Unlike past versions of Office, where installing was almost as simple as dragging and dropping the folder into Applications, Office 2008 has an actual installer.

New for Word 2008 are the open XML file formats that Redmond introduced for the Windows world in 2007. You still have the option to save Word files as good old .docs, but by default new files will be .docx.

I'm not sure how much to say about Excel without sending you all to sleep, other than to say it's the same old spreadsheet application we know and love.

However, it's not all roses. Microsoft has removed support for Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) from Office 2008, despite leaving it present in Office 2007, the Windows version.

Of all the Office 2008 applications, PowerPoint must be the one that faces the stiffest competition from iWork.

Fast

Much more Mac-like look and feel

SmartArt in PowerPoint is groovy

Entourage's search is still no good

Not too much this time round.