Can I Install Word and Excel without installing Windows?

[bedfordsr]

Hi, New member here!!

I am seriously considering buying a Macbook in a month or two. I would probably go for the middle spec model (2.0GHz, white etc.). I am aware that I can now install windows but would rather not use up so much hard disk space when all I need is Word (+possible excel) from time to time. The reason is that I am graduating in June and thus am doing a lot of stuff with my CV where presentation is important. I believe that if I use Open office the files do not necessarily open with exactly the same formating in Word - not good when presentation is so important for CV's. Many employers ask for CV's to be submitted in .doc format. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[ghall]

Does this help?

 

[72930]

Or alternatively, if you already have the Windows office disks, you could get Crossover

 

[juanster]

yeah like ghall said, i use office ofr mac, the student teacher version tho its a lot cheaper i think... an dit works great on my stock MB c2d

 

[bedfordsr]

Excellent advice

Hi,
Thanks very much! two good options, don't know which one I would choose. Office for mac seems to be sightly more expensive but possibly a simpler way of doing things. Either way, excellent options, and I had no idea that either existed. It will save so much disk space!!

Many thanks.

Sam.

 

[GreatDrok]

The reason is that I am graduating in June and thus am doing a lot of stuff with my CV where presentation is important. I believe that if I use Open office the files do not necessarily open with exactly the same formating in Word - not good when presentation is so important for CV's. Many employers ask for CV's to be submitted in .doc format. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Do not submit your CV in .doc format (it isn't really a format anyway, more a memory dump) because it contains a lot more information than you really want people going through. Also, just because it looks fine in Word on your machine doesn't mean it will look fine on their system. The only way to guarantee presentation is to use PDF. If the company can't accept your CV in PDF then I would seriously consider working elsewhere.

If you really must send a .doc file, make sure you use simple fonts and limited formatting. Learn to use styles and page/section breaks properly and you have a reasonable chance of it looking OK on their computer and this is as true when using Word or OpenOffice. Even better, send it as an RTF file. Heck, you can rename a .rtf file as .doc and Word will open it just fine and they will never know the difference.

Finally, don't use the Arial font. It looks cheap and nasty. Use Times Roman.

Have a look at this too for good reasons why you shouln't send doc files:

http://www.goldmark.org/netrants/no-word/attach.html

In particular this section is interesting:

"1.8 Word is not device independent

I have been told that MS-Word documents will format differently depending on the specifics of the printer. This is not merely issues of printer resolution or color depth, but the actual formating of the document will differ. I was surprised to learn this. I had assumed that Word was "What You See Is What You Get", but it appears that I was mistaken about that. So it won't even achieve the goal of ensuring that your recipient sees things with all the formatting you see things with even if the recipient also uses MS-Word."

 

[OnceUGoMac]

Hi,
Thanks very much! two good options, don't know which one I would choose. Office for mac seems to be sightly more expensive but possibly a simpler way of doing things. Either way, excellent options, and I had no idea that either existed. It will save so much disk space!!

Many thanks.

Sam.

Word and Excel have been on the Mac longer than it's been on Windows.

 

[bedfordsr]

Do not submit your CV in .doc format (it isn't really a format anyway, more a memory dump) because it contains a lot more information than you really want people going through. Also, just because it looks fine in Word on your machine doesn't mean it will look fine on their system. The only way to guarantee presentation is to use PDF. If the company can't accept your CV in PDF then I would seriously consider working elsewhere.
"

In essence I agree. I am an engineering student, I have recently started to use LaTeX for all assignments, it is in my opinion infinitely better than word, especially for me as I am the sort of person who is liable to spend ages perfecting the layout if I use Word. But most of all it creates PDF files which are so much more portable and reliable (as far as layout is concerned) than .doc files. However, in my experience a depressing large proportion of companies do ask for CV's to be submitted in .doc formats.

All the same, more useful advice.

Thanks.

 

[Celeron]

NeoOffice for the win! Free, open source, works well.