If all you are doing is typing papers, apple works is fine. If you will be doing any sharing of office files or any kind of sophisticated word-processing or spreadsheet manipulation, you'll want to shy away from apple works. I hate using apple works. It is outdated, underpowered, and i shudder to think it is being sold new in apple stores.
Lower-cost alternatives do exist. I've heard thinkfree office ( <a href="http://www.thinkfree.com/"; target="_blank">http://www.thinkfree.com/</a>; ) is a solid performer with 100% compatibility with all MS Office stuff.
Appleworks is AMAZING when it comes to integrating words, spreadsheet tables, drawings, paintings, and such all onto one page. It's like a simple page layout program with drawing and painting capabilities. It's like Microsoft Office (without email) and Pagemaker and Illustrator combined (with magnitudes less features of course) and with great ease of use. It has been indispensible when I needed more than straight word processing, but for normal work I still usually use Office because it has so many more features and is much easier to exchange files with others. It really depends on your style. If you're a beginning home user who just wants to make great looking documents to print out for home use, get Appleworks. If you're a more business person or anyone who answers to someone higher up or have to exchange files, or need advanced features and complicated graphs use Office.
You need to save your files in formats that both programs can read and write. For wordprocessing you can use RTF, rich text format. It does not mess up any of your formating for text.
I recently purchased a new ibook and picked up a copy of Office along with it. Of course, office arrived before the computer but I didn't open it because I wasn't sure if I really wanted to part with the 200 dollars. My ibook arrived and I decided to test out appleworks. I'm a graduate student who basically uses computer for papers/notes, email, web surfer, and a few games. Appleworks does everything I really need. I sent office back. Contrary to others, appleworks opens word files fine for me. I haven't tried to save something as a word file but the option is there in the updated version. Anyway, just my experience with appleworks, but I've found it provides everything I need for school and the best part is I've just bought a new digital camera with the $200 I saved from returning Office. My 2 cents.
Only buy MS Office v.X if you can get it for less than full price. For example, Apple UK are offering Office v.X for £125 alongside any new Mac. Or if you qualify for education discount you'll get it cheaper.
That depends on the usage. If you want to create and manipulate documents, then go for TeX <img src="graemlins/surprised.gif" border="0" alt="[Surprised]" /> because (1) it is 100% free and (2) it offers much much more control and programming capabilities (AppleWorks and MS Word are simply WYSIWYG word processors). Of course you have to learn to use it . On subject now, it is true that AppleWorks is something like MS Office Lite. I am not aware of serious compatibility problems between the two. I think that, for non-professional use, AppleWorks is good enough.
Only problem, 98% of the poplation use MS Office. And your applework's word file is crap to them...
U will be fine with Appleworks if u do not need to share documents. IF u need to, u have to get MS office or thinkfree office</strong><hr></blockquote>
I thought Appleworks could share files with at least Word? Or can it only read the files but not write them?
I thought Appleworks could share files with at least Word? Or can it only read the files but not write them?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Simple Appleworks files can be saved as RTF files that should be read just find in Word. Documents saved as Appleworks files need to be opened in Appleworks.
If you're a single user, Appleworks should be just fine. If you have to share text with others, you can save RTF files (or PDF if you're using OS X). If you're using lots of graphs and things, then in my experience nothing works well because the average user is confused by a graph.
Are all new versions of Appleworks not able to read and write word files now? I think it started with only the academic version but in the last update gave that facility to all ...... or i might just be imagining it but my version certainly does. Not sure about how well formatting works as i just use full justify all the time.
The version of Appleworks on my new 800 ibook does have the option to save files in word format. Under save as in the file format pull down window it has the option to save file as Word Windows 6, 95 document, Word Windows 97, 2000, and XP 2002 document as well as Word Mac 98 2001 documents. So to me it seems that you can save your files in word format in appleworks w/o having to save as rtf although that is still an option. I do not have problems opening Word files in appleworks. Have not yet tried to save as word file and open on windows machine. I'll do so and report what I find.
FWIW, I thought I read that the next revision of M$ Office would be XML document based. Doesn't sound like a good idea for M$ to do that, because I would think it would be too easy for people to duplicate their document formatting (and thus create a situation where it doesn't matter what program you use).
Don't expect this before you have to make your decision on which one to get though. I tried to use appleworks in college and always had trouble with people telling me they couldn't open the files (yes even when they were rtf's and other formats).
Comments
<strong>Is apple works good?...
Ore shuld i go fore MS Office v.X?
If all you are doing is typing papers, apple works is fine. If you will be doing any sharing of office files or any kind of sophisticated word-processing or spreadsheet manipulation, you'll want to shy away from apple works. I hate using apple works. It is outdated, underpowered, and i shudder to think it is being sold new in apple stores.
Lower-cost alternatives do exist. I've heard thinkfree office ( <a href="http://www.thinkfree.com/"; target="_blank">http://www.thinkfree.com/</a>; ) is a solid performer with 100% compatibility with all MS Office stuff.
But cant you exange files whith works whith appleworks?
You need to save your files in formats that both programs can read and write. For wordprocessing you can use RTF, rich text format. It does not mess up any of your formating for text.
<strong>Is apple works good?...
Ore shuld i go fore MS Office v.X?
Only buy MS Office v.X if you can get it for less than full price. For example, Apple UK are offering Office v.X for £125 alongside any new Mac. Or if you qualify for education discount you'll get it cheaper.
It's so not worth the full retail price.
J :cool:
<strong>MS Office v.X sucks.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Of course it could be better, but what's so bad about it?
<strong>Is apple works good?...
Ore shuld i go fore MS Office v.X?
That depends on the usage. If you want to create and manipulate documents, then go for TeX <img src="graemlins/surprised.gif" border="0" alt="[Surprised]" /> because (1) it is 100% free
[ 11-28-2002: Message edited by: PB ]</p>
Only problem, 98% of the poplation use MS Office. And your applework's word file is crap to them...
U will be fine with Appleworks if u do not need to share documents. IF u need to, u have to get MS office or thinkfree office
<strong>Appleworks is good, cheap and reliable.
Only problem, 98% of the poplation use MS Office. And your applework's word file is crap to them...
U will be fine with Appleworks if u do not need to share documents. IF u need to, u have to get MS office or thinkfree office</strong><hr></blockquote>
I thought Appleworks could share files with at least Word? Or can it only read the files but not write them?
It is a prety basic package, with an awful spreadsheet. However, it does seem to print faster than any other application.
<strong>
I thought Appleworks could share files with at least Word? Or can it only read the files but not write them?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Simple Appleworks files can be saved as RTF files that should be read just find in Word. Documents saved as Appleworks files need to be opened in Appleworks.
If you're a single user, Appleworks should be just fine. If you have to share text with others, you can save RTF files (or PDF if you're using OS X). If you're using lots of graphs and things, then in my experience nothing works well because the average user is confused by a graph.
if i need something 'more' i go for OpenOffice.org.
So far no need for it..
Don't expect this before you have to make your decision on which one to get though. I tried to use appleworks in college and always had trouble with people telling me they couldn't open the files (yes even when they were rtf's and other formats).