Office Files

[corpse]

I got a friend with office '97, yes '97. He is going to get a new computer and buy a new version of Office. He has been told that files from Office '97 are not compativle with any of the newer versions of Office. Do you guys know if this is true or not?

[Doombrain]

it's not true.

[CheapAlert]

the fuck new office

http://www.openoffice.org

[Oeloe]

The only reason i'm not using '97 anymore is that handling multiple open documents is nearly impossible. In 2000 and newer they show up as different items on the task bar.


Tried OO 1.4 but the vector drawings (which i use often) were not compatible enough with MSO. Haven't tried the newest OO yet.

[Foo]

You should. Big improvements.

[Tormentius]

the fuck new office

http://www.openoffice.org

Open Office can't begin to step to MS Office for either feature set or ease of use. Open Office is alright if all you need is a basic word processor and sketchy compatibility with MS Office but otherwise go with the real thing (or at least Sun's more compatible office suite).

[axbaby]

files from our office in Excel get broken when we use openoffice.

several versions where tested by us and
we had to tell our techs to stop using openoffice at home.

[Tormentius]

files from our office in Excel get broken when we use openoffice.

several versions where tested by us and
we had to tell our techs to stop using openoffice at home.

:icon14: Exactly.

OpenOffice is a great idea but it just isn't "there" yet.

[Foo]

You have taken the latest release 2.0 and given it a fair trial run of at least a week to make this statement, presumably?

[Tormentius]

You have taken the latest release 2.0 and given it a fair trial run of at least a week to make this statement, presumably?

Sorry, I don't have the time or bloody interest to keep up on and extensively test every open source app which comes up. Fact: The vast majority of the business world runs on MS Office.

Alternatives aren't viable in the business world until their file formats synch perfectly with the predominant player in the market.

[+JuggerNaut+]

You have taken the latest release 2.0 and given it a fair trial run of at least a week to make this statement, presumably?

Sorry, I don't have the time or bloody interest to keep up on and extensively test every open source app which comes up. Fact: The vast majority of the business world runs on MS Office.

Alternatives aren't viable in the business world until their file formats synch perfectly with the predominant player in the market.

aye, but Open Office is not just "every open source app". arguably, it's the biggest and most significant open source app that, especially now that Google is sticking their hands in it, can eventually give MS Office some competition.

[+JuggerNaut+]

files from our office in Excel get broken when we use openoffice.

several versions where tested by us and
we had to tell our techs to stop using openoffice at home.

then does your company provide MS Office for them?

[Tormentius]

aye, but Open Office is not just "every open source app". arguably, it's the biggest and most significant open source app that, especially now that Google is sticking their hands in it, can eventually give MS Office some competition.

Most definitely. It has every chance of equaling or outstripping MS Office in the future if they manage the project really well but at this particular point in time it isn't there.

[Foo]

Sorry, I don't have the time or bloody interest to keep up on and extensively test every open source app which comes up. Fact: The vast majority of the business world runs on MS Office.

Alternatives aren't viable in the business world until their file formats synch perfectly with the predominant player in the market.

Okay, at least you shifted to a different argument. You should probably cut back on making unqualified statements :icon14:

[axbaby]

files from our office in Excel get broken when we use openoffice.

several versions where tested by us and
we had to tell our techs to stop using openoffice at home.

then does your company provide MS Office for them?

on our laptops but not at home

they have customized templates "pretty basic stuff most Spreadsheets have" and crap ..so i can't blame openoffice entirely.

i imagine if we all used open office we wouldn't have a problem.

[Tormentius]

Okay, at least you shifted to a different argument. You should probably cut back on making unqualified statements :icon14:

What statement do you find unqualified? Was it the one about the vast majority of the business world using MS Office? If so, estimates are upwards of 90% of businesses use MS Office for their produtivity software (Gartner, 2002. I found that in a 30 second search).

If your concern was my comment on feature-set, MS Office has a massive feature-set which can be configured almost entirely by Group Policy and automatically enforced on a client system.

[Tormentius]

on our laptops but not at home

they have customized templates "pretty basic stuff most Spreadsheets have" and crap ..so i can't blame openoffice entirely.

i imagine if we all used open office we wouldn't have a problem.

If you use Open License with Software Assurance you have rights within that license for employees to use Office on their home (or one external) PC, provided that the Office suite is used at least partially for business reasons.

the MS Licensing FAQ: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/reso ... fault.mspx


The relevant portion:

Software Assurance Benefits

...Expanded work options at home. With Software Assurance, employees can work from home by getting a licensed copy of Microsoft Office to install and use on a home computer...

[+JuggerNaut+]

on our laptops but not at home

they have customized templates "pretty basic stuff most Spreadsheets have" and crap ..so i can't blame openoffice entirely.

i imagine if we all used open office we wouldn't have a problem.

If you use Open License with Software Assurance you have rights within that license for employees to use Office on their home (or one external) PC, provided that the Office suite is used at least partially for business reasons.

the MS Licensing FAQ: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/reso ... fault.mspx


The relevant portion:

Software Assurance Benefits

...Expanded work options at home. With Software Assurance, employees can work from home by getting a licensed copy of Microsoft Office to install and use on a home computer...

exactly. you can't expect employees that are forced to use MS Office at work, to pay for their own at home. non exempt employees do not apply.

[Tormentius]

exactly. you can't expect employees that are forced to use MS Office at work, to pay for their own at home. non exempt employees do not apply.

Keep in mind that you need to be using Software Assurance in order to qualify though. Its one of SA's best selling points IMO.

[+JuggerNaut+]

if you work for a big corporation, that shouldn't be a problem. but yes, you are correct.

[Tormentius]

Even smaller businesses can find it worth it since there is only a subscription fee to pay every couple years and the volume licensing program starts at 5 licenses.

Edit: Personally, I'm a huge fan of the program because its one easy fee every two years and I can roll any new software release as soon as testing is completed without worrying about budgetary constraints.

[axbaby]

licenses might the problem and i will just leave it at that.

[+JuggerNaut+]

Even smaller businesses can find it worth it since there is only a subscription fee to pay every couple years and the volume licensing program starts at 5 licenses.

Edit: Personally, I'm a huge fan of the program because its one easy fee every two years and I can roll any new software release as soon as testing is completed without worrying about budgetary constraints.

yer, that's not so bad then.

[Oeloe]

That 'huge feature set' is significantly used by only a very small percentage of the entire user base. Which is why i still have Office 97 and XP installed.