Switcher that recently purchased a MBP
I'm absolutely in love with my MBP, never before have I felt such a connection to a computer - scratch that, an inanimate device. I was extremely lucky in the fact that it works flawlessly - no "noise" that plagues many of the MBPs, and, unlike any other computer I've ever used this one has YET to have any problems. No crashing, no bugs, just like Apple says everything works flawlessly. I have three questions, though, and if you all could help me that would be amazing.
1) What Word Processing program do you suggest I use? I purchased Microsoft : Office and I want to make sure that's a good one. Does Apple make one? I'd assume it's a much better program.
2) Once when the 'pinwheel' came up, it was up for a good minute. I'm wondering if there's any way to stop loading/performing an action when the pinwheel is up.
3) Are there any must-have apps I should use for my MBP?
I apologize if these questions are asked on the board 200x a day, but I looked around and didn't see any. Thanks for reading, all.
1) What Word Processing program do you suggest I use? I purchased Microsoft : Office and I want to make sure that's a good one. Does Apple make one? I'd assume it's a much better program.
2) Once when the 'pinwheel' came up, it was up for a good minute. I'm wondering if there's any way to stop loading/performing an action when the pinwheel is up.
3) Are there any must-have apps I should use for my MBP?
I apologize if these questions are asked on the board 200x a day, but I looked around and didn't see any. Thanks for reading, all.
Comments
In addition, a write on a very frequent basis. With that said, I have never gone back to Microsoft Office after using Pages. It can export and import from any filetype I've ever needed (including the Word standard) and is just an ease to use. It's so much nicer to compose with it.
Keynote, also, is a powerhouse. Apple's included graphics and styles are abundant and they make for nice presentations, though the highest res Keynote presentations will be dumbed down in a transfer to the PowerPoint filetype. But who needs that? While presenting with Keynote, you can use your Apple remote to switch the slides (ala Steve at Macworld). It's very cool.
Also, I'm not sure what you mean by stopping an action when you have the pinwheel going. It's only happened to me when something's running in Rosetta, and usually, it's just sorting out some processes. It shouldn't be happening too often, but it's completely natural and I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
Finally, I suggest you really try out some of Apple's included apps. I have some odd obsession with planning my schedule (although said plans always go awry), and iCal is a breeze to use. Some users here say Quicksilver is a great free download, although I don't use it myself. If you use iChat, I'd download Chax (just google it), a universal binary plugin that allows for tabbed chatting (sort of like tabbed browsing in Safari).
Enjoy the Mac!
Adium X (Chat Program)
Quicksilver (Most useful program ever made)
Office 2004 is the best word processor/spreadsheet, but Keynote wins handily over PowerPoint
PithHelmet
Fink
Xcode IDE
VLC
Solitaire XL
Growl
Azureus
The pinheel pops up because of a lack of RAM. I'd strongly reccomend 1GB, 2GB for smooth Rosetta performance. The Mac OS X equivlent to Ctrl+Alt+Del (I'm sure you know that well) is Cmd(The apple)+Option+Esc.
Anyone else think something is missing?
I'd also like to reiterate what he's said: the more RAM, the better.
as said get more RAM
Originally posted by Trendannoyer
my mind boggles why you havent tried the FREE appleworks app?? look in your applications folder rather than going off and spending money on M$ product.
Traditionally, AppleWorks were included only with the consumer Macs (iBook, iMac). Has this changed with the Intel machines? Anyway, I don't see AppleWorks in the included software with a MBP.
Originally posted by Trendannoyer
my mind boggles why you havent tried the FREE appleworks app?? look in your applications folder rather than going off and spending money on M$ product.
as said get more RAM
I never got it on my 1.5 year old 12" PowerBook...
Originally posted by PB
Traditionally, AppleWorks were included only with the consumer Macs (iBook, iMac). Has this changed with the Intel machines? Anyway, I don't see AppleWorks in the included software with a MBP.
ahh that explains that then!
sorry i just assumend it would be there, seems silly not to include it in a more expensive option computer tho'
you have to wonder at the choices companys make sometimes...
Originally posted by PB
Traditionally, AppleWorks were included only with the consumer Macs (iBook, iMac). Has this changed with the Intel machines?
My MBP does not have Appleworks preinstalled, rather trial revs of iWork (Pages & Keynote).
