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Appleworks Updated to 6.2.9
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Re: Let it go....
What do you mean there is no need and no market? Average computer users use contextual menus on a daily basis in a Windows environment. Granted, I love my mac infinitely more, but it's time Apple just moved on in its stubborn and archaic love for one-button mice. Moreover, there is definitely a market for two-button and scroll mice from Apple. What mac user would not purchase such a mouse from Apple rather than Microsoft, Belkin, etc. The very fact that the mouse will most likely match and conform to Apple's fashion sensibility is more than reason to purchase it.
What do you mean there is no need and no market? Average computer users use contextual menus on a daily basis in a Windows environment. Granted, I love my mac infinitely more, but it's time Apple just moved on in its stubborn and archaic love for one-button mice. Moreover, there is definitely a market for two-button and scroll mice from Apple. What mac user would not purchase such a mouse from Apple rather than Microsoft, Belkin, etc. The very fact that the mouse will most likely match and conform to Apple's fashion sensibility is more than reason to purchase it.
Snowy_River
macrumors 68030
Re: Re: Re: Re: Let it go....
Well, in point of fact, I've helped set several people up with new computers when they've never used a computer before. I've helped them with both Macs and PCs. In general, I've recieved more calls for help from the PC newbies than from the Mac newbies. Why? Because the interface on Mac OS doesn't need the contextual menus. Everything you can do from the contextual menus you can also do from an actual menu. So, the Mac newbies are able to see what they want to do much faster. It's far easier for them. Now, if the graduate from being a newbie and start to explore some of the more advanced features, great! Then they can learn how to use contextual menus.
As a contrast, the PC people are forever looking for the proper widget to click to get at what they want. 'Do I look in the tool bar, the menu bar, or the stupid right click thingie?!?' It's a much more difficult system to learn, based on my experience with newbies.
Again, I know several individuals that would take great insult with that comment, including my grandfather-in-law, who used to work for the Navy designing battleships, amoung other things. I certainly would not refer to him as anything other than quite intelligent.
I never said that I like a one button mouse. All I ever said was that I can't stand multiple buttons on a track pad on a laptop. In point of fact, on my workstation I have a multi-button track ball. Actually, not only do I not like one button mice for my own use, I don't like mice at all. If I'm going to be doing any kind of serious work at a computer, I want a track ball. Does that mean that I think Apple should produce multi-button track balls for all of their computers? No. Not in the slightest. Why not? Because a mouse is easier for beginners to learn and use and because it's just as easy for me to go and get the track ball that suits me. After all, if I'm spending $3k on a computer, am I really going to complain about spending another $40 for the right interface tool? Not likely.
It's not the distance between them that's the problem for me. It's the placement. I typically rest my thumb across the button on the trackpad and navigate with my index finger. To reach the right button on Windows laptops, I have to shift my whole hand over to get my thumb to it (very impractical), or, on others, my thumb tends to rest at the joint between the two buttons, and clicking becomes a highly unpredictable affair. Now, maybe if there was a button along each side of the track pad, so the right edge button could be the right click, and I could hit it with my ring finger, that might just work well. But, as I said, I'm not against multiple buttons on PowerBooks (or even, for that matter, multi-button mice available for Power Macs - I just think that the consumer line is well aimed with simplicity being a key feature), I'm just against any configuration that I've seen so far.
When you get your PowerBook, I'd recommend installing the SideTrack alternative trackpad driver. It makes programming button clicks this way easy, and it gives you edge scroll wheels.
I hope you enjoy your PowerBook when you get it. I think we're actually closer to agreeing than at first it might have seemed.
Peace.
Well, in point of fact, I've helped set several people up with new computers when they've never used a computer before. I've helped them with both Macs and PCs. In general, I've recieved more calls for help from the PC newbies than from the Mac newbies. Why? Because the interface on Mac OS doesn't need the contextual menus. Everything you can do from the contextual menus you can also do from an actual menu. So, the Mac newbies are able to see what they want to do much faster. It's far easier for them. Now, if the graduate from being a newbie and start to explore some of the more advanced features, great! Then they can learn how to use contextual menus.
As a contrast, the PC people are forever looking for the proper widget to click to get at what they want. 'Do I look in the tool bar, the menu bar, or the stupid right click thingie?!?' It's a much more difficult system to learn, based on my experience with newbies.
