“Microsoft Office isn’t among the apps that will run natively on Intel-based Macs—and it won’t be until the latter half of 2007, according to media reports. But when it does ship, Office will apparently be missing a feature so vital to cross-platform compatibility that I believe it will be the beginning of the end for the Mac version of the productivity suite,” Rob Griffiths writes for Macworld.
Microsoft also indicates that it is discontinuing support of Visual Basic (VB) scripting in the next version of Office for Mac, but on the flip side, the company said it’s going to increase support for standard Mac scripting methods like AppleScript and Automator. – Microsoft’s Mac Business Unit (MacBU)
“For those who don’t know, Visual Basic scripting (also known as Visual Basic for Applications, or VBA) is the technology behind macros in the Office applications. Basically, VB makes it relatively easy to add automation and customization to Office documents,” Griffiths explains.
Griffiths writes, “While the automation features are nice to have, it’s the fact that macros are portable across platforms that has helped the Mac versions of Office succeed in the market. With today’s versions of Office for Windows and OS X, macros written on the Windows version will work on the Mac version, and vice versa. (There are some exceptions for very complex macros, but most macros work the same on both platforms.) In any sort of mixed-platform environment, this is a very important capability—calling it mission critical for many wouldn’t be an understatement.”
Griffiths writes, “As a typical user, you might not think discontinuing support of Visual Basic in Office is that big a deal—’I don’t use macros, and they say they’re going to add in AppleScript and Automator support, so that should help replace Visual Basic, right?’ But it is—I think this move marks the beginning of the end of Office on the Mac.”
“To put it succinctly: Anyone who works in a multi-platform office environment where Office macros are used will actually lose functionality if they upgrade to the newest Mac Office next year. In most companies today, Windows is the dominant platform, and the loss of VB support will take away a compelling justification for the existence of the few corporate Macs out there,” Griffiths writes.
Griffiths writes, “I think we’re going to see a lot of sales of both Parallels and the Windows version of Office to Intel-based Mac users. After all, if you use Parallels and Office for Windows, you will have absolute, guaranteed, 100-percent compatibility with your Windows-using fellow employees and client base—because you’re using the exact same application.”
Full article with much more here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Unpatched Microsoft Word flaw affects Macs too – December 06, 2006
Microsoft says Office 2007 XML support coming to Macs eventually – December 06, 2006
Microsoft’s Office 2007 for Windows saves documents in Mac-incompatible format – December 05, 2006
CodeWeavers releases CrossOver Mac 6.0 Beta 3 – November 14, 2006
RUMOR: Apple to take on Microsoft Office, add ‘Lasso’ spreadsheet app to iWork ‘07 – October 11, 2006
Free NeoOffice 2.0 Aqua Beta 3 now available – August 28, 2006
CodeWeavers brings low-cost way of running Windows apps on Mac OS X sans Windows – August 14, 2006
Mac users should not buy Microsoft software (or hardware) – May 16, 2003
If M$ kills Mac Office, I will have to retire.
Mission critical? 99% of users don’t know it exists! Of the other 1%, most of them know about it because of Macro viruses. Microsoft should remove it from the PC version too.
He’s right, global corporations using Excel workbooks and macros that tap into enterprise data warehouses will no longer be supported cross-platform. Either very smart or very dumb move by MS; could polarize further and cut down revenues. After all, an Office sale WAS an Office sale, no matter which platform. Now it may be the trigger to move people more to open source and away from the market monopolizer.
not surprisng…MS is continuing to play hardball. Subtle hardball, but hardball nonetheless. They’ve perfected this playbook over the years.
If this wasn’t necessary for some, I’d say good riddance. There are more security issues with this kind of thing. It is one of the few ways that security problems bleed over from the dark side.
MS is looking for ways to screw us and this may be one.
What the hell is Microsoft Office?
No, MS should NOT remove VBA from Office! As much as I hate Microsoft, this is actually a defining feature for many businesses. I use it all the time to create applications that would be much more difficult and time-consuming to re-make in some other language (and wouldn’t be nearly as useful since VBA apps, by definition, integrate seamlessly with our Office documents.) This is mission-critical for me and many others in the business world, and is a major blow for Office on the Mac, and for the Mac in general. Maybe not for 99.9% of home users, but for business users, this is a huge deal.
Don’t underestimate this. And don’t underestimate MS. My hatred for MS has just grown even greater.
But keeping this in context, since Apple is going largely for the home users, not the business users, this probably won’t affect Mac sales too much in the long run. Just inconvenient for those of us who will be forced to use the Windows version in Parallels on our Macs in the future.
I think this is more a defensive move than an offensive one. Most people who are that reliant on complex macros and communication with their company mainframe are using a company computer and that is not a Mac.
Macs are currently targeted to a smaller, more profitable market segement. This is an attempt to prevent in-roads, not shrink the ones already made by Mac.
I think Microsoft wants to make sure any Mac user that might use it gets their own copy of Windows and Office to run along side their OSX.
as usual, M$ acting stupidly, trying to leverage their monopoly. maybe we could organize a protest and throw chairs at steve ballmer. a new sport in the making, haha.
Well I for one want to see Apple add a decent Spreadsheet to the iWork suite. Maybe one that uses models like Flexisheet.
And then beef the whole package up. Then we can all scrap using MS Office.
