Home
Posted By: Pendragon Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/23/15 07:29 PM
I am considering putting Office 2011 on an early 2011 MacBook Pro.

After I do the install, will updating to the current version suffice, or must I install each version since inception?
Posted By: Virtual1 Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/23/15 08:15 PM
MS recommends removing old versions of office prior to the latest. Considering they use a "simulated registry hive" on the mac to prevent the ported bits of office from having seizures, I can see where that may be wise. There are removal instructions available online in a few places.

My script is a bit more basic, it makes sure all the apps are quit and then RMs the old office folder, as I think the biggest danger is an older app modifying the prefs that a newer app is using, which could cause either or both to malfunction.
Posted By: Pendragon Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/23/15 10:41 PM
Thanks, V1, but removing old versions is not an issue. I'm starting from a new/erased HD, ergo, everything must be (re)installed.

I'm curious about bringing Office 2011 to the current version because I worry that if the latest version is not a Combo, I'll have difficulty finding the earlier updaters-- especially now that Office 2016 has been released.
Posted By: grelber Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/23/15 11:54 PM
I can't see any reason why you couldn't just install whatever version you have, then update to 14.5.8 (current update).

Every time I've updated (starting with 14.0.2), I've just downloaded the dmg file and installed it over what came before. And I've done that about 26 times over the past 3 years. I've had no problems.

If the latest update is inappropriate, it's most likely the attempt to install it will notify you of that (possibly with what to do to 'fix' it). Most of the dmg files have been ca 120MB.
Posted By: Pendragon Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/24/15 12:20 AM
I'll give it a go tomorrow. Then we'll know if the latest DL is Combo, or if I'll need to install each updater individually.
Posted By: freelance Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/24/15 10:18 AM
In my experience, it is a long, slow slog. Sometimes, you can skip a couple updates, but there's no way to know which ones. I've got almost 30.

You just have to hit the update button and see what's offered.
Posted By: Pendragon Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/24/15 01:44 PM
Originally Posted By: freelance
In my experience, it is a long, slow slog. Sometimes, you can skip a couple updates, but there's no way to know which ones. I've got almost 30.

You just have to hit the update button and see what's offered.


In that case, I may defer this task; at least until I can come up with a reason why I need Office.

Again, thanks to all who chimed in (even if my initiative never got off the ground).

Posted By: grelber Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/24/15 01:52 PM
Freelance is right about the Update 'button' = "Check for Updates" under Help once you've got Office for Mac 2011 installed.
(I forgot all about that, even though I use it to find out if an update is available; if so, then I have to go to a broadband access point to download the huge dmg file.)
Posted By: Virtual1 Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/25/15 12:53 PM
Originally Posted By: Pendragon
In that case, I may defer this task; at least until I can come up with a reason why I need Office.

Excel is probably the best spreadsheet app out though
Posted By: ryck Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/26/15 02:18 AM
Originally Posted By: Virtual1
Excel is probably the best spreadsheet app out though

I assume that's because it was created in and for the Macintosh OS, not ported to Mac from that 'other' OS.
Posted By: artie505 Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/26/15 02:22 AM
Excel is Microsoft software. shocked
Posted By: ryck Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/26/15 02:26 PM
Originally Posted By: artie505
Excel is Microsoft software. shocked

I know that….I've used Office for years, and Excel for years before Office came along.

What I meant was that Excel was first written specifically for the Macintosh (it replaced MultiPlan) at a time when most software for the Mac existed first on other platforms and was re-written to be ported over to the Mac.

Subsequently, the reverse process happened. Excel for Macintosh was rewritten and ported over to Windows.

My assumption, in response to Virtual's observation "Excel is probably the best spreadsheet app", is that Excel is probably the best because it was originally written for the Mac from the chips up.
Posted By: artie505 Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/26/15 07:55 PM
Thanks for the clarification; I wasn't aware of that.

Edit: Even knowing for a fact that Excel was created by Microsoft for Mac doesn't make it seem any less likely.
Posted By: ryck Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/27/15 03:21 PM
Originally Posted By: artie505
Thanks for the clarification; I wasn't aware of that.

I remember it clearly……those who bought Macs in 1984 had only three pieces of software - MacWrite, MacPaint, and Multiplan. It was back then (when Jobs and Gates were still talking) that Gates made his statement: "There will never be a piece of software for the Macintosh that costs more than $250.00".

Har, har, har.
Posted By: honestone Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/28/15 05:39 PM
Originally Posted By: Pendragon
Originally Posted By: freelance
In my experience, it is a long, slow slog. Sometimes, you can skip a couple updates, but there's no way to know which ones. I've got almost 30.

You just have to hit the update button and see what's offered.


In that case, I may defer this task; at least until I can come up with a reason why I need Office.

Again, thanks to all who chimed in (even if my initiative never got off the ground).



I have Office 2011, and have always installed an update right after it comes out. However, one time I did need to go back to the "beginning", install the original Office 2011 "package", and then get up to date. It's been a while since I did it, but I remember I was able to skip quite a few "earlier" updates to become current.

