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iWork '05 Productivity Suite?

GFLPraxis said:
OpenOffice may dominate Windows (outside of schools and businesses where they can afford mass-MS Office licenses), and already has dominated Linux, but it hasn't begun on the Mac yet. The Mac version still has to run in X11, meaning you have to have at least a basic knowledge of X11 (even sub-basic will do), but people with a CLI phobia are terrified, and people who never bothered using X11 will have no clue what to do, plus the performance is terrible (load times, etc).

We need a Mac-native version for it to get anywhere.
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Eh, well, an 'almost' solution for the phobia freaks is NeoOffice. It's a mixed java/carbon port of OpenOffice. I've used it before, but it's even slower than the X11 version. Still, it's a quick and easy solution when you really need a word processor/spreadsheet program.

http://www.neooffice.org/
 
Mtn Tamale said:
I think you are right on. We don't have a good consumer web page builder. Tie that with .mac, and I think we have most of the answer about "Pages". However, I also think it will be a general page layout program/word processor. We don't have any consumer oriented newsletter/page layout type program at all on the mac. iPhoto doesn't even have squat for layout options for printing, so something along these lines fills a lot of holes, and is very applesque.
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As much as I yearn for an apple branded Word replacement, I think you might be on to something here. This would bridge the gap from switchers who use Microsoft Publisher and find nothing to replace it on OSX. The only thing I worry about is when you combine an interface for word processing, web design, and page layout, thats a lot of interface. Especially trying to add web design in there, you're REALLY going to complicate the interface. I believe the web aspect will be left out of the app, or maybe be a separate app down the road. With page layout and word processing, i think they rely on so many similar functions that they could be combined successfully.

Just my 2 cents.
 
The name "Pages"

Stella said:
Consider the name "Pages".

Given the name, I don't think this is meant to be some Word killer.. its for casual use - ala AppleWorks.

Perhaps I'm reading into the name of the app too much.
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Perhaps not reading enough. To me, "Pages" encompasses more than "Word". Still, whatever it is, I think it's not a great name, but then "Word" isn't either, but there you go. Does anyone know if "iWrite" is taken?

Does this mean the spreadsheet will be called "Sheets"? :p Perhaps "iCalc"?

I do agree that an iLife app for easy web page creation would be cool. I suppose they think it would detract from the web page stuff that .Mac has to offer. I think that Apple sees .Mac as filling this role though.
 
I'm in the college system, too...

Photorun said:
Maybe when you become an adult you'll get your head out of your youth fog and see the big picture. Until then, don't post what you don't know or speculate without thinking of more than yourself and your own situation. Try listening for a change, it's good for character building.
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...and it amazes me how such people feel the need to give a talking to others instead of limiting comments to the topic at hand...
 
billyboy said:
Ladies and gentlemen, the MS Office killer aka iWorks is going to be a beautiful platform agnostic Aqua rendition of something like Ragtime http://www.ragtime-online.com/link.cgi?startpage

Do what you like with text, formulae and images/video designed and saved all one document page in Mac OSX and be 100% confident it will be readable in Windows (because the formats of everything produced will be openable in your dependable open/cross-platform formats like rtf, pdf, jpeg and Quicktime...).

Isnt that how to say Adios MS Office and hello productivity suite iWork for the masses - no need to worry about being different because it will be corporate business world friendly without the MS influence?
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Agree with this other Spain resident (and therefore very wise by default!). A canvas for all the stuff you want to do using all these great OSX technologies and latest digital apps. Who cares about Word and Excel for 98% of users needs and users daily projects. A simple table ability as now exists in textedit in Tiger plus all those nifty text and data services...here's hoping.
 
What kind of suite might iWork '05 be such that we'd all want to have both iWork and MS Office installed? Hitting that "suite spot" might give Apple a new popular application (more sales to PowerBook owners, Power Mac owners, and users with older consumer Macs before iWork was included free) while not cutting into the MS Office sales that keep Microsoft interested in the market and give Macs cross-platform compatibility that will continue to be important, particularly for business people.
 
