Microsoft lives up to Mac promises

Microsoft has committed itself to releasing a software suite for the Macintosh platform by the end of next year, but the product will not contain the Access database.

Following Microsoft?s $150 million cash injection into Apple last month, the software giant has rolled out its plans for Office 98 Macintosh Edition, which will include Word 98, Powerpoint 98, Internet Explorer, Excel 98 and Outlook Express.

But there will be no Access database in the package, because Apple no longer targets the high-end database market, focusing instead on production and education.

The release includes converters for Mac Word 5.01 and 6.01 to use Word 97 documents, available online by next week.

Microsoft said the in-built intelligence features make it easier to recover, share information and collaborate with other users, regardless of environment.

Office 98 offers improved support for Apple technologies by presenting a more Mac-like interface. This fulfils Microsoft CEO Bill Gates? promise earlier this year that there would be no complicated setup requirements for this version.

According to US reports, Microsoft surveyed Mac users to establish what could be improved and how Office 98 could be more like a Mac.

Forty per cent of respondents wanted it to integrate well with other Macs and apps; 34 per cent wanted more intuitiveness; 34 per cent cited dialogue boxes and interface controls that look and behave like other Mac apps; and 21 per cent demanded easier installation.