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Microsoft Releases Office 2008 12.1.5 and Office 2004 11.5.3 Updates
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Yeah, pretty much the only complaint I have about Office is that it can't handle Spaces at all, and it makes me scream and throw things she. I have to deal with it. FIX IT ALREADY!!!
Yeah, pretty much the only complaint I have about Office is that it can't handle Spaces at all, and it makes me scream and throw things she. I have to deal with it. FIX IT ALREADY!!!
Sorry, folks, but the Spaces issue still exists. 
We've made improvements to it, and Apple has also made some improvements to Leopard (so make sure that you're up-to-date to 10.5.5, too), but it's not 100%. If you want to know the gory details behind it, check out this post from one of our senior developers: risks and rewards.
Instead of manually deleting apps you aren't going to use, you're better off doing a custom install of Office so that you don't install bits you don't need -- that'll also let you choose to not install the various language packs, in case you find that you don't need our Norwegian proofing tools. That way, you won't run into any problems in the future.
You also don't need to apply three updates. 12.1.5 is a combo updater; it's got everything from 12.1.1 through 12.1.5. If you've got a retail copy that has 12.0 on it, you just need to do 12.1 and then jump straight to 12.1.5.
Regards,
Nadyne.
We've made improvements to it, and Apple has also made some improvements to Leopard (so make sure that you're up-to-date to 10.5.5, too), but it's not 100%. If you want to know the gory details behind it, check out this post from one of our senior developers: risks and rewards.ntrigue said:
Instead of manually deleting apps you aren't going to use, you're better off doing a custom install of Office so that you don't install bits you don't need -- that'll also let you choose to not install the various language packs, in case you find that you don't need our Norwegian proofing tools.
That way, you won't run into any problems in the future.You also don't need to apply three updates. 12.1.5 is a combo updater; it's got everything from 12.1.1 through 12.1.5. If you've got a retail copy that has 12.0 on it, you just need to do 12.1 and then jump straight to 12.1.5.
Regards,
Nadyne.
I turned off auto-update back in June to stop my laptop updating GB's over a mobile internet connection. Just manually ran the update and went to 11.5.0. and again to get to 11.5.1 and again to 11.5.2 and (I think you're ahead of me by now) again to get to 11.5.3!
Please be aware that patches don't appear to be cumulative.
Cheers,
Garan.
Please be aware that patches don't appear to be cumulative.
Cheers,
Garan.
Nadyne,
Thanks for stopping by and putting a voice to the product.
Just read your blog... Turbo Pascal eh?
Thanks for stopping by and putting a voice to the product.
Just read your blog... Turbo Pascal eh?
Version number for Excel 2008
After I installed the updated, the version number for all the apps say:
Version: 12.1.5 (081119)
Latest Installed Update: 12.1.5
except Excel which says:
Version: 12.1.3 (081119)
Latest Installed Update: 12.1.5
Anyone else seeing this?
-Kevin
After I installed the updated, the version number for all the apps say:
Version: 12.1.5 (081119)
Latest Installed Update: 12.1.5
except Excel which says:
Version: 12.1.3 (081119)
Latest Installed Update: 12.1.5
Anyone else seeing this?
-Kevin
well, at least open office now has a well-ported mac version. I'm going to try that with spaces... thumbs up to MS for the decreased load time, that's an anti-vista move - i like it!
Nope. Mine is at 12.1.5. I think you should try reapplying the update and if it still like this, just reinstall office.
Adi
Thanks for checking.
The update won't let me reinstall.
I get the exact same behavior on both my Mac Pro and MacBook.....both Excel versions were updated.
Have you always installed the stand alone patches, or have you installed from Auto update in the past?
I have been installing from the Standalone patches since the beginning, except for the last time, which I used the Auto updater. That and the mini patch that came out afterwards...12.1.4.
