@daftrok: Echoing Padriac, I run complex spreadsheets with several macros on excel. Numerous people review my analysis and make changes, running two programs among numerous people of varying cpu skills is begging for a disaster.

SeattleTed

@daftrok: How about: Making it easier to migrate to Mac by providing familiar apps to Windows users..?

ideaman2020

@daftrok: Because many more people have Office shoved down their throat by their clueless employer and are thus forced to use it. iWork is a choice but Office is (sadly) a necessity.

On that note: I figure roughly 99% of people who do use Office actually don't need to: they were forced or don't know any better. You don't need Word to make a Grocery list people.

Padriac

Its funny that no matter how much they make fun of Microsoft, they are having deals for Office '08. Whats even sadder is that iWork is coming out with alternatives to Office. If you are trying to be so much better than Microsoft, why not have deals on your own word processing program rather than giving Mac users more reason to stick with Office?

daftrok

All iWork and no iLife made the fanboy a very dull boy... I'm glad I don't run MS stuff on my computers anymore. iWork '08 was the nail in the coffin when they implemented the numbers app.

johnnyrandom

OpenOffice is good...Neo Office (based on Open Office) is better....no X11 need be run for Neo Office its a native port.

Hard to beat Free although i have donated to both OO and Neo Office.

As for folks who say that may be fine for home users...we run this exclusively in our company. :) No compatibility issues. Can read/write all docs no issue even PP.

But hey if you feel the need to pay a lot for software that is bigger and slower than the Open alternative....you really are part of the problem.

No thanks OSS for me.

zippyZ

iWork '08 is all the average person needs, and it's only $79.

Galley

The deal works for other retailers too. Here's the form from Microsoft's website:

[www.microsoft.com]

M.O.D.O.K.

Just started using Office 2007(PC) at work, the new menu is counter productive and confusing.

BTW, Keynote 08 kicks powerpoint's ass, badly! Numbers need some optimization, it is ok fast, but not fluid-fast on my mac.

pipper

I've found OpenOffice works quite well on XP, Vista, Leopard.
Cost - Free Download.

vagrant

@altus

Uhh, that's because Office 2004 isn't a UB whereas iWork '08 is. I'm all for hating Microsoft but don't spread false info around.

dagamer34

This has been out for about a week now I believe you do have to pay shipping for the '08 version. no matter where you buy it

Boognish

My experience at this point: iWorks 08 works much better and MS Office is a hog. I's not even using it anymore. Pages can read Office and even directly write a pdf. Time to migrate to better climates.

altus

@Eric:

Great point! Can't you open a new Amazon credit card and get more off by using it?

yoshi

The deal seems to apply to all retailers, not just Apple. So you're better off ordering from Amazon and saving 15%. You'll still get the free upgrade.

Eric

Funny that it took so long to even come out with a UB version. Not so much funny, but same ol' same ol'.

Kaiser-Machead

But iWork works with Office '08. Who cares what the employer says. You can run whatever they have at work and run Pages at home. The clueless employer will be (you guessed it) clueless about it.

daftrok