Smackdown

Oct 8, 2007 15:51 GMT  ·  By

Office 2008 is the equivalent of the Office 2007 System, but a product designed exclusively for the Mac platform, and the Mac OS X operating system, unlike its alternative for Windows. The Office 2007 System hit the shelves in January 2007, and Office 2008 for Mac will be made available in early 2008. Initially, Microsoft planned Office 2008 for Mac for the second half of 2007, but the company subsequently changed its tune, and now will follow the release of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard to the market. Still, the packagings for Office 2008 for Mac are already available for your viewing pleasure. At the top of this article you will be able to feast you eyes on the box for Office 2008 for Mac, while in the one at the bottom you can also see Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student and Office 2008 for Mac Special Media Edition.

No word yet from Microsoft on whether these are the real thing or just preliminary examples of design. However, since the boxes are featured on the Office 2008 for Mac official website, the move seems to indicate that the packagings are the versions that will hit the shelves. And in this regard, it can be commented that the boxes for Office 2008 for Mac are inferior in terms of design to those of Office 2007 or even to those of Office 2004 for Mac. Just compare the images included at the bottom of this article, and you will see the difference. However, in the end the box is simply a box. Microsoft will win Mac users with the contents and not with the packagings. But still, it does appear that there is a dissonance between what users will find inside, with the promise of an overhauled graphical user interface, and a rudimentary box design on the outside.

This is how Microsoft describes Office 2008 for Mac Home & Student Edition (1), Office 2008 for Mac (2) and Office 2008 Special Media Edition (3): "1 - Whether your projects are around the house or in the classroom, the reinvented Office 2008 for Mac experience makes it easier than ever to create professional-looking work. 2 - Easy-to-use, powerful tools make it easy to create fantastic looking documents-from dynamic presentations to stunning reports and engaging communications. 3 - For professionals working with libraries of images, video, music, and digital assets, we've combined the reinvented Office 2008 for Mac experience with Expression Media."

Photo Gallery (8 Images)

Office 2008 for Mac
Office 2008 for MacExcel 2004 for Mac
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