Again, I know several individuals that would take great insult with that comment, including my grandfather-in-law, who used to work for the Navy designing battleships, amoung other things. I certainly would not refer to him as anything other than quite intelligent.
I never said that I like a one button mouse. All I ever said was that I can't stand multiple buttons on a track pad on a laptop. In point of fact, on my workstation I have a multi-button track ball. Actually, not only do I not like one button mice for my own use, I don't like mice at all. If I'm going to be doing any kind of serious work at a computer, I want a track ball. Does that mean that I think Apple should produce multi-button track balls for all of their computers? No. Not in the slightest. Why not? Because a mouse is easier for beginners to learn and use and because it's just as easy for me to go and get the track ball that suits me. After all, if I'm spending $3k on a computer, am I really going to complain about spending another $40 for the right interface tool? Not likely.
It's not the distance between them that's the problem for me. It's the placement. I typically rest my thumb across the button on the trackpad and navigate with my index finger. To reach the right button on Windows laptops, I have to shift my whole hand over to get my thumb to it (very impractical), or, on others, my thumb tends to rest at the joint between the two buttons, and clicking becomes a highly unpredictable affair. Now, maybe if there was a button along each side of the track pad, so the right edge button could be the right click, and I could hit it with my ring finger, that might just work well. But, as I said, I'm not against multiple buttons on PowerBooks (or even, for that matter, multi-button mice available for Power Macs - I just think that the consumer line is well aimed with simplicity being a key feature), I'm just against any configuration that I've seen so far.
When you get your PowerBook, I'd recommend installing the SideTrack alternative trackpad driver. It makes programming button clicks this way easy, and it gives you edge scroll wheels.
I hope you enjoy your PowerBook when you get it. I think we're actually closer to agreeing than at first it might have seemed.
Peace.
Snowy_River
macrumors 68030
Re: OpenOffice compatible?
The big problem with this is that OO isn't going to be anywhere near ready for primetime on Mac OS X for at least a couple of years. I check back with them every now and again, and right now their just in a holding pattern waiting for the Toolkit to be updated before they continue development further, and that's not expected for about a year. So, while I had hopes for using OO a couple of years ago, the glacial pace that the development has taken leaves me feeling that I'm not going to hold my breath.
The rumor that really got my hopes up was that Apple was working with Sun to port Star Office to the Mac. Now that would be something. A fully supported version of an alternate, powerful office suite. But that rumor was quickly debunked. Oh well.
The big problem with this is that OO isn't going to be anywhere near ready for primetime on Mac OS X for at least a couple of years. I check back with them every now and again, and right now their just in a holding pattern waiting for the Toolkit to be updated before they continue development further, and that's not expected for about a year. So, while I had hopes for using OO a couple of years ago, the glacial pace that the development has taken leaves me feeling that I'm not going to hold my breath.
The rumor that really got my hopes up was that Apple was working with Sun to port Star Office to the Mac. Now that would be something. A fully supported version of an alternate, powerful office suite. But that rumor was quickly debunked. Oh well.
Re: Re: Let it go....
I would have bought an Apple brand mouse if it has all of the features of the relatively cheap Logitech Marble Mouse: scroll buttons, left & right buttons, and a trackball.
I hate moving any hockey puck all over the desktop.
I hate pressing a keyboad key AND a mouse button to get the contextual menus.
The scrolling buttons are just icing on the cake.
=-=
JJ
I would have bought an Apple brand mouse if it has all of the features of the relatively cheap Logitech Marble Mouse: scroll buttons, left & right buttons, and a trackball.
I hate moving any hockey puck all over the desktop.
I hate pressing a keyboad key AND a mouse button to get the contextual menus.
The scrolling buttons are just icing on the cake.
=-=
JJ
Re: Yeah.
The international version is available from Apple UK at least...
http://www.apple.com/uk/appleworks/update/
It never appeared in my Software Update for some reason but it is available.
On a side note, it would seem even the AppleWorks team don't use it. The release notes are horrible html generated from Microsoft Word - Doh!
The international version is available from Apple UK at least...
http://www.apple.com/uk/appleworks/update/
It never appeared in my Software Update for some reason but it is available.