My guess is that Apple is phasing out Appleworks in favor of the evolving iWork suite. I expect a spreadsheet package to come at some point, but Apple may be pursuing a slow path politcally, to keep MSFT developing Office for OS X?
Can I install iLife '06 that came with my macbook onto my dual G5?
I looked into the cd's that came with my macbook, without succes...
Originally posted by drazztikka
Can I install iLife '06 that came with my macbook onto my dual G5?
It would be considered a pirated installation.
Originally posted by PB
Traditionally, AppleWorks were included only with the consumer Macs (iBook, iMac). Has this changed with the Intel machines?
It has, now Apple don't include Appleworks with any of their machines!
The Mini I bought came with an iWork trial and an Office 2004 trial installed. I deleted both and installed Office 2004 that I own (Student and Teacher - thanks for the 3 license keys MS).
A vignette on the worthlessnes of MS Word.
List of Characters --
Corporate Idiot #1 [CI#1]
Layout Design Consultant [LDC]
Print Shop employee [PSE]
Scene 1: The Phone Call
Corporate Idiot #1 has a document that he needs to be printed onto 10,000 promotional flyers.
[CI#1] I need to print 10,000 promotional flyers. I have the *design*.
[LDC] Sure, just email the files over. Please send EPS and TIFF files only, along with all text and your design concept.
3 minutes later
[LDC] Do you have EPS and TIFF files of your work? All you sent me was this Word File.
[CI#1] The graphics are in the Word File.
[LDC] If you want me to do this, I'm going to have to redesign all the graphics and layout, since Word is useless to me. I can do it, but unless you come up with EPS or TIFF files, it's going to take me a long time and cost you a lot of money.
[CI#1] But it's a WORD File. . . If you can't do it, I'll just do it myself.
[LDC] Good Luck [hangs up phone].
Scene 2: The Print Shop
Having been dismissed by the Layout Design Consultant, Corporate Idiot #1 takes matters into his own hands because "if you want to get something done right, you have to do it yourself."
[CI#1] Hi, I have a file on this CD. I need to get it put on 10,000 postcards.
[PSE] Is it a PDF? We prefer PDF.
[CI#1] It's a WORD file. If you can't do it, I'll take my business somewhere else!
[PSE] Yeah, whatever. Give me the CD. How do you want to pay?
1 day later
[PSE] Here are your prints.
[CI#1] [Looking at prints] How come the colors are so much different than how they look on my screen, why are the edges chopped off, and how come the fonts don't look right? You messed this up! I can't send these out!
[PSE] Sorry sir, but you didn't send us a PDF. We can't guarantee anything other than PDF. It says so here [points to fine print on bill].
[CI#1] I demand a refund! Let me speak to your manager!
[PSE] I am the manager.
fin
Originally posted by Splinemodel
[PSE] Is it a PDF? We prefer PDF.
[CI#1] It's a WORD file.
It's called PrimoPDF, dude. Google it.
Originally posted by Splinemodel
[CI#1] The graphics are in the Word File.
*shudder*
I don't know how many times I've heard that sentence where I work. I don't know how many times that I've told people that a graphic is basically rendered completely useless once placed in a Word file.
*shudder*
And I say this as a card-carrying anti-MS zealot.
even though its goddamn cluttered there is no match to it at this point.
neither appleworks or pages comes close.
keynote def is better than powerpoint.
excel is also the best spreadsheet.
maybe if apple took more time on it they could create a better word processor and spreadsheet.
however as it stands.... word and excel are the best on the market.
Congrats on the MBP. Fantastic first Mac, that's for sure.
Originally posted by Elixir
bottom line is Word is the best out.
I strongly disagree. What about it do you like, and why do you think Pages is inferior? All of the core features in Word, and 80% of the extra features were available in ClarisWorks 10 years ago, and are still available today in Pages. The remaining 20% aren't of great enough importance, in my opinion, to counteract Word's abysmal search & replace functionality, its generally slow running speed, its tendency to corrupt files, and its demonically unpredictable item selection.
The ONLY thing that Word really had going for it is that it can easily import excel data via drag and drop. Yes, this is of importance because Excel is a decent program which everyone uses, but don't delude yourself that Word has any unique value outside from its compatibility with other, monopolized MS products.
With that said, my favorite program for producing text documents is Lyx. I think it's a good example of a program that's designed well to create text documents, and not flirt dangerously in the realm of low-end DTP. With that said, tex files can also be published with ease.