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iWork to Become a Web Application at Macworld?

Iwork Database Please!

Forget the web stuff, we need a DATABASE, or iWork is NOT a true "successor" of Appleworks. This is what I wrote on their feedback page:

"Myself and many other schools and business use Appleworks Database to keep track of student and client data. It is the only hole left in the iWork package, yet the most vital to me and many others. I have been waiting patiently for the "Successor" of Appleworks, iWork, to have this Database, and have no way to port over Appleworks databases over to Bento, Filemaker, NeoOffice, or Microsoft products, (not that I want to!) and without Rosetta on Intel I will be forced to recreate 15 years of databases (yes, 15 years!) PLEASE INCLUDE A DATABASE IN IWORK! Sincerely, Paul"

Here is the link I posted it to, and everyone should tell Apple their views directly or nothing will come of just talking in these forums!

http://www.apple.com/contact/feedback.html

Go write directly to Apple - don't delay - do it now!
 
I voted negative purely because the rumour suggests this would be to the exclusion of separate desktop apps, which is just horrible, but I feel that it is unlikely they would actually do that. As an extra for Mobile Me I actually think it's a half-decent idea, but only as long as it's always an additional service rather than a replacement.

The day all apps are in only the cloud is the day I lose most of my interest in new computing trends really, it's all too Borg.
 
Everyone's misinterpreting the article. It wont be entirely browser based... just like MobileMe, there will be a desktop version, a web version, and an iPhone version.

I spoke to the writer of 9to5 Mac, and he told me that the desktop version wont be going away.
 
Ugh!!!

A browser-based version of iWork would be nice, but if Apple chooses to REPLACE my iWork with one that requires a browser and constant Internet connection, forget it. I'll switch to something else.

Maybe one day - in the FAR OFF FUTURE - we'll all use browser-based apps, but that day is not today, next week, or even a year or two from now. Browser-based apps are slow and clunky and generally lack the overall interface polish and integration one finds in native desktop apps. I seriously hope that Apple doesn't make a stupid move with iWork.
 
Hmm unlikley

This is classic not understanding Apple.

iWork would be great INTEGRATED with the web, so that it works with MobileMe nicely like ALL the other apps.

I would be amazed if they got off the desktop, but I can see a nice tight integration with Mobileme being very nice!

For example document collaboration would be much sweeter if it could be via MobileMe. MAke a change and voom onto my iPhone :)
 
drjones2 said:
Forget the web stuff, we need a DATABASE, or iWork is NOT a true "successor" of Appleworks. This is what I wrote on their feedback page:

"...I have been waiting patiently for the "Successor" of Appleworks, iWork, to have this Database, and have no way to port over Appleworks databases over to Bento, Filemaker, NeoOffice, or Microsoft products, (not that I want to!) and without Rosetta on Intel I will be forced to recreate 15 years of databases (yes, 15 years!) PLEASE INCLUDE A DATABASE IN IWORK! Sincerely, Paul"!
Click to expand...

I really can't see Apple delivering a database for iWork. There are too many other options, two of which Apple already owns (FM Pro & Bento).

I don't know anything about your databases, obviously, but porting them over can't be too difficult. Since AppleWorks is a flat file, it's a pretty simple export to text, then import to FM Pro, Bento, or whatever. You'll need to recreate your fields and user interface - and I'm sure that will be time-consuming. But it's a one-time process.

The writing's on the wall. I'd get my data out of AppleWorks sooner rather than later.
 
Porco said:
True, but does Bento not do? They also need a basic drawing app as well.
Click to expand...

Bento does not directly import Appleworks data. You have to export it via CSV file and recreate from scratch. One would assume Apple would be able to import old Appleworks files into the new iWork database, jut like you can import an old Appleworks word processor document. That's what I've been holding out for.

Drawing app is also missing, you're right. There's that whole crowd that needs that and can't afford Photoshop (or need it).
 
drjones2 said:
Drawing app is also missing, you're right. There's that whole crowd that needs that and can't afford Photoshop (or need it).
Click to expand...

