“Apple Inc.’s release of iWork ’08 this week is ’embarrassing,’ an analyst said today, not for its maker, but for rival Microsoft Corp.,” Gregg Keizer reports for Computerworld. “Tuesday, Apple rolled out a refreshed iWork that added a spreadsheet, dubbed Numbers, to the earlier mix of a word processor/page layout Pages and presentation maker Keynote. But it was iWork’s ability to handle the Open XML file format — the new native format for Microsoft’s own Office 2007 application suite — that Michael Gartenberg of JupiterResearch LLC talked about.”
“‘This was the ultimate insult to injury,’ Gartenberg said. ‘Not only has Microsoft not delivered the ability to read and write Open XML in its Mac Office, but at the end of the day, Apple was the one who delivered,'” Keizer reports.
“Gartenberg referred to Microsoft’s problems developing Office 2008 for Mac, which the company announced last week would be delayed until mid-January. Among the roadblocks, said Microsoft’s Macintosh Business Unit (MBU), is the shift to Open XML as Office 2008’s native file format… ‘This is embarrassing for MBU,’ Gartenberg said,”Keizer reports.
Keizer reports, “Ironically, one of those who praised iWork’s handling of the Microsoft file format was a program manager for Office 2007. “[iWork ’08] reads the Office Open XML files with very high fidelity,” said Brian Jones on his company blog… ‘What this really shows is Microsoft’s inability to ship software on time these days… It’s going to be hard for Microsoft to get those people who try and buy iWork back,’ Gartenberg said. ‘Microsoft’s let down its Mac customers.'”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s iWork ’08 should embarrass Microsoft for many more reasons beyond just being able to open up Open XML files, but we’re not so sure Microsoft is even capable of being embarrassed – just look the Zune or their flagship OS or their CEO; a huge embarrassment who, we pray, will continue to helm the ship all the way to the bottom.
Many Mac users — the majority, we believe — think they need Office, but really don’t. Give Apple’s free 30-day iWork ’08 trial a try and see for yourself.