There are two things I would like to see in "Numbers"
1 - Ability to create and save our own formulas
2 - connect to a database to import data.
I can see #1 included in iWork '07 but we might have to wait until iWork '09 for #2 which is when a database will get added. If I am correct Apple is adding a new app to iWork every two years (Keynote '03, Pages '05).
If I am correct Apple is adding a new app to iWork every two years (Keynote '03, Pages '05).
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, but being that iWork is such a young app. who knows what Apple has planned? I think they're secretly working a lot harder than we think on iWork. How they managed to tradmark "Numbers" without someone getting to that first is beyond be. That name is almost too perfect. If they add "Numbers" a database app (Data) and worked to improve the other apps. You'd have yourself a very simple, very powerful home office suite. Most using it at home wouldn't need Office at all. And it could even encourage some peeps who are computer illiterate to take to the mouse.
The tables function in Pages 2 is intended to be capable of working as a simple spreadsheet, so I doubt Apple will come out with a separate simple spreadsheet app. If Apple comes out with Numbers, it's more likely to be for modeling, along the lines of Quantrix, and/or a database app. It'll probably be a hybrid of the two.
The tables function in Pages 2 is intended to be capable of working as a simple spreadsheet, so I doubt Apple will come out with a separate simple spreadsheet app.
Not sure I'm following.
TextEdit has had basic word processing features, including Word import and export, since before iWork existed, but that didn't stop Apple from writing a more comprehensive word processing app, Pages.
Now, Pages 2 has basic spreadsheet functionality, but why would that preclude Apple from creating a separate, more featureful spreadsheet app?
That's essentially what I said, that they won't produce a simple spreadsheet app. In comparing the relationship of Pages to TextEdit, Pages is more than just a more powerful word processor, it's conceptually different in its use--the thought process is almost reversed. In TextEdit, you generally begin by entering the content with very little or very basic attention paid to the formatting. You then edit the format afterwards to get it to look the way you want. However in Pages, you pay a great deal of attention to the formatting before entering the content, then drop the content in after the document has been setup. The two apps actually work very well together where you can enter the content in TextEdit, then drop it into Pages after setting-up the document.
I would expect Numbers to be conceptually analogous to Pages in that it's intended that you spend much more time in the beginning setting-up the model, and then possibly dropping in the content like you can with Pages. By contrast, a simple (and full featured) spreadsheet is much more like TextEdit where you begin with entering the content, then edit the format afterwards to get it to look and work the way you want.
This is a hosted app that combines spreadsheet and more functional database features. I've just watched the 7 minute demo video and was pretty impressed. It even has calendar views and PDF, Ical and RSS export.
Boy I miss the days when products like DabblDB seemed to be coming out daily. Applications sought to be cool and different and then things when corporate. Now everyone wants to be a Microsoft Office clone which means that only very small companies are really trying to make groundbreaking apps. Apple's spent too much time protecting Mac Office and neutering their productline. I reserve the right to change my mind but man I'd love to see iWork 07 really hit the ground with some new ways of working. All the disparate tools are there to combine into a masterpiece.
Boy I miss the days when products like DabblDB seemed to be coming out daily. Applications sought to be cool and different and then things when corporate. . .
The app "Quantrix" was mentioned in this thread, and I checked it out. It's an example of what I think a spreadsheet should be, but it's very corporate. If the rumored Apple program were kind of like a "Quantrix lite," it wouldn't really step on MS's toes, and it would be a very nice, forward-thinking program at the same time.
I am sorry, but I have a hard time visualizing any product titled "Charts" being a spreadsheet. To me a chart is a picture of an idea. It concentrates, amplifies and explains ideas and information in a graphical manor. A spreadsheet is just a column of numbers, not the same thing. I think the title iChart would be better suited to a simple graphics program to make diagrams and simple pictures. Much like Microsofts Visio (http://www.microsoft.com/office/visi...o/default.mspx).