On a side note, it would seem even the AppleWorks team don't use it. The release notes are horrible html generated from Microsoft Word - Doh!
jsalzer
macrumors 6502a
CW Benefits
Waiting for AppleWorks to update has been almost as bad as waiting for my ex to call. I understand why it's against Apple's best interest at the moment to do a complete update (assuming that MS's response to Safari would be similar to their response to a full AW update), but there's a large part of me that can't help but want it.
Despite what it's still missing, there are so many things it has that Word just hasn't caught up with. The Draw feature alone is something that Word has never gotten right (with pictures and shapes popping completely off of the page for no apparent reason and putting itself inline with text even when you tell it not to). And the integration of the easy-to-use database with both word processing and with draw is incredibly powerful. If I need to throw together a quick database and merge data into a Draw document, CW/AW is where I'm going to go.
As a power user, I use more powerful programs all day, but AW is always there as my right-hand man to fill in the holes.
I'd love to see Keynote and Filemaker packaged with an updated Draw and Word Processor. (MS can keep Excel).
Now, I have to hop on the mouse debate. While I can understand why some people want the second button, those people have to understand that the rest of us are deathly afraid that if Apple makes a two-button mouse, they'll stop making the one-button mouse we love. The Mac is a beautiful OS with its constantly changing menu bar that negates the "need" for a second button. The mouse becomes a natural extension of your hand.
On the off chance that you need a contextual menu, Control+Click couldn't be easier - with the mouse in your right hand (sorry lefties) and the Control key conveniently located in the lower left-hand corner of the keyboard.
Personally, I have a Mac and a PC on my desk - and the only difference in the mice is that one is the black Apple mouse and the other is the white Apple mouse. It works just fine on Windows 98, 2000, and XP.
As graceful as ClarisWorks, itself. And much easier on the right pointer finger for those of us with joint problems.
And, for those who can't get enough buttons, they do make a mouse with over a hundred buttons - it's called a keyboard. 😉
Long Live ClarisWorks and Filemaker!
Waiting for AppleWorks to update has been almost as bad as waiting for my ex to call. I understand why it's against Apple's best interest at the moment to do a complete update (assuming that MS's response to Safari would be similar to their response to a full AW update), but there's a large part of me that can't help but want it.
Despite what it's still missing, there are so many things it has that Word just hasn't caught up with. The Draw feature alone is something that Word has never gotten right (with pictures and shapes popping completely off of the page for no apparent reason and putting itself inline with text even when you tell it not to). And the integration of the easy-to-use database with both word processing and with draw is incredibly powerful. If I need to throw together a quick database and merge data into a Draw document, CW/AW is where I'm going to go.
As a power user, I use more powerful programs all day, but AW is always there as my right-hand man to fill in the holes.
I'd love to see Keynote and Filemaker packaged with an updated Draw and Word Processor. (MS can keep Excel).
Now, I have to hop on the mouse debate. While I can understand why some people want the second button, those people have to understand that the rest of us are deathly afraid that if Apple makes a two-button mouse, they'll stop making the one-button mouse we love. The Mac is a beautiful OS with its constantly changing menu bar that negates the "need" for a second button. The mouse becomes a natural extension of your hand.
On the off chance that you need a contextual menu, Control+Click couldn't be easier - with the mouse in your right hand (sorry lefties) and the Control key conveniently located in the lower left-hand corner of the keyboard.
Personally, I have a Mac and a PC on my desk - and the only difference in the mice is that one is the black Apple mouse and the other is the white Apple mouse. It works just fine on Windows 98, 2000, and XP.
As graceful as ClarisWorks, itself. And much easier on the right pointer finger for those of us with joint problems.
And, for those who can't get enough buttons, they do make a mouse with over a hundred buttons - it's called a keyboard. 😉
Long Live ClarisWorks and Filemaker!
Sadly, this updater seems to only be for the U.S. version. I am running the U.K. version and it just tells me that I cannot run the updater. Touch wood an update for the U.K. will be in the works.
I use AppleWorks a lot, and it's actually getting me through my MSc (essay wise).
Have a nice day!
Edit: A U.K. version is already available according to a poster above. Hoorah!
Edit2: Ooh! And the poster below. How lovely!
I use AppleWorks a lot, and it's actually getting me through my MSc (essay wise).
Have a nice day!
Edit: A U.K. version is already available according to a poster above. Hoorah!
Edit2: Ooh! And the poster below. How lovely!
There's an "International" version available through the Apple UK site. Try http://www.apple.com/uk/appleworks/update/