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iWork vs Office vs Something else

  • I use iWork

    Votes: 62 41.9%
  • I use Microsoft Office

    Votes: 74 50.0%
  • I use another set of applications (such as Open Office)

    Votes: 10 6.8%
  • I don't use/ need either

    Votes: 2 1.4%

  • Total voters
    148

calb

macrumors 6502
Mar 12, 2009
373
3
UK
Short answer: both.

Free choice (e.g. sending PDFs) leads me to iWork, but Office for sharing/editing. Office 2011 is far better than previous versions, but I still prefer iWork because it doesn't feel as heavy.
 

Mackilroy

macrumors 68040
Jun 29, 2006
3,906
539
I usually use Google Docs to take notes, but when I need to write a report or paper I use Office.
 

snberk103

macrumors 603
Oct 22, 2007
5,503
91
An Island in the Salish Sea
....
Maybe you are right and this is rather a problem with printer or printer driver (hp laserjest 1320, 600 dpi). I will try to make a PDF and check if I can spot the difference. If not - I will give my apologies to iWork ;]

Thanks guys.

That's a good idea (about the PDF). Check to see if the spacing issue persists when you use the print dialogue to make a PDF. It's supposed to be an exact representation of the printed page. If the PDF shows the spacing issue, try printing to a different printer (different driver) ... but just use the print dialogue to make a PDF.

Luck.

Oh, no need for an apology. But could just buy us a round, eh? I like Paddywhack (an IPA) from Nelson Breweries. :D
 

throAU

macrumors G3
Feb 13, 2012
8,775
6,936
Perth, Western Australia
I love the ability to be able to buy Pages, Keynote and Numbers separately. It means that I only have to buy each one when I need it. I have bought Pages and Keynote so far, but I have no use for Numbers. You can also save Pages files as Word documents so that eliminates all compatibility problems :)

Numbers really is quite neat. Its not as full featured as excel (nowhere near), but for the common home use type stuff it has a heap of pre-built templates, and working with formulas is so much more intuitive than in excel. I haven't run into anything I actually want to do that I can't do yet - but I'm sure if i was to try and build a VBA/Excel style "application" it wouldn't be able to. But that's not what I use it for...

I've never had to think "how should i calculate this?" because there's either a built in template, numbers works out what i want to do when i select the relevant fields or it is otherwise pretty obvious....

I use both excel and numbers fairly extensively and both have their strong points...
 

ericDylan

macrumors regular
Jan 6, 2012
101
0
I use iWork in the office and send as PDF. People don't need to edit my documents.

Exactly what I do with my essays.

I love iWork and its seamless integration into lion much more than I like office (though I have both). I use office for group projects or powerpoints made for a teacher that does not specifically use keynote.

I am sure there is a converter--never looked--but sometimes margins don't convert well from pages to office, so i shutter to think what would happen if i tried converting a keynote presentation to powerpoint.

For my papers, i have started converting them to PDFs when i turn them in or print them out from a windows computer.

iWork is much better, but office is more widely used and is a must for students in most environments.
 

ScottNWDW

macrumors 65816
Jul 10, 2008
1,231
315
Orlando, Florida
I have both iWork and Microsoft Office.

I use iWork for most of my personal stuff, but because at work they use mainly Windows based computers with Office, I have Microsoft Office for any work related projects that I may do away from the office.

My opinion iWork is a much easier program to use and I like that there are iPhone and iPad versions as well. I can pretty much work on or change documents on any of the 3 devices depending on where I am and this takes care of not having to remember anything. I can make the changes in most cases on the fly. I would recommend iWork over Office to anyone that really doesn't need the complexities of Office.

If it wasn't for us using Office at work and the fact that I was able to get Office at a discounted rate through their HUP program, I seriously doubt I would get Office at all.
 

James_C

macrumors 68030
Sep 13, 2002
2,815
1,819
Bristol, UK
I don't think it's a case of which is better, as the two packages have a slightly different focus. I actually use both, and my choice on which I use depends on what the final document is for. I put together an overview comparing the applications in Office for Mac with iWork can be found here.
 

Drew017

macrumors 65816
Original poster
May 29, 2011
1,254
11
East coast, USA
I don't think it's a case of which is better, as the two packages have a slightly different focus. I actually use both, and my choice on which I use depends on what the final document is for. I put together an overview comparing the applications in Office for Mac with iWork can be found here.

