Running Microsoft Office 2007

Before I just jump into trying to install and run Office 2007, I was just
wondering if others have been successful. There are anecdotes of both
success and not so much success on the web.

I know, I know, you are asking, "Why?". I don't blame you. The reason
for such silliness is academic and a demonstration of what is possible.
Recently, my friends and co-workers have taken an interest in Linux after
seeing Linux (and, to a lesser extent, FreeBSD) on my laptop. It is
actually funny because I need not say anything. It is the eye candy that
initially draws interest. All it takes is just starting up X, playing
with silly compiz-fusion effects, and the next thing I know there is a
group of people asking what in the heck I have on my laptop. (Among
other things initially asked, "How did you get Apple/Mac to run on a
Toshiba?") Most of them are "computer appliance users", so I give them a
KISS definition of Linux. The few that know "of Linux", use "Ubuntu"
synonymously with "Linux". I don't get into GNU/FSF philosophy, but do
tell them a little bit about the differences (working and philosophical)
in the "main" distributions.

Anyway, the question that always gets asked, "But can I use Microsoft
Office with it?". Of course I show them the alternatives and the virtues
of OpenOffice, but I sense the resistance.

It would simple and trivial to just install and run Vista/XP virtually,
of course. Probably get Vista and XP running side-by-side even. They be
awed by two Microsoft Windows running on a 3D desktop, I'm sure. Being
able to "throw" windows running entire OS's around like they are
nothing. But, I'm sure that the question that would be asked would be,
"If you are running Office in Windows, why not just only run Windows in
the first place?".

Just was wondering how much success other have had? How feasible is it
under wine? From some of the things I have read so far, I'll need to
install the Microsoft installer first and also some bits and pieces from
Internet Explorer.

Thanks.

On 2009-09-18, bc20 <none.RemoveThis@nospam.inv> wrote:
> Before I just jump into trying to install and run Office 2007, I was just
> wondering if others have been successful.

The only ''success'' I've had with MS Office has been in *not*
installing it.

> Anyway, the question that always gets asked, "But can I use Microsoft
> Office with it?". Of course I show them the alternatives and the virtues
> of OpenOffice, but I sense the resistance.

This resistance may be challenging to overcome. People don't *really*
care about what OS they run, but for those who do their work with
documents, it's hard to abandon Office when everyone has it and expects
it. And it's hard to have people use OOo when MS changes their file
formats from release to release, thus breaking the ability of OOo to
read those files. (It also breaks in earlier versions of Office, but
for some bizarro reason fewer people complain about this. But G-d
forbid OOo is even one day behind reverse engineering the latest MS
''standard'' du jour!)

> Just was wondering how much success other have had? How feasible is it
> under wine? From some of the things I have read so far, I'll need to
> install the Microsoft installer first and also some bits and pieces from
> Internet Explorer.

I suspect the best help you'll get is from some Wine-specific forum.
But you could also try comp.os.linux.misc. (You might try a subject
like "using MS Office under Wine" to avoid confusion--I didn't realize
till your last few paragraphs that you meant to use Office from
Slackware.)

--keith

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