Any Mac users pulled the trigger on Office 365?

[Cassady]

Hello all,

Anyone taken the plunge on Office 365 - trying to work out if it's worth it.

Can pick-up the University version for R500 - will give me access to Outlook, which is all I'm really interested in. Would've been nice if OneNote would also work on the Mac, but it appears not...

I already have Office for Mac 2011, but not the complete package (i.e. Outlook), since (at the time) I had doubts about whether my MBP could completely replace my desktop...

Well - it has. Completely.

Another option appears to simply fork out the +/- R950 for Outlook standalone. But if someone can give insight into whether Office 365 is worth the schlepp, then that would obviously make more sense...

 

[AlmightyBender]

Hmm but wouldn't that be R500 per year? Better to get the standalone version I reckon

 

[Cassady]

Hmm but wouldn't that be R500 per year? Better to get the standalone version I reckon

University version comes with a R500 once-off purchase price, valid for a 4-year subscription period, which is pretty sweet.

Would appear to be a no-brainer, but I want something clean. If Office 2010/2011/2012 (whatever the "standard" one is) works better, since it's downloaded complete on the machine, than the 'needs to be connected' Office 360 - I would prefer the former.

Hoping someone here can give some first-hand impressions... But am trawling the net in the mean time...

 

[GreGorGy]

What is so great about outlook that is not covered by Apple's built-in apps?
(This is a genuine question and not some rhetorical non-sequitor)

 

[Priapus]

My current company uses Office 365.

I use it on my MacBook - however, it's all web based - no program to install. So, I have Office for Mac 2011 installed, which fetches mail from Office 365 servers.

Just buy the standalone version and install it and be happy with it.

 

[Cassady]

What is so great about outlook that is not covered by Apple's built-in apps?
(This is a genuine question and not some rhetorical non-sequitor)

A fair question - and one that might be very specific to me. Were it not for the fact that I use my desktop at work, which is Window's based - I would manage quite beautifully with Mail. As it stands, being the visual person that I am - I use the Categories in Outlook extensively, with emails being categorised in a very specific manner, but more importantly, meetings that flow from those specific emails, being categorised accordingly as well. Having Outlook on my Mac (as I did during the 30 days trial), simply made me appreciate how much easier that feature is - it's a pretty seamless integration that slots in perfectly with my work environ - and it has several years of categorisation behind it, that still sees me going back into the mail archives, to make connections...

Had I ditched the desktop, and started things afresh on my Mac - I probably would have been OK. But given that I still use both - Outlook remains useful.

 

[Cassady]

My current company uses Office 365.

I use it on my MacBook - however, it's all web based - no program to install. So, I have Office for Mac 2011 installed, which fetches mail from Office 365 servers.

Just buy the standalone version and install it and be happy with it.

That's what I was thinking... Murphy's will however see the updated Office Mac released early in next year, I suppose...

 

[greg0205]

That's what I was thinking... Murphy's will however see the updated Office Mac released early in next year, I suppose...

ZDNet and MacRumours claimed Office for Mac was due by April '14... Rumours mind you.

 

[Cassady]

ZDNet and MacRumours claimed Office for Mac was due by April '14... Rumours mind you.

Thanks - saw that last night... Will probably just wait a bit then...

On the Office 365 - certain incompatibilities with the Mac still - for instance, OneNote will not work on the Mac. Reckon I will hold over on things until next year - since if OneNote is released for Mac, will definitely want to pick up the full suite...