already have the 2004 version on my computer, can I simply pay for &
download the update online? Or, do I need to go out and purchase the boxed MS
Office 2008, install it and then uninstall the 2004 version? I seldom
update/upgrade my software (I know this is not a good idea, trying to do
better) so I don't remember how this works...

--

Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[marcush]

We purchased office 2004 early this year with the promise of a free upgrade to 2008. Our Mac store informed us to get it from the net. Where the hell is it? I am sick of searching the office site trying to find an answer. I did find one clue, "promotion finished feb 2008". Now what?

 

[CyberTaz]

Hello marcush -

If a retailer uses a promotion to close a sale & doesn't provide the
customer with complete & accurate information that merchant should be the
first target of the customer's ire

There was a promotion in effect at the time, but the only thing available
from "the web" was the fulfillment request form which could be completed on
line or downloaded & mailed along with the necessary documentation. As with
any promotional offering, however, there was a time frame within which the
purchase had to be made as well as a cut-off date for submitting the
request. Both dates, I 'm afraid, have elapsed... I believe the last date
for purchase was 31 March & the last postmark date for submission was 15
April. AFAIK, the claim form has been pulled accordingly. You can find out
more about the original offer as well as contact information here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946973

As stated above, though, I doubt that MS will be able to do much at this
point, so I'd beat up on the retailer if they truly provided no more details
than what you related.

Although I fully understand your frustration please realize that it will do
you no good to vent in this newsgroup if you feel like you got burned - we
are simply volunteer users who offer suppot to others on the features of the
product. We have nothing to do with policy, promotion or customer service
related issues & those who do deal with those matters do not spend any time
here