Comments on: iWork vs Microsoft Office: The Great Debate http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/ Trusted Insights and Conversations on the Next Wave of Technology Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:44:08 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: eddie http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-957072 eddie Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:37:15 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-957072 <p>im in the same boat as gwatt, im planning on buying a macbook for uni plus i feel like im sick of xp and its viruses.correct me if im wrong but the smallest differences seem to be dramatised though..is iwork and ms office really that different? i am more familiar with office as i use it on my pc at home. will i be worse off going with iwork because its cheaper? thanks :)</p> im in the same boat as gwatt, im planning on buying a macbook for uni plus i feel like im sick of xp and its viruses.correct me if im wrong but the smallest differences seem to be dramatised though..is iwork and ms office really that different? i am more familiar with office as i use it on my pc at home. will i be worse off going with iwork because its cheaper? thanks :)

]]> By: gwatt http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-953611 gwatt Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:55:24 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-953611 <p>I’m getting a macbook for university and don’t know whether I should get iwork or msoffice. Iwork is $110 cheaper than msoffice for macs and after spending so much on a laptop I feel more inclined to go with the cheaper software. On the other hand I will be more familiar with the programs in ms office as I currently use microsoft office on my home computer. Msoffice has onenote which is a program that I feel would be usefull for organising notes etc. I also beleive that msoffice comes with windows messenger, which i’m not sure how hard that is to download on a mac without a disk. Any insight/advice would be helpful and greatly appreciated</p> I’m getting a macbook for university and don’t know whether I should get iwork or msoffice. Iwork is $110 cheaper than msoffice for macs and after spending so much on a laptop I feel more inclined to go with the cheaper software. On the other hand I will be more familiar with the programs in ms office as I currently use microsoft office on my home computer. Msoffice has onenote which is a program that I feel would be usefull for organising notes etc. I also beleive that msoffice comes with windows messenger, which i’m not sure how hard that is to download on a mac without a disk. Any insight/advice would be helpful and greatly appreciated

]]> By: Rick http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-894543 Rick Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:47:27 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-894543 <p>If Apple were to add more features to Numbers and make iWork PC compatible while retaining its lower price point, I think Microsoft Office would be in serious trouble.</p> If Apple were to add more features to Numbers and make iWork PC compatible while retaining its lower price point, I think Microsoft Office would be in serious trouble.

]]> By: Tarang Tuli http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-871259 Tarang Tuli Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:53:10 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-871259 <p>Do you think Apple can further add more features into iWork in the next 2-3 years, to pose a serious threat to microsoft office for the enterprise segment.</p> Do you think Apple can further add more features into iWork in the next 2-3 years, to pose a serious threat to microsoft office for the enterprise segment.

]]> By: Jim Griffith http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-471844 Jim Griffith Wed, 22 Aug 2007 22:16:21 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-471844 <p>I tried to learn Excel 2007 on my own from three different texts. It was like translating the Code of Hammurabi. This did not surprise me since it is a Microsoft product(Excel, not the Code). From here on, I'm an Apple picker.</p> I tried to learn Excel 2007 on my own from three different texts. It was like translating the Code of Hammurabi. This did not surprise me since it is a Microsoft product(Excel, not the Code). From here on, I’m an Apple picker.

]]> By: Neil Anderson http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-463292 Neil Anderson Sun, 19 Aug 2007 23:57:07 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-463292 <p>With Pages 08 one can easily switch modes between page layout and word processing.</p> With Pages 08 one can easily switch modes between page layout and word processing.

]]> By: Viswakarma http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-462237 Viswakarma Sun, 19 Aug 2007 15:40:29 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-462237 <p>I have been working with iWork '08 Trial, to understand the paradigm behind Numbers.</p> <p>Numbers has more to it than is obvious when one looks at it from a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet point of view. It is almost like a set of interlinked tables in Relational Database with all of the tables visible on a single canvas, at the same time. One of the more fascinating aspects of Numbers, when compared to Relational Database, is that each table is a mini-spreadsheet.</p> <p>Once people understand the paradigm behind Numbers, they will find out that it is a "killer" application combining the paradigms of a spreadsheet and a relational database, in a use-friendly application development environment.</p> I have been working with iWork ‘08 Trial, to understand the paradigm behind Numbers.

Numbers has more to it than is obvious when one looks at it from a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet point of view. It is almost like a set of interlinked tables in Relational Database with all of the tables visible on a single canvas, at the same time. One of the more fascinating aspects of Numbers, when compared to Relational Database, is that each table is a mini-spreadsheet.

Once people understand the paradigm behind Numbers, they will find out that it is a “killer” application combining the paradigms of a spreadsheet and a relational database, in a use-friendly application development environment.

]]> By: Adi http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-461047 Adi Sun, 19 Aug 2007 03:44:52 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-461047 <p>You fanboys really should step outside your skin and read the crap you post. I mean seriously, I find it hard to believe you guys write this stuff without craking up.</p> You fanboys really should step outside your skin and read the crap you post. I mean seriously, I find it hard to believe you guys write this stuff without craking up.