Photorun said:
Um, no. I asssume you're a student? I'm in administration at a college for the SUNY system, the college system is buying eMacs for classrooms to labs to drone machines at different libraries and other stations adding up to literally thousands of eMac purchased in volume through Apple. Thousands of computers adds to Apple's coffers and keeps Macs in at least this college system, without which, craptacular Dells would be everywhere, they're a stronghold. eMacs are convenient, highly affordable, and quite capable. NOT students buying the eMacs, we're talking entire colleges (i.e. business and organizations, not individuals). Maybe when you become an adult you'll get your head out of your youth fog and see the big picture. Until then, don't post what you don't know or speculate without thinking of more than yourself and your own situation. Try listening for a change, it's good for character building.
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You do know what they say about people who assume. :)

Re-read what you have just said, SUNY uses eMac's since at volume they acquire it cheaper, that said if a $499 USD Mac is released I am SUNY had the option to either but a $499(Mac) to a $799 USD (eMac with built in CRT) gee I wonder which one they would use. If it has the exact same ports plus a DVI or VGA port (maybe both) and the option for SUNY to get a larger than 17" CRT would that not be better. Please people who attend SUNY are not kindergarten children to poke at the screen or maybe you can correct me on that. I have a friend who attends SUNY in relations to Medical Studies and sad but true he uses a Dell notebook. I also know a Bio-Eng who just graduated from SUNY in 2004 and also has a Dell notebook.

Why are there students buying Dell notebooks instead of Apple notebooks.

Listen this is just plain stupid a screen-less Mac has more options open to it than one with a built-in one. Last time I checked you cannot stack an eMac however the new Mac without a screen can be used and stored in stacks meaning you can either have it on the table with a monitor or have it stores in the back room and the only thing available on the desk is a monitor, keyboard and mouse. rather than the entire system.

At present SUNY has no option from Apple other than the eMac that is cheap. We will not even mention a solution without a screen a PowerMac is just out of the question in this regard. :)
 
m a y a said:
You do know what they say about people who assume. :)

Re-read what you have just said, SUNY uses eMac's since at volume they acquire it cheaper, that said if a $499 USD Mac is released I am SUNY had the option to either but a $499(Mac) to a $799 USD (eMac with built in CRT) gee I wonder which one they would use. If it has the exact same ports plus a DVI or VGA port (maybe both) and the option for SUNY to get a larger than 17" CRT would that not be better. Please people who attend SUNY are not kindergarten children to poke at the screen or maybe you can correct me on that. I have a friend who attends SUNY in relations to Medical Studies and sad but true he uses a Dell notebook. I also know a Bio-Eng who just graduated from SUNY in 2004 and also has a Dell notebook.

Why are they students buying Dell notebooks instead of Apple notebooks.

Listen this is just plain stupid a screen-less Mac has more options open to it than one with a built-in one. Last time I checked you cannot stack an eMac however the new Mac without a screen can be used and stored in stacks meaning you can either have it on the table with a monitor or have it stores in the back room and the only thing available on the desk is a monitor, keyboard and mouse. rather than the entire system.

At present SUNY has no option from Apple other than the eMac that is cheap. We will not even mention a solution without a screen a PowerMac is just out of the question in this regard. :)
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Hopefully whatever Mac you buy will teach you better grammar.
 
iCan'tnamecoolsoundingsoftware

iWorks is one of the worst names that I could think of for a productivity suite. No wonder everyone thinks that Mac OS X is a toy OS. The 'i' prefix might be ok for less professional programs (aka iMovie or iTunes) but when trying to compete with MS Office, it's the wrone way to go.
 
Hopefully you would be intelligent enough to ascertain the individual is not a native English writer. I always give multi-lingual writers more latitude than native English writers who could not get past sixth grade grammar, personally.

bdkennedy1 said:
Hopefully whatever Mac you buy will teach you better grammar.
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ahamilt2 said:
iWorks is one of the worst names that I could think of for a productivity suite. No wonder everyone thinks that Mac OS X is a toy OS. The 'i' prefix might be ok for less professional programs (aka iMovie or iTunes) but when trying to compete with MS Office, it's the wrone way to go.
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Enough already, this is not an application to compete with Office. Office is the de facto standard in the business world and nothing Apple or anyone else releases will change that. Companies have way too may Word templates, Excel spreadsheets and macros and PP presentations that switching does not make sense. Until we have some new computer paridigm, Office is it.

By the way, how the hell can Apple release a product to compete with Office when their corporate market share is miniscule?

This is simply (if it's even true) Apple doing what it does best, adding more value to their desktops and laptops.
 
s10 said:
I wondered why MS bought VPC and I wonder about it again now...

-do they want to drop Office for Mac and ship future Office integrated in VPC only? It would be much cheaper for MS. Office doesn't require huge speed to run, so VPC should do the job nicely AND they could sell Windows to Mac Users.

