Office 2011 for Mac restricted to 32-bit

By on Jun 9, 2010 at 4:11 PM
Software June 9, 2010

office-mac-2011-4

Oh man, this is definitely not something we wanted to hear: Microsoft has announced on its blog that Office for Mac 2011 will only ship as a 32-bit version. Citing a need for enhanced compatibility between the Office for Windows and Office for Mac over high-power performance, Microsoft said that it would not have been possible for its team to create a 64-bit version of Office 2011″because Apple’s frameworks require us to complete the move to Cocoa before we can build a 64-bit version.” Office 2011 is not 100% Cocoa. Microsoft is downplaying the lack of 64-bit support by stating that “most users with typical or even larger-than-average document content will not notice a difference in performance” and that the only area “64-bit can make a difference is for people working with huge amounts of data.” You know, like the professionals who are champing at the bit for Office 2011 and its inclusion of Outlook.

[Via ZDNet]

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  • bluehorseshoe

    Bastards. I’ve been playing with the beta. Like it.

    • rederikus

      Well CrApple use a free OS because the couln’t write their own and since they rely on their competiton (who owns 26% of them anyway) to write THE MAIN application. It should not be too surprising that they get a 32 bit app.

      Of course Crapple could write their own, but …. I doubt they are capable.

      • bluehorseshoe

        I’d be impressed if you could write a grammatically comprehensive sentence. Furthermore, I’d recommend that you think before you write, but that would be a stretch considering your command of the English language as displayed above.

  • Emiliano

    What does it matter. Doesn’t Snow Leopard now boot into a 32bit kernel first anyways?

    • Emiliano

      Well not first be it the default is set to boot from a 32bit kernel.

    • jeff

      It can run 64-bit applications though

  • JoeBold

    is apple the only one who may restrict things for the competition, and nobody says a word?

    http://www.bgr.com/2010/06/08/revised-ios-ad-policy-cuts-independents-a-break-makes-it-tougher-for-google/

    • YAZombie

      It’s all over the Web, but hey, who cares about the real world anyway? Obviously, you don’t…

  • Boba Fat

    ok…WTF is Cocoa??

    • sirpaul

      Cocoa bean (also cacao bean, often simply cocoa and cacao) is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted. They are the basis of chocolate, as well as many Mesoamerican foods such as mole sauce and tejate

      DUHH learn how to use Google. Microsoft isn’t capable of running its software completely on 100% dark chocolate.

      Either that or it’s an API (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoa_%28API%29)

    • bonesb
  • David

    Hate to break it to you but Microsoft Only recommends using the 32bit version of office 2010 under windows as well.

    the ONLY benefit to the 64bit version is the ability to use monster amounts of ram. If you need more ram than 2Gb for your office document, you should probably be using a different tool.

    • Carl

      “If you need more ram than 2Gb for your office document, you should probably be using a different tool.”

      This

  • eric

    Boba Fat,

    Cocoa is the framework to use to develop apps in Objective C on Macs, using the XCode IDE. Got that? Good.

    The only people who would benefit from 64 bitness in Office is people with million-cell spreadsheets that are larger than 2gigs. If I am working on large documents, I’m probably in Photoshop, or InDesign, not Word. So this is no big deal.

    And yes, by default OS X Snow Leopard boots with the 32 bit kernel. But it can run 64 bit and 32 bit apps side-by-side with no limits because it’s running 32 bit. You only really need to boot the kernel at this point into 64 bits if you’re running OS X Server and need the extra RAM.

  • Mohammad

    Coco Puffs? Coca Cola?

  • Taylor

    Most hardcore data crunchers aren’t using Mac, so what’s the worry?

    • bonesb

      You’re kidding, right? Besides applications like CLC DNA Workbench, most of the medical research firms I consult to use Macs.

      More like data crunchers aren’t using MS Office…

      • Sohail

        bonesb… the people you work with dont make rest of the world

    • Richard Butler

      What planet are you from? More and more companies who benefit from using 64-bit are converting over to Macs. Just the other day, one the largest hospital systems in the world’s largest Medical Center, the Texas Medical Center located in Houston, announced leaving Microsoft for Apple. And it will continue to happen more and more, over time.

  • Wayne Holbrook

    How can I download the beta? Can anyone advise?

    • bonesb

      Try the Demonoid torrent. You’ll get the 3 SNs you’ll need.

    • bonesb

      And you’ll want the Beta 3 – Beta 2 expired about 10 days ago.

      • YAZombie

        Beta 4 actually

  • Dave C

    Photoshop? Sure. Video? Absolutely. However, I’d hate to see the multi-gigabyte office document that requires 64-bit memory addressing.

    By the way, thanks for the correct spelling of the phrase “champing at the bit”.

  • Wow

    You can alway use NeoOffice. I do and quit buying MS Office (Mac)

  • Tony the Tiger

    it doesn’t matter, You can still rule the world as long as you have a Mac.

  • bonesb

    The 32-bit build was obvious to anyone who really cares. MS stated right from the beginning they were only building the new Ribbon interface and the new Outlook application in Cocoa (Apple’s 64-bit environment).

    Most people needing to work in a 64-bit environment are using DB applications for crunching numbers or using servers or high-end workstations with custom apps built specifically for their needs. Non-story here.

  • jawman

    Shouldn’t have bought a Mac. Ha, ha, HA.

  • canUrollwithTHIS

    Isnt this really not that big of a deal. ITS JUST WORD! It’s not crysis, its not garage band, its freakin word!

  • MiniMe

    For 100% Mac users this will be enough. It’s not like anyone ever purchased Mac for actually doing something with it beyond basic web browsing.

    • jawman

      Yup, and they needed to pay $1000+ just to do that. Silly Macheads.

  • bob

    cocoa is some other who the frick cares apple crap designed to keep the culties in the dark

  • steve

    not good, seeking for another word processor? some useful apps in my Mac i’d like to share with you:)

    xPad:For most writing a word processor is overkill.

    Winx HD video converter for Mac -An easy-to-use video converter, both SD and HD videos are available.

    SpamSieve: Anybody who uses “Mail” for Mac needs this.

    Seashore: “Photoshop” your photos without buying Photoshop.

    DeskLickr- A simple application that uses the vast photo resource of flickr to change your wallpaper every so often.

  • vishnu

    embarassig

  • Prints Too Slow

    And who really needs a 64-bit word processor? Wake me up when Firewire printing becomes available.

    I’m going back to bed.

  • prasad

    mac may rethink and come with new announcement

  • Al

    I was at a recent Sharepoint 2010/Office 2010 presentation given by Microsoft. Several times, they mentioned that there were concerns with compatibility and they suggested that everyone use 32-bit for Windows.

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