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IWork 09 purchase?

Martin29

Martin29

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 25, 2010
348
120
Quimper, France
I have just bought my first Mac (a fabulous IMac 27inch i5) after more than 20 years running Windows machines.

Having used MS Office for all those years, I decided to give IWork a try, and have downloaded the trial of 09. Early days yet, but it seems like a nice piece of software though I'm still worried about compatibility with all my colleagues still running Office???

My main question though, is if at the end of my trial, I buy 09, will 11 be released within weeks? If so will I get a free upgrade? Maybe I should wait till the new version comes out?

Or maybe Open Office would be a good bet given the compatability issue?

Many thanks for your thoughts.
Martin
 
Martin29 said:
I have just bought my first Mac (a fabulous IMac 27inch i5) after more than 20 years running Windows machines.

Having used MS Office for all those years, I decided to give IWork a try, and have downloaded the trial of 09. Early days yet, but it seems like a nice piece of software though I'm still worried about compatibility with all my colleagues still running Office???

My main question though, is if at the end of my trial, I buy 09, will 11 be released within weeks? If so will I get a free upgrade? Maybe I should wait till the new version comes out?

Or maybe Open Office would be a good bet given the compatability issue?

Many thanks for your thoughts.
Martin
Click to expand...

Seems to me like you need Microsoft Office for Mac 2011, Sir.
I have it and it is the best piece of software I think as a business man myself who uses Apple. I could not live without Excel and Word. And since they have incorporated it for Mac's... take the opportunity and get it. Best $100+ I've used for my Mac. Going between Windows and OSX w/ it, flawless.
I used OpenOffice for 2 weeks thinking "I dont need to pay the price for Microsoft Office for Mac, too insane". But once I broke down and bought it, I don't know how I got by without it.
 
In my opinion, iWork is a great piece of software if you're using it in a "closed environment" - meaning, you don't have to share it with a lot of people. I love making newsletters and little personal spreadsheets with it.

HOWEVER, if you're in an environment where you're working with a lot of people using Word...just save yourself a lot of trouble and buy Microsoft Office. Even Open/NeoOffice has compatibility problems.
 
Maybe I have to go to Office, though it sticks in the throat to put an essentially Windows product on my Mac. And even more to buy another Office licence having already got one for my Windows laptop. (which will eventually be replaced by a Mac too if I continue to enjoy my IMac experience)

I have to say I love the 'look and feel' of IWork, but having just spent out on the machine I now have to be careful with the software spending decisions, hence the question regarding suitability and also free upgrades to software about to be replaced by Apple.

Cheers
Martin
 
Martin29 said:
Maybe I have to go to Office, though it sticks in the throat to put an essentially Windows product on my Mac. And even more to buy another Office licence having already got one for my Windows laptop. (which will eventually be replaced by a Mac too if I continue to enjoy my IMac experience)

I have to say I love the 'look and feel' of IWork, but having just spent out on the machine I now have to be careful with the software spending decisions, hence the question regarding suitability and also free upgrades to software about to be replaced by Apple.

Cheers
Martin
Click to expand...

I recommend you get Office, compatibly with other Microsoft Office windows documents are unparalleled. I myself have Office 2011 installed on my Macbook Air and it is noticeably speedier and faster than Office 2008. Open Office, iWork etc. has known compatibly issues (although not widespread but definitely noticeable) with documents created on Windows.

Furthermore, I got my copy of Office 2011 on eBay for a ridiculously cheap price of $40, albeit only the software key and digital download - leading me to question it's authenticity. Nevertheless, it has been working for the one week I have installed it.
 
zstar said:
I got my copy of Office 2011 on eBay for a ridiculously cheap price of $40, albeit only the software key and digital download - leading me to question it's authenticity. Nevertheless, it has been working for the one week I have installed it.
Click to expand...

Sounds a great deal if it's authentic! Though I too would doubt that. If it was the 'real deal' I'm sure myself and others here would like a link to the sellers page.. At that price the question would simply not be posed.
 
Martin,

As you I came from Windows' World.

I'm still using the trial version of iWork'09 and waiting for the iWork'11 release. Rumors say that it would be on january 11.

You can extend the period of the iWork trial until the next version arrive. contact me directly and I tell you how.

I have no big deals with office document compatibility.

My advice to you is wait for the new version of iWork and give it a try. Probably the compatibility to MS Office will be increased.

I refuse to put a MS virus, sorry, MS Software on my Mac.
 