The biggest issue with getting into the enterprise market for Apple is the reliance on MS Office.
If there can be an app suite that is just as powerful but really easy to use then MS can be relied upon less.
I would love Apple to then make Office importers for the scripting etc. Then finally to put the nail in the coffin for Office htey need to make a Windows version.
Make it really cheap to purchase in volume too.
VBA is critical to doibg real work in Excel, without it Excel is crippled.
When M$ drops VBA support from Mac Office, I for one will no longer be able to use Mac version. This is really poor.
All analytical tools I write / work with require heavy VBA automation.
Now that open document standards are in place, Corel needs to trot out a new Intel Mac version of WordPerfect. That will jumpstart a dormant niche market for Macs in the workplace: the law office. This will also help the cause to place Macs in government offices.
Well guys I hope this trend in thinking does not continue. From the perspective of the Mac gaining market share by competing against MS, this kind of thinking isn’t very helpful. What I mean is this: If any company (MS or others) thinks that “well now they have the ability to run Windows through Parallels etc. having a Mac-native version of our product is not so important. They can run the PC version of our product” -that is precisely the thing that should not happen.
Like I have always thought, what would really, really give the Mac a sword in hand would be if there was a way that Apple could come up with a GUI converter for PC apps. (I know it would take nothing short of an engineering marvel to come up with this one!). If, say a PC app could be double-clicked on the Mac that would then take on the Mac aqua appearance (even if it’s still not 100% Mac UI guidelines compatible – and it won’t be) -now that would level the playing field.
We all know that when the current contract for Office on the Mac is up, M$ won’t renew. Apple is a HUGE threat to them when it’s not a floundering company. You can smell Ballmer’s sweat on this move.
This seems like an easy thing to get around… Just don’t upgrade.
No big deal.
There are now two viable options for those who need this functionality. One is Parallels running in Coherence Mode. With this option, you can run all Windows Office applications and not even look at the Windows desktop. Ok, it will cost you $300 for a Windows licence and Parallels, but if you really use VBscripting then it’s probably worth it.
Your second option is Crossover from Codeweavers. Here you don’t even need Windows. This is still in beta, but not for long, and it currently works with Office.
The point here is, Microsoft is most likely going to kill off its Mac unit becuase it doesn’t need it anymore. They can sell you Windows software that will work seemlessly on your Mac. This is simpler for them and more cost effective. It’s even better for you, because there won’t be compatibility problems or delays in needed functionality because the two teams are out of sync.
We are only at the beginning, but these technologies, and others that will undoubtably emerge, will change the way Apple and Microsoft interact. The OS X platform is so versatile that it will make in-operability feel seemless and painless. In fact, Microsoft is so bent on copying OS X that running their applications side by side on OS X will make it hard to tell which is which. This makes OS X the most powerfull and versatile operating system available. You already do it now and it will only get better from here.
Love you Mac, use Microsoft software, and be happy!
Well this does sound just like MS to do this kind of thing. But what I don’t understand, is that, if they know they are making Office for Mac less useful, why bother to make it at all. If the theory is to force people to buy a copy of Vista, Office for PC, and Paralles, why spend the time to create Office for Mac in the first place? I don’t know.
I can only think that the number of people who use these advance tools is relativly small so they are gambling that most won’t notice, but who knows…
Also, I was under the impression that the new version of Office was to be based on XML, which, I think is an open standard. Does this aspect have any impact on the loss of VB?
Regardless, you can look for MS to completely drop its Mac support before too long. Anything that detracts from their Windows monopoly is now fair game to kill off. Aside from Office, what is the MBU at MS working on? They bought that PC emulation software a few years ago, and have basically killed it, so really, what’s left?
So what?
There will be work arounds as with anything else. I use MS Office justs so I can make life easier for people who use Windows. Do I need to, no. Open office and soon other offerings from Apple or others will take it’s place. Granted, I think Office is a good program and MS shouldn’t change it much but making it more secure is necessary not only for computing in general but for my clients.
If Apple can build in the features into iWork (including a spreadsheet program) to make it a legitimate enterprise office suite, make a PC version that saves documents in the new Microsoft “open” standard (as well as other truly open standards), and sell the package for $49.95 (or less), that would be a serious cost-savings proposition for companies, and a blow to Office.
M$= worst company ever existed on earth.
Time for Apple to get virtualization for a few basic M$ applications running as smooth as glass and stick it into their OS.
Word
PPT
Excel
Access
Apple needs to get these Windows apps running natively in OS X via a WINE so no one must go buy Windows to run these monopoly applications. Yes, Parallels gets a rather large shot to it’s pocket book, but tis casualties of the overall war.
Step 1: Discontinue VB for Mac
Step 2: Sit back and watch as no Mac users update their office suite as a result
Step 3: Sales of Office Mac 2007 plumment causing MS to pull the plug
Step 4: Apple raises hell over it to the DoJ
Step 5: MS says, there’s no market for Office Mac anymore, see.
There is another sign of Microsoft changing its attitude with the Mac version.
Since the release of Bootcamp, they have suddenly started releasing joint security bulletins with the Windows version ,as if to state that the Mac version is no better security-vise than Win Office. I’ve written more on this FUD here
I’m pretty sure Microsoft knew exactly what they were doing when they planned this.
A good article by Rob Griffiths. The comments following it are also worth reading, as are several here.