Pixelmator is $59 and does 80% of what Photoshop does.

There are TONS of great drawing apps for OS X: ZeusDraw and VectorDesigner, off the top of my head. Search Versiontracker.
 
This would be a great idea. Apple can take what tiny little bit of market share for work applications they have and throw it away into a web app. Hope iWork web works as well as MobileMe. That's certainly a small-business-ready platform.

<hope you are detecting the sarcasm. I like pages as a client-side app only, please>
 
drjones2 said:
Bento does not directly import Appleworks data. You have to export it via CSV file and recreate from scratch. One would assume Apple would be able to import old Appleworks files into the new iWork database, jut like you can import an old Appleworks word processor document. That's what I've been holding out for.
Click to expand...

True, that would be very nice. Not sure why it's not possible.

Drawing app is also missing, you're right. There's that whole crowd that needs that and can't afford Photoshop (or need it).
Click to expand...

This, we don't need Apple to bother with until touchscreen Mac's make their appearance. Then, and only then, will a drawing app from Apple make darn good sense. In fact, I think it's a prerequisite to releasing a touchscreen Mac that they have a drawing application (multi-touch capable of course) ready to go at launch.

Of course, that means an Apple drawing application is likely several years away.

jW
 
I see the benefit of being able to access your iWork files via MobileMe, editing them, syncing, etc. however I don't think it would be wise to make iWork exclusively web-based. Most users prefer to have copies of their files on their machine, not in a "cloud", especially if they contain important and/or sensitive information. Web-based applications still are not the most reliable for the most part, and when coupled with the specific problems that the MobileMe service has encountered I can't see a lot of users having a great deal of confidence in utilizing iWork in this manner. Make it a complementary feature of iWork, but nothing more.
 
Apple needs to get MobileMe working properly and add push notification to the iPhone before they even think about turning iWork into a web app.
 
Mal said:
an Apple drawing application is likely several years away.
Click to expand...

No, the point was that it was several years *ago :D

The point being if iWork is supposed to be the modern-day equivalent of Appleworks, it should feature what that suite did. And currently, it doesn't.

Also it doesn't matter that Pixelmator, (or Photoshop Elements for that matter) are available at reasonable prices, we're talking about what Apple are doing. I mentioned Bento, because it is actually an Apple product (well, FileMaker product, but they are Apple-owned), and so could be bundled in with iLife in the future, I guess. I haven't used it much so I don't really know its limitations, but I kind of wonder if it was made a separate product until Tiger support is dropped in iLife (as Bento is Leopard only)...
 
I do not want an only web based iWork. Currently I am using Google apps for basic documents as I need to work on certain files between one Macbook and 2 windows computers. While it works, at times it can also be an exercise in frustration.

What I need is to be able to work locally with the full functionality of a OS based product (iWork, NeoOffice etc) but have seamless integration with syncing the file with on-line storage (complete with version and access control).

So far I have not found the need to purchase iWork, but if it was desktop based with integration capabilities for online storage and working across multiple computers then that would make me happy.
 
Desfolio said:
Apple needs to get MobileMe working properly and add push notification to the iPhone before they even think about turning iWork into a web app.
Click to expand...

Agreed. "MobileMe" still does not equal "reliable" for many usersl, so there would undoubtedly be some reluctance insing iWork in this fashion unless Apple continues to noticeably improve MobileMe's stability and such. Even if MobileMe is where it needs to be (which it isn't IMO) Apple will still need to fix the user perception issue regarding the service.
 
No. Unless its web-based as a PLUG-IN, complementing a harddisk install, no way in hell I'm going to go with the new iWork.

Let's hope this rumor proves false.
 
I did not read all the posts, but here is what I think.

1. Local copy for your PC will always exist, just it will launch through safari instead of an app. I really don't think they would tie you to an internet connection, especially considering security risks with confidential information.