-Kevin
When is MS going to add the print preview option on the toolbar? This is an annoying omission. Plus, custom toolbars have to be saved manually by putting a file in the startup folder. Simple things, yet how many updates have passed and no fixes yet?
autrefois
macrumors 65816
Sorry, folks, but the Spaces issue still exists.
Thank you for your post and the link. I've read this after a previous post you made. I hope the issue is improved in this version as you say, but even if this is the case, your failure to mention this improvement in the release notes is frustrating.
The Spaces issue is not an isolated problem, from what I gather: it's every single person who uses Spaces who will, at one point or another (or in my case, nearly every single time I use an Office 2008 app), encounter this known incompatibility.
The requirements state that Office 2008 is compatible with "10.4.9 or later". This is incorrect. Office 2008 is not fully compatible with 10.5.0 or later. It is only compatible with Leopard if you are not running Spaces. It doesn't matter if it's your fault or Apple's fault; it's still not compatible, and you should inform users of this.
The problem is that, from prior to the release of Office 2008 to the present day, you are not adequately informing users of a serious known issue between Leopard and Office 2008 that very seriously affects usability. It's not an occasional crash, or an isolated problem with a calculation in some isolated circumstances that an average user will never encounter.
Windows jumping from screen to screen is not expected or acceptable behavior. This happens only in Leopard. This means that Office 2008 is not fully compatible with Leopard, and should not be advertised as such. Your requirements should state this, and your release notes on updates should indicate any improvements, if any, on this known issue.
At the very least, an asterisk stating "Some components of Office 2008, such as Toolbox, are not compatible with Spaces", or "When Office 2008 is running, it is recommended Spaces not be used", or something of the sort, should be added to every mention of system requirements. Why is this not done? Why are you resorting to posting in the Macrumors forums, buried in threads that most users will never find?
I will submit this post through the Microsoft website, for what it's worth. If it's a decision made at a higher level that you can't do anything about, then consider this directed at whoever made the decision to continually keep users in the dark about an issue you know very well makes your product incompatible with Leopard.
About the Spaces issue:
http://www.schwieb.com/blog/2008/10/23/risks-and-rewards/
Not that this makes it right though, just so you all know what's causing it.
Edit: I did not see that nadyne already posted this link.
http://www.schwieb.com/blog/2008/10/23/risks-and-rewards/
Not that this makes it right though, just so you all know what's causing it.
Edit: I did not see that nadyne already posted this link.
autrefois
macrumors 65816
About the Spaces issue:
http://www.schwieb.com/blog/2008/10/23/risks-and-rewards/
Not that this makes it right though, just so you all know what's causing it.
Edit: I did not see that nadyne already posted this link.
Thanks for trying to help us. I've read and understand the lion's share of what the post in that link is saying. I admit to knowing little about programming, which is why I no longer say Microsoft can or should have already fixed this. If there's a genuine incompatibility that they and Apple can't work out, I will take them at their word for this.
What I'm saying is, if it's a known incompatibility of this magnitude, apparently affecting everyone who uses Spaces, it should be clearly stated somewhere. The system requirements seems an appropriate place, since Office 2008 is simply and unarguably not compatible for people running Spaces in Leopard. Saying that Office 2008 is compatible with Leopard is misleading. It is only compatible for those who choose not to run Spaces.
If an improvement has been made, then this should be stated in the release notes. Users of Office 2008 shouldn't have to find and understand an arcane blog post, or dig through Macrumors, to find out that this is a known issue that is being tinkered with, but which apparently can't and won't be completely fixed any time in the near future, if ever.
Posted over at the Mactopia forums and got this response:
Interesting that yours is at 12.1.5.
Anyone else seeing this?
-Kevin
Yup...all my apps are at 12.1.5.
Attachments
Yeah, I think the guy at Mactopia was mistaken as they should be 12.1.5. I'm working with someone at Microsoft on it now.
Thanks guys.
-Kevin
edit: The person at Mactopia is also working with Microsoft on the issue.