]]> By: Viswakarma http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-460618 Viswakarma Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:38:25 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-460618 <p>The Numbers paradigm of is that of a single canvas, where multiple tables (mini-spreadsheets) are located side by side, is much better than the Microsoft Excel paradigm where a spreadsheet page is a large table with multiple tables are tacked on top of each other.</p> <p>Further, in Numbers each mini-spreadsheet can be assigned a different user-focussed function and format to make its function explicit, and tie these mini-spreadsheets together, to be more like the various tables in a relational database. Each template that comes with Numbers is essentially a pre-designed relational database.</p> The Numbers paradigm of is that of a single canvas, where multiple tables (mini-spreadsheets) are located side by side, is much better than the Microsoft Excel paradigm where a spreadsheet page is a large table with multiple tables are tacked on top of each other.

Further, in Numbers each mini-spreadsheet can be assigned a different user-focussed function and format to make its function explicit, and tie these mini-spreadsheets together, to be more like the various tables in a relational database. Each template that comes with Numbers is essentially a pre-designed relational database.

]]> By: startingtoday http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-459429 startingtoday Sat, 18 Aug 2007 13:29:03 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-459429 <p>I have a Mac, and ended up buying iWork. I also have MS Office on my Mac. I NEVER use Word. Pages is so much more intuitive and user friendly and visually pleasing. I always do work on Pages, and save it as Word or PDF if I'm going to send it. I don't need to do much with PowerPoint, but again, if I do? I use Keynote. I'll never go back.</p> I have a Mac, and ended up buying iWork. I also have MS Office on my Mac. I NEVER use Word. Pages is so much more intuitive and user friendly and visually pleasing. I always do work on Pages, and save it as Word or PDF if I’m going to send it. I don’t need to do much with PowerPoint, but again, if I do? I use Keynote. I’ll never go back.

]]> By: John Davis http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457690 John Davis Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:33:00 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457690 <p>The Word of today bears very little resemblance to its early versions. It used to be a great word processor. I used Word up to 5.1 and loved it. Then, after that it died and was resurrected as a Frankenapp. It doesn't seem to know what it is at the moment. It used to know. It used to be a simple word processor. Small, fast, enough functions for most purposes. The nearest thing to the old Word around now is TextEdit. For most word processing, TextEdit is quite sufficient. If I need more, I go to Pages. I only wish you could set keyboard shortcuts for various styles.</p> <p>John Davis</p> The Word of today bears very little resemblance to its early versions. It used to be a great word processor. I used Word up to 5.1 and loved it. Then, after that it died and was resurrected as a Frankenapp. It doesn’t seem to know what it is at the moment. It used to know. It used to be a simple word processor. Small, fast, enough functions for most purposes. The nearest thing to the old Word around now is TextEdit. For most word processing, TextEdit is quite sufficient. If I need more, I go to Pages. I only wish you could set keyboard shortcuts for various styles.

John Davis

]]> By: Richard Taylor http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457548 Richard Taylor Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:31:52 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457548 <p>I write novels. I switched from Word to Pages with version 2, and version 3 fixes most of the problems I had with the program. Word displays text inaccurately, or at least in a way that, after hours looking at a screen, causes my eyes to hurt. Pages looks typeset, hence is easier on the eyes. I find that at least for fiction writing, Pages is better than Word. I don't plan to upgrad Word when it comes available.</p> I write novels. I switched from Word to Pages with version 2, and version 3 fixes most of the problems I had with the program. Word displays text inaccurately, or at least in a way that, after hours looking at a screen, causes my eyes to hurt. Pages looks typeset, hence is easier on the eyes. I find that at least for fiction writing, Pages is better than Word. I don’t plan to upgrad Word when it comes available.

]]> By: Mike Steinbaugh http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457207 Mike Steinbaugh Fri, 17 Aug 2007 19:32:31 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457207 <p>Keynote is a fantastic app and reason enough to buy the iWork suite.</p> Keynote is a fantastic app and reason enough to buy the iWork suite.

]]> By: Mike Johnston http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457157 Mike Johnston Fri, 17 Aug 2007 19:02:52 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457157 <p>You bought it? You should have just downloaded the free (fully functional) demo on Apple's site.</p> You bought it? You should have just downloaded the free (fully functional) demo on Apple’s site.

]]> By: Nick Hawkins http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457026 Nick Hawkins Fri, 17 Aug 2007 18:20:59 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457026 <p>Pages is UB and Word isn't. That would explain the slowness issue right there.</p> Pages is UB and Word isn’t. That would explain the slowness issue right there.

]]> By: Imran Rafique http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457019 Imran Rafique Fri, 17 Aug 2007 18:19:06 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/17/iwork-08-vs-microsoft-office/#comment-457019 <p>iWork is great for presentations and documents. Numbers is on the weak side, it's more useful to plan a trip, budget small expenses, and create simple spreadsheets. Keynote is by far the best application in the iWork suite. It is fast, intuitive, and amazing templates. Pages is nothing spectacular but an improvement from Word.</p> <p>Spend the extra cash if you need kick ass presentations, other than that Office is great.</p> iWork is great for presentations and documents. Numbers is on the weak side, it’s more useful to plan a trip, budget small expenses, and create simple spreadsheets. Keynote is by far the best application in the iWork suite. It is fast, intuitive, and amazing templates. Pages is nothing spectacular but an improvement from Word.

Spend the extra cash if you need kick ass presentations, other than that Office is great.

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