Doing this would be much more hardware / OS independant, like other apps are. it can run on any browser (Well except for IE :rolleyes:). Can you say possible iwork coming to a windows near you? takes a bite out of office - although it would need a lot of work to replace office.

2. Online/mobile access through mobile me - much like google apps (although I have not used google apps). I could see that. would be nice to have this on an iphone or through a netbook where harddrive space could be limited (or even on another device using mobile me - can anyone say iwork through Windows OS or if you only have access to a windows machine?

I see this as a positive and another option as long as it did not require an internet connection and could also be local on your PC. I have no problem with browser based apps running locally, as long as the browser is not a bottleneck.

For example a popular bible software - Quickverse is entirely browser based, they use safari, just you would not know it by looking at it. I had to download a quickverse patch as safari was re-written in leopard.
 
That would blow chunks. I don't mind the option of web based apps but to be forced to use a browser to invoice a client sux. I would switch to Word (shudder!):mad:
 
If they want to add this to mobileme, then I don't care. If they're proposing the next revision of iWork to be browser based, then our good friend Steve Ballmer has some money heading his way to Redmond.
 
IJ Reilly said:
Note, that the front page article doesn't very accurately represent the 9to5 rumor. The rumor does not suggest that "future versions of Numbers, Pages and Keynote will be entirely browser based." What is does say is this:

Note, no suggestion that "future versions ... will be entirely browser based." And since that would not really make any sense, I'd say all the worrying about Apple suddenly yanking the rug out from under current iWork users is baseless.
Click to expand...

I added clarification. The line "entirely browser based" wasn't written to imply that there would be no native version, but that the entire application would be implemented in the browser.

Though, 9to5 doesn't seem to know if it native versions will continue to exist. All they are "sure" about is that there are web versions coming.

arn
 
robbyx said:
I really can't see Apple delivering a database for iWork. There are too many other options, two of which Apple already owns (FM Pro & Bento).
Click to expand...

Good point.

And I just saw an advertisement on TV (here in Japan) for Filemaker last night. It was the first time I've ever seen a TV ad for Filemaker, and it made me think Apple is planning a major upgrade to that software.
 
This is one rumor I really hope is 100% wrong if the desktop apps are in any way jeopardized.

I love iWork 08, and hope that the next update to the suit allows me to dump MSOffice.

I love how Keynote and Pages allow me to create beautiful documents which inspire and persuade. (Numbers is not usable yet, but I hope a serious update is coming.)

****
In general, webapps stink. You can't work offline with them, or they are less than ideal ports of web apps, and latency is an issue when working online.

I have watched iWork flourish from the Keynote 1.0 days, and while there have been some bumps through the years, iWork is shaping up to be Apple's best set of applications. iWork really is an amazing suite--not perfect, but very, very impressive.

I would hate for Apple to blow it by doing the trendy--hey, let's follow Google--and lose focus.

A killer office suit which makes beautiful documents that compel people will never replace MSOffice in the enterprise, but will be a crown jewel in the Mac platform which will keep loyalists and attract new interest from individuals and SMB.

****
What Apple needs for iWork 09 is:

1. Minor tweeks and speed improvements to Keynote. (notably charts and graphs)
2. Massive speed improvements to Pages and the 15-20 key missing features.
3. A serious investment in Numbers
4. Integration. (e.g. a numbers spreadsheet can update a chart in keynote)
5. Serious bug fixing and performance.

And the killer: Bring it the iPhone with native viewers and light editors. I'd pay extra for these in a heartbeat.

If Apple delivers this, I'd switch our entire 100 person company over from MS Office. (We currently have about 25 copies of iWork 08, and people LOVE it. But until we can totally replace Excel, it's not going to happen.)

****
Some argue that if it is an "addition" instead of "replacement" to the desktop apps, then that will be cool.

I argue the opposite.

I'd rather have the addition of iPhone apps or make the current set better--faster, less bugs, etc. MobileMe has enough serious issues still, and after finally getting caught in 2008 for the increasing quality issues of the past few years, Apple should do less, and do it better.
 
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