Yes, I definitely agree.
 

wmouazzen

macrumors member
Dec 29, 2008
49
0
iWork vs MS Office

I've seen a lot of people here opt to use iWork over office. I was wondering why that was the case? What do you like about more about iWork. Also are there any limitations you have experienced using iWork over Office?
 

MRiOS

macrumors regular
Jun 2, 2010
184
0
I opted for iWork, simply because it usually has timelier updates and it's about half the price of MS.
(It usually has timelier updates compared to MS, but given the state of retina support, we are still waiting for that particular update. current rumor points to a simultaneous update for iWork with the release of Mountain Lion)
 

leenak

macrumors 68020
Mar 10, 2011
2,416
52
I like iWork. I can get Office super cheap but I like the feel of iWork better. I think Keynote is a bit nicer than powerpoint specifically.
 

chibiterasu

macrumors 6502
Apr 5, 2012
337
24
London, The United Kingdom
Im more of an office 2011 user mainly because I haven't had the time to learn where everyone is in iWork although I do want to learn it at some point. Having said that both do what they need to do I would go for whichever you know how to get the best out of and works the best for you. Also 2011 has been good on cross platform compatibility and I haven't run into any major issues (yet) hope this helps :)
 

wmouazzen

macrumors member
Dec 29, 2008
49
0
Im more of an office 2011 user mainly because I haven't had the time to learn where everyone is in iWork although I do want to learn it at some point. Having said that both do what they need to do I would go for whichever you know how to get the best out of and works the best for you. Also 2011 has been good on cross platform compatibility and I haven't run into any major issues (yet) hope this helps :)

For me compatibility is a big deal. I know there was some issues in the past with older versions of iWork, but I was wondering if people still encountered them. Also does iWork have a version of OneNote? I love that program for note taking. It's a shame it's only available in the PC version.
 

leenak

macrumors 68020
Mar 10, 2011
2,416
52
For me compatibility is a big deal. I know there was some issues in the past with older versions of iWork, but I was wondering if people still encountered them. Also does iWork have a version of OneNote? I love that program for note taking. It's a shame it's only available in the PC version.

A lot of people use Evernote. I know it isn't the same but there are some other software packages out there that mimic the functionality of Onenote.
 

wmouazzen

macrumors member
Dec 29, 2008
49
0
A lot of people use Evernote. I know it isn't the same but there are some other software packages out there that mimic the functionality of Onenote.

Yah, I've tried it and it pales it comparison. It's not bad though.
 

pgiguere1

macrumors 68020
May 28, 2009
2,167
1,200
Montreal, Canada
Maybe I'm reading your post wrong but there is fullscreen mode for Office. :confused:

It was recently updated, but originally you couldn't use Lion's full screen. It took Microsoft more than one year after the release of the Lion DP to update Office which is really too slow given that it's more than how often Apple release OSes now.

The worst is that all the full screen feature is all done for you in the Lion API and Microsoft basically just had to add a couple lines of code with the method setPresentationOptions: of NSApplication, then point to what toolbars will be hidden in Full screen mode (if any) with willUseFullScreenPresentationOptions:. This could have been done in like one day or two, yet Microsoft managed to do it in over a year. It's like they wanted to lose customers to iWork.

Anyway, wrong forum, this has nothing to do with the MBP, a mod should move this.
 
Last edited:

Queen6

macrumors G4
Both, in the profesional environment it`s difficult to work around Office, I only use Word, Excel & Powerpoint the rest I dont install, Outlook and the bloat etc

I prefer Keynote over Powerpoint, Excel over Numbers, and for word processing I will often start with Pages, export to Word, tidy up and complete. Office 11 is actually pretty good, but still has some failings compared to the native Windows package.

Cost wise iWork is the clear winner for the majority, MS Office 11 comes at a price, look for educational discounts or better still corporate rates, I paid the handsome price of $10 for the full Office 11 for Mac via a company discount scheme :apple:
 

leenak

macrumors 68020
Mar 10, 2011
2,416
52
Cost wise iWork is the clear winner for the majority, MS Office 11 comes at a price, look for educational discounts or better still corporate rates, I paid the handsome price of $10 for the full Office 11 for Mac via a company discount scheme :apple:

Yeah I'm the same, cost $9.95 or whatever for Office 11 but I found myself just using iWork so I didn't install it on my new rMBP.
 

frank.deale

macrumors regular
Jan 23, 2010
111
6
MS office. I need to do a lot of footnoting and cross referencing and Pages just doesn't cut it.
 
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