More info, this time from:
http://quickenexcite.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-4432065.html
"Microsoft's commitment to delivering Office for OS X is a huge win for
Apple, particularly because software developers have not flocked to the new
operating system as aggressively as the company had hoped, Technology
Business Research analyst Tim Deal said.
"This is a good development for Apple," Deal said. "It certainly helps
promote Mac OS X. I believe Apple still needs to get additional developers
on board for Mac OS X to reach the potential they are shooting for."
Becker concurred that Microsoft's full backing for Mac OS X sends an
important message.
"We've worked hard to partner with Apple, but the industry looks and asks,
'How does Microsoft view things? If they're on board with OS X, then things
must be going well,'" she said. "They look to us as an overall temperature
check and gauge."
Regardless, Apple may have delivered a tacit ding Tuesday to Microsoft, its
largest software development partner. During his keynote speech at Macworld,
Apple chief executive Steve Jobs on several occasions referred to
applications appearing in the autumn as "laggards."
Becker defended Microsoft's decision not to release Office for Mac OS X
until later in the year.
"Office is a very large set of applications," she said. "There are 25
million lines of code. It's not as easy as saying, 'Hey, we're going to port
it over to OS X.' It takes time."
She also emphasized the importance of the project for Microsoft.
"We're moving on to Mac OS X. It's our No. 1 priority for 2001," Becker
said.
Jobs also announced that Mac OS X will go on sale March 24 for $129 and
appear on new computers starting in July. The much anticipated, but
long-delayed, operating system overhaul is the most significant change to
Mac OS since 1984 when Apple released the Macintosh.
In the meantime, Apple on Tuesday released Mac OS 9.1, which added new
features designed to ease the transition to the new version.
With the Mac OS X release date firm and no longer "a moving target," other
major developers may finally give the operating system the support it needs,
said LeTocq, who praised Microsoft's responsiveness.
"For Microsoft to produce a major application like Office six months after
code freeze is pretty good timing on their part," he said.
For a limited time, Microsoft plans to offer a 50 percent discount on the
upcoming Mac OS X Office to anyone who buys the current release, Mac Office
2001.
Microsoft has set the price for the upgrade to Office for Mac OS X at $299
and the full version at $499."
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