The latest version of Office 2011 is 14.5.8, which came out about a month ago. One of the System Requirements is "Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 Service Pack 1 (14.1.0): You can download this update for free from the Microsoft Web Site.". So, if you install Office 2011 V14.0.0, you can first download and install V14.1.0 (per the statement above), and then download and install the 14.5.8 update. It will not take you long to do all that. In fact, I'll provide the links for you:

V 14.1.0: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17198

V14.5.8: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49874
Posted By: Pendragon Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/29/15 11:13 AM
Many thanks, honestone. Indeed good info that sheds additional light.

My issue is that I have no compelling reason to do the install (even if it will easier than envisioned).

Still, I saved your links...just in case...

Ah, decisions, decisions...
Posted By: artie505 Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/29/15 04:25 PM
Following honestone's 2nd link I see

Originally Posted By: Microsoft
To remove this update

This update does not include an uninstall feature. To restore your application to its original state, delete it from your hard disk, reinstall it from your original installation disk, and then install the updates that you want. (Emphasis added)

The emphasized portion suggests (Edit: that none of the updates are combos and that there's) a need for a compilation that allows you to easily determine and select those of the 30 something updates that you want, but that compilation appears to be (seriously) lacking.

Edit: I've still seen nothing that suggests other than by innuendo that the latest update is, indeed, the combo for which you're looking, Harv...quite the opposite, in fact.

It looks to me like freelance is on the mark. frown

Edit 2: Just found

Online:

To obtain updates, converters, and other software for Microsoft products for the Macintosh, visit the following Microsoft website:
Office for Mac updates
Note This webpage provides links to each download file. Installation instructions and important support information are also provided. (Emphasis added)

Unfortunately, I can't find the promised land, although you may if you do a clean install of Office 2011.
Posted By: Virtual1 Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/30/15 06:11 PM
Originally Posted By: ryck
My assumption, in response to Virtual's observation "Excel is probably the best spreadsheet app", is that Excel is probably the best because it was originally written for the Mac from the chips up.

I'm not aware of Excel's lineage that far back. AFAIK, the entire office suite was published for the mac at some point shortly after it was released for windows?

You may be thinking of VisiCalc, which was definitely the premier spreadsheet software years ago, and was mac-only. That software was considered one of the key promotional features of early macs.
Posted By: joemikeb Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/30/15 07:15 PM
Originally Posted By: Virtual1
I'm not aware of Excel's lineage that far back. AFAIK, the entire office suite was published for the mac at some point shortly after it was released for windows?

Dan Bricklin's VisiCalc on the Mac, which long predated Excel, caught the attention of the corporate world and was arguably the genesis of the microcomputer being seen as a viable business machine. VisiCalc was ported almost directly to MS-DOS from the Apple II platform. I too had heard the legend that Excel had been a Mac product, but after some research I have come to believe that was based on VisiCalc's port to the PC that was the genesis of that legend. VisiCalc was for a time the dominant spreadsheet on both platforms, but it was Lotus 1-2-3 that capitalized on 16 bit data and memory along with its then unique ability to handle circular calculations that relatively quickly eclipsed VisiCalc on the PC. Excel was Microsofts second or third run at the spreadsheet market, the previous two MS-DOS base versions having been totally outclassed by 1-2-3. Initially Excel had two things going for it
  1. Like Lotus 1-2-3 it could handle circular computations
  2. It was a Windows application and had access to Windows APIs that were hidden from Lotus and other competitors

Posted By: alternaut Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 11/30/15 08:32 PM
Originally Posted By: joemikeb
I too had heard the legend that Excel had been a Mac product, but after some research I have come to believe that was based on VisiCalc's port to the PC that was the genesis of that legend.

It’s not just a legend that Excel was first published for the Mac, it actually happened. For some details see:
- History of Microsoft Excel 1978 – 2013
- A Brief History of Spreadsheets
- Spreadsheet

Microsoft developed Excel to succeed Multiplan (its answer to VisiCalc, and a spreadsheet which was in turn eclipsed by Lotus 1-2-3), with the intention to, in the words of Doug Klunder, 'do everything 1-2-3 does and do it better’.
Posted By: ryck Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 12/01/15 12:14 AM
Originally Posted By: Virtual1
Originally Posted By: ryck
My assumption, in response to Virtual's observation "Excel is probably the best spreadsheet app", is that Excel is probably the best because it was originally written for the Mac from the chips up.

I'm not aware of Excel's lineage that far back. AFAIK, the entire office suite was published for the mac at some point shortly after it was released for windows?

Originally Posted By: joemikeb
I too had heard the legend that Excel had been a Mac product, but after some research I have come to believe that was based on VisiCalc's port to the PC that was the genesis of that legend.

The original Mac (I bought my first one in April 1984) had only three programs - MacWrite, MacPaint and MultiPlan (the Microsoft spreadsheet that was pretty much everywhere, even TRS80 Model 200 laptops.

Excel came out for Mac a year later - 1985 - and was ported over to Windows in 1987.
Posted By: honestone Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 12/19/15 09:56 AM
Version 14.5.9 of Office 2011 was released two weeks ago, on December 4th. One can get it from here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50361
Posted By: ryck Re: Office 2011, Install & Updates - 12/20/15 12:00 AM
Got it. Thanks.
© FineTunedMac