I just started using Visio at work and I was blown away by it. Not by the program itself but because I don't know any similar program for the Mac. And there should be one. A simple, easy to use graphics program to make simple diagrams, flow charts and drawings. A program of this level would be a great addition to iWork. It would require the same level of expertise as Pages. And would be an excellent accompaniment to Keynote. And, to me, be a better use to the name iChart.
I just started using Visio at work and I was blown away by it. Not by the program itself but because I don't know any similar program for the Mac.
OmniGraffle. It's kinda like Visio, I guess, but so much better. I'm still just using version 2 as it came with my Mac and I don't use it often enough to warrant an upgrade.
The pro version even lets you import and export using the Visio format.
It rules beyond all telling. I use it all the time to impress the hell out of clients with brain meltingly complex diagrams of system signal paths, but the actual execution is easy as pie.
It rules beyond all telling. I use it all the time to impress the hell out of clients with brain meltingly complex diagrams of system signal paths, but the actual execution is easy as pie.
Funny. I was just telling a friend last night that I would sooner starve than go without OmniGraffle. It absolutely rules. In addition to awesome charts and diagrams, it makes kick-ass web buttons and toolbar icons. Pair it with Keynote for the BEST presentations on the planet.
OmniGraffle. It's kinda like Visio, I guess, but so much better. I'm still just using version 2 as it came with my Mac and I don't use it often enough to warrant an upgrade.
The pro version even lets you import and export using the Visio format.
It will also import Xcode projects and generate class diagrams. I believe this is specific to the Pro version. Correct me if I'm wrong.
The tables function in Pages 2 is intended to be capable of working as a simple spreadsheet, so I doubt Apple will come out with a separate simple spreadsheet app. If Apple comes out with Numbers, it's more likely to be for modeling, along the lines of Quantrix, and/or a database app. It'll probably be a hybrid of the two.
People who want to do any real world spreadsheet work (finance, engineering for example) will need a dedicated app for handling numbers and formulas. I can't imagine opening up Pages to calculate anything useful. I'd just stick with Office in that case.
I'm really hoping for a decent Applework's replacement. That way I can stop using Office 2004.
I hope Originlab decides to port their Origin software for OSX. It's exceptionally powerful in terms of data analysis, and graphics, and very easy to use and make very nice presentation graphics be it for high-school presentation or for plenary talk at a national conference.
Comments
1 - Ability to create and save our own formulas
2 - connect to a database to import data.
I can see #1 included in iWork '07 but we might have to wait until iWork '09 for #2 which is when a database will get added. If I am correct Apple is adding a new app to iWork every two years (Keynote '03, Pages '05).
Originally posted by Splinemodel
I want the mac spreadsheet to be called simple "FE."
I'll let your imaginations run wild with that one.
Seeing that corporate numbers often contain a lot of BS, FECal should definitely be enterprise level software.
Originally posted by troberts
If I am correct Apple is adding a new app to iWork every two years (Keynote '03, Pages '05).
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, but being that iWork is such a young app. who knows what Apple has planned? I think they're secretly working a lot harder than we think on iWork. How they managed to tradmark "Numbers" without someone getting to that first is beyond be. That name is almost too perfect. If they add "Numbers" a database app (Data) and worked to improve the other apps. You'd have yourself a very simple, very powerful home office suite. Most using it at home wouldn't need Office at all. And it could even encourage some peeps who are computer illiterate to take to the mouse.
Originally posted by Tipton
The tables function in Pages 2 is intended to be capable of working as a simple spreadsheet, so I doubt Apple will come out with a separate simple spreadsheet app.
Not sure I'm following.
TextEdit has had basic word processing features, including Word import and export, since before iWork existed, but that didn't stop Apple from writing a more comprehensive word processing app, Pages.
Now, Pages 2 has basic spreadsheet functionality, but why would that preclude Apple from creating a separate, more featureful spreadsheet app?
I would expect Numbers to be conceptually analogous to Pages in that it's intended that you spend much more time in the beginning setting-up the model, and then possibly dropping in the content like you can with Pages. By contrast, a simple (and full featured) spreadsheet is much more like TextEdit where you begin with entering the content, then edit the format afterwards to get it to look and work the way you want.
