Office 2004 with Open XML converters may be the most cross-platform compatible edition -- even after Office 2008 ships

Earlier this week we published a preview of Microsoft Office 2008, the next generation of Office for Mac OS X that will ship in the second half of 2007.

Though the update boasts some impressive new Mac-only functionality, a pleasingly revised interface, and all-important compatibility with Open XML documents (generated by Office 2007 for Windows) Microsoft made no indication during its demonstration that the company has changed its mind about including VisualBasic scripting capabilities in the forthcoming release.

Microsoft Office 2008 will not include Visual Basic capabilities in any form, as currently conceived. There will be no execution of newly or previously compiled macros, and the macros cannot be edited in Office 2008. Company representatives have defended this tack in a series of blog postings.

As poignantly observed by one of our readers, this state of affairs means that Office 2004 with the addition of an official converter for Open XML documents (due in beta form for Mac OS X this Spring) may remain the most cross-platform compatible version of Office in existence. That is, assuming, that macros will survive the translation process offered by the converter. In other words, will users be able to run an Office 2007 for Windows document with Visual Basic macros through the Mac OS X translator and then open the document in Office 2004 for Mac OS X and retain the macros? We're seeking information on this issue from the Microsoft MacBU.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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