CIS Overview

Computing Standards

Software Info

Y2K Info

If you use a Mac or a PC and have had trouble opening and reading email attachments, it's probably because the originator created those documents in a later version of Word, PowerPoint or Excel than the one currently running on your computer. To fix this, you may install the latest version of Office or select an alternative solution. If you haven’t been keeping track, Office 98 is the Macintosh version of Office 97. There is no Mac Office 97, nor will there be an Office 98 for the PC.

Because of the memory requirements for running Office 98, it could be difficult or impossible to run the applications on older Macintosh computers. Therefore, Office 98 is recommended for use only on Power Macs and later models which have sufficient memory. (However, even a few of these models may run slowly). If you don’t want to further burden your machine, or if you cannot update to Office 98, there is yet another solution to the email document translations difficulty. With the Microsoft Word 97-98 Import Converter, users of Microsoft Word 5.1 or Word 6.x for the Macintosh can open documents created in Word 97 for Windows, as well as those documents created in Word 98 for the Macintosh. This application will translate the email attachments for you just as if you were running the latest Office version. Find out more about the Import Converter at: http://www.microsoft.com/macoffice/prodinfo/office/coexist.htm

By saving Word documents in Rich Text Format (RTF), you can also avoid the translation problems.

If you decide to upgrade to the latest version of Office Pro, the recommended vendor is GC Micro. The latest version of Office Pro 98 costs $126.75 (as does Office Pro 97 for the PC) via the Upgrade Advantage program. This is less expensive than the GSA pricing of the shrink-wrap versions and includes 12-month upgrade protection. The package can be ordered through your organization’s procurement field buyer. In order to have a field buyer purchase the new version, you'll need to provide a valid project ID and submit the name of each user.

On the day your order is placed, you are legally licensed to use the software whether you have received the paper license or not. At that point, you may install Office on your machine. Extra CDs are available from the Computer Support Help Desk (ext. 4357) on a loan basis for immediate installation. You may install it yourself, get help over the phone or request a full installation from the Help Desk. (Note: CD media is not included in the initial order, but must be ordered separately if you want your own copy.)

The Upgrade Advantage Program provides you with the right to the current version of Office Pro. The user does not have to pay every year to maintain this license, but may continue to use it at the last level of upgrade at expiration of 1-year term. The license is permanent and constitutes your sole proof of ownership. Save it.

Upgrade Advantage gives the user a license to upgrade to the latest version of the software on the market as of the end date of the Upgrade Advantage agreement, but this does not cover new purchases. So, for example, if someone bought Upgrade Advantage today in a one-year agreement (per GC Micro's DOE HQ contract), they would be eligible to upgrade to Office 98 now. At the end of one year, they would be licensed for whatever version was the current version of Office, which may be Office 2000.