Recently Microsoft released the 2007 versions of
Word,
Excel, and
Powerpoint, which are bundled into a suite called
Microsoft Office 2007. While there are many changes, the most fundamental is a new file format that make documents created with the new 2007 programs unreadable by previous versions (like
Word 2003 and
Excel XP, for example). This means that when you receive a
Word,
Excel, or
Powerpoint file from someone who uses the 2007 version, you probably won't be able to read it with a 2003 or XP version of the program.
Fortunately, Microsoft has released an update for both
Office 2003 and
Office XP that allows them to read and edit the new files. Details on how to download and install this package are available here:
Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File FormatsAs noted on the download page, be sure to install all High-Priority updates from Microsoft Update before downloading the Compatibility Pack.Faculty and Staff: If you'd like assistance installing this update on your office computer, please contact the CIT Help Desk (x7670 or cit@hope.edu).
Given theses issues, CIT currently does not have a time line for implementing
Microsoft Office 2007 (either on new computers or as an update to existing ones). That's not to say that we won't be installing it in the future. Rather, we just want to be sure that we're aware of the implications before we proceed.
