Mac Office 2004 Gets Last-Second Support Reprieve

By Geoff Duncan October 13, 2009

Microsoft is getting a reputation for trying to put its older software packages out to pasture, but never quite getting there. The most famous case in recent history is of course Windows XP, originally introduced all the way back in 2001 and still shipping on a brand-new machines today—mostly netbooks, but some other systems as well. Now Microsoft looks to be jumping platforms a bit: while the company had been scheduled to discontinue mainstream support for Office for Mac 2004 today, the company has decided to extend support for Mac Office 2004 all the way through January 10, 2012.

Mac Office 2004 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The decision may be important for businesses, educational institutions, and other large Mac Office customers who have put off upgrading to Mac Office 2008 because the newer version doesn’t include Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), meaning customized solutions workflow and applications developed using the built-in scripting and programming capability in VBA simply aren’t possible in Mac Office 2008. The support extension means Microsoft will continue to offer security updates as well as non-security bug fixes for Office 2004, and Microsoft is quick to point out the support extension does not apply to any of its other Mac products.

The next version of Microsoft Office for the Mac is scheduled to be released in about a year; the next version of Mac Office will again include VBA, and will also mark the debut of a full version of Microsoft Outlook email, calendar, and collaboration application for the Mac.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Computing

Best Microsoft Office deals: Get Word, PowerPoint, and Excel for free

Students using Microsoft Office software on their laptops outside.

When it comes to productivity software, there's a huge fight right now between Microsoft vs Google to see who can capture the largest share of the market. Of course, if you're already in the Microsoft ecosystem due to work or just being used to it, then you'll want to grab Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365. Both of these are quite expensive, and while there is a free trial of Microsoft Word, you're still going to have to pay a high price to use the whole Microsoft Suite fully. That's why we've gone and collected some of our favorite deals below to save you a little extra cash.
Best Microsoft Office deals
Microsoft Office is a pay once, receive once service. You don't have to pay recurring monthly fees to use it, but the software also never updates. For what it's worth, the Microsoft Office packages are labelled "2021", so they're all fairly recent but also ripe for a good deal. With the exception of AI integrations, not much has really changed in the past couple of years when it comes to your basic document creation and these programs should continue to be effective for years to come. Depending on what package you get, you'll get access to different apps, based on the needs of the target audience. For example, Microsoft Office Home & Student 2021 keeps it lean and cool and with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint being the only apps included.

Here are our favorite deals for the classic Microsoft Office experience:

Computing

How long do MacBooks last? Here’s when you’ll need to buy again

The M3 MacBook Air in front of a window.

There’s no doubt that Apple’s best MacBooks have a reputation for long-lasting quality, but what sort of longevity can you expect to get out of one? And just how long will Apple continue to support your laptop? Finally, what are the differences between the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro?

These are no doubt important questions to consider when buying a new MacBook or even considering an upgrade. Here's everything you know about the longevity of your MacBook.
Lifespan of MacBook hardware

Computing

Best refurbished MacBook deals: Get a MacBook Air for $140 and more

A stack of MacBooks is pictured from the top down.

Apple is one of the best laptop brands, and that's not surprising, given that various types of MacBooks regularly top the list of best laptops on the market. Unfortunately, sitting at the top does also mean that they are quite expensive, so fi you want to get your hands on one without paying an arm and a leg, going for a refurbished model is the way to go about it. Luckily, most MacBooks you'll find tend to be under warranty or have relatively good return windows, so even if there is a fault somewhere, you can return it and get a replacement or your money back.

To help you pick the best MacBook for your budget, we've gone out and picked some of the best refurbished MacBook deals we could find and compiled them below. Apple deals are notoriously slim pickings, so if you want a complete Apple suite for cheap, check out refurbished iPhone deals and refurbished iPad deals too.
MacBook Air 11.6-inch (2015) -- from $112