Hi Sir Lorad,

Thank you for the alternative view. As you will have guessed, I share your reluctance to add anything MS to my shiny new machine.. After all I just moved away from Windows after well over 20 years, and I didn't do it without thinking long and hard!

In the few days I have had this Mac, I have really begun to appreciate what I have been missing all these years.

That said, I am keen to try and work without resorting to ported Windows software if at all possible.

I tried to contact you direct, but have not found a way to do so through these forums. (I have sent a friend request, which might open up access to your email address) Hope this works and look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers
Martin
 
Office 2011 is slow, clunky and badly designed. I would say don't get it unless you have to. Office 2004 works more effectively for me but whichever version you are forced to use, it is a pain compared to iWork.

I've still not actually met anyone who likes Office 2010 / 2011 yet so I'm beginning to suspect that everyone who talks it up on these boards is a MS stooge or new to computing.
 
Unless 100% compatibility is an absolute must, get iWork. Office 2011 is a rather poor attempt at an improvement in my opinion.

I have used iWork for two years now with only a few minor compatibility problems with Office.

HELLO FUTURE ME!
 
Last edited:
I know that these things are always a matter of personal preference, but I feel more encouraged having now heard from some of you that IWork is up to the job. As I said earlier, I love the 'look and feel' already, even though I've only been trialing the package for a couple of days.

Obviously my second concern was that if I bought version 09 in December, there would be a new version within a short period and I would need to pay for an upgrade. Just trying to think ahead..
 
Learning iWork

Hello Martin29:

Congratulations on your new iMac. I have never used a Windows machine but from what I hear you should really enjoy your new experience. I am not familiar with Microsoft software so I cannot draw any comparisons to iWork. Having transitioned from AppleWorks I can say that iWork is a powerful suite and, although there may be some specific exceptions, is fully compatible with the Microsoft world. I recently led an iWork Special Interest Group (SIG) for the Palm Beach Phoenix Apple User Group. We used the Apple Training Series: iWork ‘09 text by Richard Harrington which is available from Amazon. If you wish to learn iWork in depth I suggest you get this book. It includes a DVD with lessons which take you step by step through Keynote, Pages and Numbers. This book will most likely be reissued sometime next year after iWork ‘11 comes out but I suggest you get started using the current text. Transitioning to iWork ‘11 should be a small delta if you are up to speed on ’09. There are iWork tutorials on the Apple web site (http://www.apple.com/iwork/tutorials/#pages-hero) and Lynda.com (http://www.lynda.com/) has reasonably priced on line training. As suggested, using the trial version of iWork sounds like a good idea then go for the ’11 version when it comes out. Good luck with your new Mac.

George
 
Thank you George, for the kind thoughts.

This Mac is proving to be everything I had been told and more. I am enjoying my time working at the machine in away I haven't done for years with my Windows machines. It is not just the user interface, it is the whole experience. the hardware is high quality, and the software I have used so far is brilliantly concieved, with an attention to detail that has long been missing with most Windows products. I have only begun to scratch the surface with all of the software, but love what I have seen so far.

Last evening I downloaded the trial of Bento to complete the IWork suite, so today I shall be trying to get to grips with them both using real data..

Why was I ever worried about making the jump? And why didn't I do it years ago?

Regards to all
Martin
 
I find that MS office on a mac (just downloaded it 10 minutes ago) is slow, aweful, and ugly. iWork is fast and aesthetically pleasing. Just like the operating systems, their software has the same design. My iWork trial is running out in 2 days but I will buy pages 11' when it comes out on the mac app store.
 
After updating MAC OS X 10.6.6 that installed the APP STORE. I'm not able to install the iWork'09 trial anymore.

Does anybody had the same problem?
 
This really should have been in a new thread, but what error, if any, are you getting when you try to run the installer?
 
Hmm, that can't be right. iWork '09 is compatible with 10.4.11, 10.5.6 or later, and 10.6. Now, when you say you can't install it anymore, this means you are reinstalling the trial over itself? Did you remove all the support files that may still be on the system before trying to install? If you can, get a screenshot of the error or write down and re-post.
 
Yes. Removed it all.

I'm used to the procedure since I'm using the trial for over 8 months waiting for the iwork11 so I purchase only one time.

Both mac expired today, mine and my wife.

Tried to reinstall as always and bug.

Will perform one more time and will post the error message here.
 
Now that I was recording the screens it worked fine.

Don't know what was.
The only thing i did different was a reboot before reinstall.
 
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