This is a hosted app that combines spreadsheet and more functional database features. I've just watched the 7 minute demo video and was pretty impressed. It even has calendar views and PDF, Ical and RSS export.
Boy I miss the days when products like DabblDB seemed to be coming out daily. Applications sought to be cool and different and then things when corporate. Now everyone wants to be a Microsoft Office clone which means that only very small companies are really trying to make groundbreaking apps. Apple's spent too much time protecting Mac Office and neutering their productline. I reserve the right to change my mind but man I'd love to see iWork 07 really hit the ground with some new ways of working. All the disparate tools are there to combine into a masterpiece.
Originally posted by Splinemodel
I want the mac spreadsheet to be called simple "FE."
I'll let your imaginations run wild with that one.
Or, iF..
Originally posted by hmurchison
Boy I miss the days when products like DabblDB seemed to be coming out daily. Applications sought to be cool and different and then things when corporate. . .
The app "Quantrix" was mentioned in this thread, and I checked it out. It's an example of what I think a spreadsheet should be, but it's very corporate. If the rumored Apple program were kind of like a "Quantrix lite," it wouldn't really step on MS's toes, and it would be a very nice, forward-thinking program at the same time.
I just started using Visio at work and I was blown away by it. Not by the program itself but because I don't know any similar program for the Mac. And there should be one. A simple, easy to use graphics program to make simple diagrams, flow charts and drawings. A program of this level would be a great addition to iWork. It would require the same level of expertise as Pages. And would be an excellent accompaniment to Keynote. And, to me, be a better use to the name iChart.
Originally posted by aresee
I just started using Visio at work and I was blown away by it. Not by the program itself but because I don't know any similar program for the Mac.
OmniGraffle. It's kinda like Visio, I guess, but so much better. I'm still just using version 2 as it came with my Mac and I don't use it often enough to warrant an upgrade.
The pro version even lets you import and export using the Visio format.
It rules beyond all telling. I use it all the time to impress the hell out of clients with brain meltingly complex diagrams of system signal paths, but the actual execution is easy as pie.
Originally posted by addabox
Ditto on the OmniGraffle.
It rules beyond all telling. I use it all the time to impress the hell out of clients with brain meltingly complex diagrams of system signal paths, but the actual execution is easy as pie.
Funny. I was just telling a friend last night that I would sooner starve than go without OmniGraffle. It absolutely rules. In addition to awesome charts and diagrams, it makes kick-ass web buttons and toolbar icons. Pair it with Keynote for the BEST presentations on the planet.
Guess you can tell I'm a fan.
Originally posted by danielctull
OmniGraffle. It's kinda like Visio, I guess, but so much better. I'm still just using version 2 as it came with my Mac and I don't use it often enough to warrant an upgrade.
The pro version even lets you import and export using the Visio format.
It will also import Xcode projects and generate class diagrams. I believe this is specific to the Pro version. Correct me if I'm wrong.
'course, bundling iWork with every new Mac would be an even better deal.
I wish Omni would do a CAD, spreadsheet, word processor program.
Originally posted by danielctull
OmniGraffle. It's kinda like Visio...
Thank you Daniel. I had it on my PowerBook and didn't use it. Now I know what it does.
Originally posted by Tipton
The tables function in Pages 2 is intended to be capable of working as a simple spreadsheet, so I doubt Apple will come out with a separate simple spreadsheet app. If Apple comes out with Numbers, it's more likely to be for modeling, along the lines of Quantrix, and/or a database app. It'll probably be a hybrid of the two.
People who want to do any real world spreadsheet work (finance, engineering for example) will need a dedicated app for handling numbers and formulas. I can't imagine opening up Pages to calculate anything useful. I'd just stick with Office in that case.
I'm really hoping for a decent Applework's replacement. That way I can stop using Office 2004.
I hate ThinkSecret but I sure hope this is true.