Microsoft has hastily applied a fix to the Mac version of Office 2008, after the software giant introduced a glitch in the Open XML format when it released Service Pack 2 for the suite.

The company noted yesterday that the 12.2.1 patch would get rid of error messages that some Mac users were faced with when trying to open various PC-created documents in Office 2008.

It had popped up when users tried to open some (though not all) OXML file formats in the Office suite after applying Service Pack 2 to the software.

Microsoft released Office 2008 Service Pack 2 in July. At the time, Redmond wheeled out its usual not-to-be-entirely-trusted promise about improving “stability, reliability, and performance.”

Sadly for some Apple fans it failed to deliver the goods. The firm will be hoping this fix draws a line under any festering trust issues Mac lovers may have - well, for now at least. ®

Related stories

• Office 2004 for Mac granted extended run to appease VBA fans (13 October 2009)
• Microsoft 'update' breaks Office for Mac (31 July 2009)
• Microsoft gets SaaSy with SP2 for Apple-friendly Office (20 July 2009)
• Updated Microsoft Office for Mac fix falls at first hurdle (15 April 2009)
• Macworld Expo Microsoft moves Macs closer to PC parity (6 January 2009)
• Macworld Expo Microsoft and Apple: 25 years of couples therapy (6 January 2009)
• Microsoft updates Mac Office 2008 (10 December 2008)
• Review OpenOffice 3.0 - the only option for masochistic Linux users (4 November 2008)