Word 2004 & 2008 (Mac OS)
Word 2003 & 2007 (Windows)

Important note: this document is designed for Local Support Providers (LSPs). The user-level Word document is here and includes general availability, configuration, documentation, and support information. This page was last modified on Wednesday, 02-Jul-2008 10:50:17 EDT.

Information Systems & Computing (ISC) has a Provider Notes article on the new file format that is the default in Word 2007 for Windows and Word 2008 for Mac OS and requires a converter to be opened in any other version of Word. Users of Word 2003 for Windows can install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack to read Word 2007 and Word 2008 files in their default format. Users of Word 2004 for Mac OS can install the Open XML File Format Converter for Mac 1.0 to read Word 2007 and Word 2008 files in their default format.

Word 2007 also has a significantly revised interface, which features a "ribbon" design and will be a major change for many users who are familiar and comfortable with other versions of Word.

Microsoft released Word 2008 for Mac OS, the first Universal binary version of Word, in January 2008. Microsoft Word v.X and Word work properly in Apple's Rosetta translation layer.

Word 2002 for Windows was removed from the supported products list in Fiscal 2007 and Word v.X for Mac OS was removed from the supported products list in Fiscal 2009.

Microsoft software is now available to University of Pennsylvania departments through the Microsoft Select Program, a volume license agreement. A detailed description of the Microsoft Program including product information and a FAQ has been prepared by the Office of Software Licensing. All purchases of Microsoft Select software are made through the Computer Connection.

Microsoft Word may be purchased as part of Microsoft's Office suite of products, which bundles Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, or it may be purchased separately. Information Systems & Computing (ISC) believes that it is generally best purchased in the bundled Office suite.

Windows Vista Compatibility

Word 2003 and Word 2007 function correctly in the 32-bit versions of Windows Vista.

Mac OS 10.5 Leopard Compatibility

Word 2004 and Word 2008 function correctly in Mac OS 10.5 Leopard.