I hope Apple will pay special attention to PDF integration too in iWorks
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There isn't any great conspiracy here. People aren't leaving their NT 4 and 2K environment because they have apps created around it. Virtual Server 2005 allows users to move to Windows Server 2003 without having to redo those apps. There are other reasons as well as the rumor that Longhorn will have a scaled down version of VPC to allow backwards compat with 9x and DOS games. MS isn't actively trying to screw over Apple, for them its a side benefit.
:(
 
Anyone else think iWorks will just be iLife for the business types, just tying in existing applications, and new ones, so they work as a suite?
 
u2mr2os2 said:
Perhaps not reading enough. To me, "Pages" encompasses more than "Word". Still, whatever it is, I think it's not a great name, but then "Word" isn't either, but there you go. Does anyone know if "iWrite" is taken?

Does this mean the spreadsheet will be called "Sheets"? :p Perhaps "iCalc"?

I do agree that an iLife app for easy web page creation would be cool. I suppose they think it would detract from the web page stuff that .Mac has to offer. I think that Apple sees .Mac as filling this role though.
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iWrite is taken (see here http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/business_finance/iwork.html ) by some shareware group, BUT Apple already has a trademark on the iWork name so could technically use it without ripping off anyone.
 
m a y a said:
Oh my, how long has Bill Gates been lading M$ and How long has Steve Jobs been leading Apple after he got replaced the first time. :rolleyes:

Apple has been on rough waters in the 90's (not looking at late 90's) and that was not on Steve's accord. Get your facts straight all companies have rough times like marriage however Apple has survived through those rough waters with some aid from M$ however that given this is indeed a new Apple.

It would seem M$ time to swim in and out of rough waters is coming soon, every company has this no matter how big or small the only important thing is that as long as it survives through it all. Why do you think Bill Gates is worried in regards to Linux, Mac OS X, iPod, digital content formats and so forth, just because he loves stress. :rolleyes: :: Maybe he does like stress I am not his doctor :) ::
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I am not sure what you mean. Whether SJ left or not, I am guessing Apple has always had the ability to buy itself out.

I don't dispute that Microsoft are not doing as well as they used to. But I don't think it is the end of the world yet. Microsoft have enough resources to pull themselves out of a pretty deep hole. Still it would be nice to see them lose 60% market share.
 
Xtremehkr said:
I am not sure what you mean. Whether SJ left or not, I am guessing Apple has always had the ability to buy itself out.

I don't dispute that Microsoft are not doing as well as they used to. But I don't think it is the end of the world yet. Microsoft have enough resources to pull themselves out of a pretty deep hole. Still it would be nice to see them lose 60% market share.
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Microsoft could lose 90% market share and be fine. They make money with the software, not hardware.

If everyone bought Macs, Microsoft would make loads from Microsoft Office: Mac + Virtual PC + Windows to run on Virtual PC. Since they need both VPC and Windows, and they don't get the discount you get on Windows when you buy, say, a Dell, they'd make twice as much money as they were making before.

Eventually people would stop getting VPC and Windows, but MS would keep going with Office + more software for Mac + XBox + PocketPC + everything else they sell.
 
May surpass word processors

As has been touched on by several others, I think that if Apple produces something like a word processor it will not be a standard word processor. We already have Nisus, Mariner, word and others for that. If Apple will do something like this it will, in some ways, push the envelope by adding other features. Just as Keynote allowed you to do beautiful things with images in a presentation program this app, if it sees light of day, will somehow push the envelope as well.
 
Web "Pages"

jakemikey said:
When I hear "Pages", I think of web "Pages" more than paper "Pages".
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My thoughts precisely! And I'm quite convinced that any iWorks-type suite will come with at least a trial subscription to a new and improved .Mac.
 
But why 'productivity' suite???

Why oh why are these bundles of software which include word processing (manupulation?) spreadsheet and presentation shoftware known as producitvity suites??? :confused:

It makes no sense and it is nonsense to use that moniker... M$$$ Office on my PB is not the most productive piece of software on my machine its the worst!!!!

As to the name... Pages is too general a name as it is more of a noun... it has to be something descriptive of what you are trying to do. Keynote is a great name.... how about Decision or Reporter or Griper?? :D
 
aldo said:
Microsoft effectively did own Apple in the dark, dark days of the mid 90s. If they pulled out their 'investments', they would of gone bankrupt.
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Ha! And as we all know that kissy faced phase was all part of the requirements of Steve Jobs since M$ got caught with their hands in the corporate espionage jar regarding Quicktime.

The $150 million investment was a token payment to put a smiley face end to the platform wars, nothing more. The $100 million 'licensing fee' paid by M$ was to license the tech they had already stolen - there are rumors even more money was paid through various channels. The promises to continue producing Office for at least 5 years, all that was because Steve leveraged Bill when he got caught doing very bad things.
 
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