I'm still using Office 2004 for Mac, and just now I ran the updater (meaning I downloaded the .dmg for the 11.5.3 update). After it completed, I noticed that it had deleted Excel! I restored it from Time Machine and ran the updater again, and it deletes Excel every time rather than updating it. Anyone know what is going on?
Is anyone else having issues with entourage remembering passwords after the update? It has always remembered them before and after the update it asked for them for all 5 accounts I have in entourage. I put them in, and check the box saying to store them in my keychain, but it doesn't! I have had to enter them many times today (every time i quit entourage or switch networks). I could be wrong but aren't updates supposed to fix problems? And unless I am the only one with this issue, does Microsoft test updates?
Anyways, if you have any ideas let me know. Thanks!
Anyways, if you have any ideas let me know. Thanks!
Load times are indeed faster. I'm looking forward to finding out if the talk of improved formatting compatibility when saving in Word 97-2004 format fixes the issues I've been having with tables splitting across dozens of pages.
Graphical corruption of paragraph/formatting marks remains, but I still think that could be an ongoing Leopard issue.
Brief testing suggests that display response times on changing hanging indents has improved - from not responding at all until you scroll off the page and back, to just a few seconds! Nice update!
Graphical corruption of paragraph/formatting marks remains, but I still think that could be an ongoing Leopard issue.
Brief testing suggests that display response times on changing hanging indents has improved - from not responding at all until you scroll off the page and back, to just a few seconds! Nice update!
Has anyone had this problem / Is it fixed?
When Office 2008 was first released, I never had the problem I will detail in a moment. After the first update occurred, I would have the problem, and the only way to correct it was to uninstall it, and the reinstall the original version off the CD. This has happened on all subsequent updates as well. The problem:
If I open up any Word doc (created from any previous version of Word) that has any tables with text in them, the text acts as part of the background and I cannot select, edit, delete, or do anything to it. If I can get a cursor in the table or text box, and then start typing, the new text overlays the old text. The old text is just like a background or a piece of stationery.
When I revert back to the original 12.0 version, the text becomes editable again, but any updates cause it to become background again. Microsoft is completely stumped, and their only solution is to go back to 12.0 which sucks because then I don't have the current version. I keep a copy of 2004 and I suppose I cold use that for the docs that have issues, but that's a workaround and I'm looking for a solution.
Has anyone else encountered this? Any solutions?
Thanks!
When Office 2008 was first released, I never had the problem I will detail in a moment. After the first update occurred, I would have the problem, and the only way to correct it was to uninstall it, and the reinstall the original version off the CD. This has happened on all subsequent updates as well. The problem:
If I open up any Word doc (created from any previous version of Word) that has any tables with text in them, the text acts as part of the background and I cannot select, edit, delete, or do anything to it. If I can get a cursor in the table or text box, and then start typing, the new text overlays the old text. The old text is just like a background or a piece of stationery.
When I revert back to the original 12.0 version, the text becomes editable again, but any updates cause it to become background again. Microsoft is completely stumped, and their only solution is to go back to 12.0 which sucks because then I don't have the current version. I keep a copy of 2004 and I suppose I cold use that for the docs that have issues, but that's a workaround and I'm looking for a solution.
Has anyone else encountered this? Any solutions?
Thanks!
Office/help/check for updates says there's no updates for me....sheesh..gotta go get the package from MS
Yeah, super fast now, I was at around 13 bounces usually, now a page opens up in all three right after one bounce. That is much better, I used to just open things up in text edit for a quick look, when I couldn't use quick look
You all are not kidding about the increased load time.
Holy smokes.
The one thing that I am really happy with that is now fixed, and this is a big one for me, I can now cut and paste from Safari and Word doesn't lock up now. Huge improvement.
That alone was worth the update for me.
Holy smokes.
The one thing that I am really happy with that is now fixed, and this is a big one for me, I can now cut and paste from Safari and Word doesn't lock up now. Huge improvement.
That alone was worth the update for me.