Difference Between MS office and iWorks

[Loft]

Hey guys! I just wanted to ask if there is any major difference between MS office and iWorks. I currently have MS Office 2004 for my powerbook so that takes care of my work processing and stuff. I was just wondering if there is still a need to purchase iWorks? Do i still need iWorks or is it just the same as MS office?

Can anyone tell me the difference?

Thank you!

 

[edesignuk]

MS Office 2004 is way better.

 

[tubedogg]

iWorks consists of two programs:

Pages, which is like Microsoft Publisher (PC only). It's basically a desktop publishing program that can read Microsoft Word files. Despite Apple calling it a word processor, it isn't really.

Keynote 2, which is basically Apple's version of Microsoft PowerPoint. It's a program for creating presentations/slideshows. One neat feature in v2 is that it can export presentations to Flash. I intend to get iWork just for this feature, which as far as I know PowerPoint can't do.

If you have a need for a Publisher-like program to do stuff that Word can't handle (which isn't much anymore) or want Keynote, then iWork is a good deal. (Keynote was $99 as a standalone program until iWork was released.)

 

[tech4all]

Outta curiosity

Is Pages like InDesign/PageMaker/Quark, but not as sophisticated? Or a bit different?

 

[tubedogg]

From what I can tell, yes. Apple is stupid to be positioning it as a Word replacement because they will never win on that front unless there are some major changes to it (starting with it being a lot less like Publisher and a lot more like Word).

 

[morkintosh]

Is Pages like InDesign/PageMaker/Quark, but not as sophisticated? Or a bit different?

"not as sophisticated" Is the understatement of the year. It is basically a nice little column layout program that allows you to enter text and do some things with the positioning of graphics. IMO, not worth the harddrive space it takes up if you are used to using (and benefit from the features of) Office or InDesign.

Keynote2 on the other hand is a very nice program. I use keynote for all my prsentation needs. The interface is simpler than Powerpoint and at first glance you could mistake it for a lightweight tool, but once you get used to it you'll find it to be a powerful tool. Perhaps I'll end up saying the same thing about Pages at some point ...

 

[jaseone]

Apart from Technical Writers and such who really uses all of the "features" of MS Word anyway? The better Tech Writers probably use LaTex anyway... As long as it can do basic editing and layout along with headings and automatic Topic Of Contents then what else do you REALLY need? I for one would be quite pleased if that green squiggly line for grammar checking fell of the face off the earth.

When it comes down to it if you have Office 2004 (let me guess though, Apple internal edition?) already then there is no real benefit in getting iWork but if you haven't got Office yet and don't need a Spreadsheet then iWork is a good, much cheaper alternative. Having said that though Office 2004 on the Mac is by far the best version of Office I have ever used .

 

[carlos700]

I prefer the more simple interface of Pages to Word, but Pages needs to be more like a word processor, such as an easier way to change fonts.

 

[rickvanr]

MS Office 2004 is way better.

I agree, I opened up pages and was disappointed. They need to have the formating bars that word has, or something similar, so you can align and change font much easier. That being said, the templates are very nice, although, I don't know if I will use them but they look nice. I thought Keynote 1.0 kicked the crap out of Power Point, so I'm confident 2.0 will be a step up even yet, although, I'll have yet to try it. But, in the end, right now, Word is better then Pages.