View Full Version : Office - like Suites
ChiliJelly
11-03-2007, 1:02 AM
Hi all
I have my MacBook and am loving both it and OSX.
However after a few weeks of Mac-dom it is becoming clear that I need an office suite type application for all those bits and bobs that we all need to do once in a while
The obvious contenders here are
Office 2004 for Mac - I understand that there may be some issues with this as it was not progammed for use on an Intel Mac and isnt true Universal? Anyone have experience of Office Mac?
iWork - seems to be quite simplistic, but maybe I am missing something as I did only have a brief play.
Neo Office - The Mac specific version of Open Office as I understand it. Don't know uch about this one so any feedback is good.
Thanks for any words of wisdom :thumbsup:
teejay38
11-03-2007, 9:03 AM
Neo Office very good - just like Office and free. The Mac Version of Office is also good. Some say better than the windows version. Once you get rid of the annoying "helper", it's OK.
I thik office 2004 is not worth buying simply because a new version is coming out at the end of the year.
iWork is better than MS Word and MS Powerpoint but since it has no dedicated spreadsheet software it isn't very good if you need to use spreadsheets, this is also due to be upgraded pretty soon when leopard comes out.
Neo office is what i am currently using, it does everything i need, its as good as office xp 2002 which i use to run on my windows machine.
I will buy the new iWorks 07 when it somes out and keep neo office for the spreadsheet app.
ancientgeek
11-03-2007, 10:10 AM
The time is getting closer when Apple won't need MS Office to keep Mac alive. Browser, mail and spreadsheet and presentation software are the important applications. Good enough MS Office file import and export is all you'll need soon. The other MS lock-in for many people is Outlook / Exchange Server features like calendars.
So there are two big questions we're waiting for answers to:
1. will there be a spreadsheet in iWork '07?
2. will Leopard provide better Exchange Server compatibility without needing Entourage (the Mac equivalent of Outlook).
We should find out in the next couple of months.
MS Office student and teacher edition has remarkably wide licensing terms, including, I believe, permits 3 installs. (Chekc this first) It's a reflection of MS's weakening monopoly that they are making Office easier to get.
ChiliJelly
11-03-2007, 12:29 PM
Thanks for all the replys all, looks like I have some thinking to do! :)
Maybe I should have said that I can get office Mac cheap too though - a mate of mine has a (legit!) copy that he is selling as he is moving overseas and not taking his Mac and the guy buying his Mac has no need for a copy.
Might download Neo / Open office for a play, and iWorks not having a spreadsheet might be an issue - Im always amazed how useful a spreadsheet app can be in day to day life.
Cheers guys :)
Stuart Kirby
11-03-2007, 2:02 PM
Open Office is very good.
I would suggest that the word processor in iWork isn't as good as MS Word, but Keynote is miles and miles ahead of PowerPoint. Keynote is awesome. :)
As others have said though, Office 2008 is out for the Mac this year, might be worth waiting before buying 2004. 2004 is very good tho.
ChiliJelly
11-03-2007, 4:37 PM
Understood that the latest Office is out soon but as I can get 2004 for 20 quid off my mate who has no use for it anymore I think Im gonna head down that route :)
1. will there be a spreadsheet in iWork '07?
Codename Lasso
http://www.macrumors.com/2006/10/11/apples-spreadsheet-application-lasso/
ancientgeek
12-03-2007, 7:13 AM
Not much doubt Apple has a spreadsheet app in development, just as there was never much doubt that OS X was running on Intel from the beginning. But that's not the same as it (a) being good enough for release or (b) not being more valuable for horse trading with MS than as a released product.
What's needed is something that compares to Excel as favourably as Keynote compares to Powerpoint.
Of course Appleworks includes a spreadsheet that's good enough for 99% of uses. It's just not Excel so no-one wanted it. And you'll have to go to ebay for Appleworks, because it's no longer for sale. (It was even available for Windows.)
rob_finch
12-03-2007, 6:40 PM
Has anyone here used Google Docs and Spreadsheet? I expect anything Google release to be polished and professional, but have not read any feedback on it so far.
ancientgeek
12-03-2007, 6:43 PM
Has anyone here used Google Docs and Spreadsheet? I expect anything Google release to be polished and professional, but have not read any feedback on it so far.
No, but they are reputedly not Safari compatible!
I use Neo Office and think it is very good easily as good as MS Office and its free.
Another totally internet based one is www.thinkfree.com. This is also quite good as because it is internet based it can be used from any computer anywhere mac or PC.
About the google one i tried it once but it was very slow and missing a lot of features and was not that impressed.
nikyzf
13-03-2007, 12:18 PM
Not much doubt Apple has a spreadsheet app in development, just as there was never much doubt that OS X was running on Intel from the beginning. But that's not the same as it (a) being good enough for release or (b) not being more valuable for horse trading with MS than as a released product.
What's needed is something that compares to Excel as favourably as Keynote compares to Powerpoint.
Of course Appleworks includes a spreadsheet that's good enough for 99% of uses. It's just not Excel so no-one wanted it. And you'll have to go to ebay for Appleworks, because it's no longer for sale. (It was even available for Windows.)
Are you sure about that?
http://www.apple.com/uk/appleworks/
I have it, but prefer NeoOffice anyway.
Has anyone here used Google Docs and Spreadsheet? I expect anything Google release to be polished and professional, but have not read any feedback on it so far.
I have and for what it's worth I think it would be fine to use (if you've always got an internet connection to hand). Works really well and gives you masses of storage space. Give it a try - it's free anyway :)
rob_finch
17-03-2007, 1:42 PM
Made the switch to Neo Office today, have to say it's very good so far. Much better for being Mac specific, it always annoyed me having to use MS style keyboard shortcuts in Open Office!
ChiliJelly
17-03-2007, 9:47 PM
Well I will be getting my copy of Office for Mac this week off my mate so I will let you all know how it goes in case there are any people who are thinking of it too :)
NapoleonGuitarSolo
18-03-2007, 8:34 AM
The other MS lock-in for many people is Outlook / Exchange Server features like calendars.
For corporate use you could possibly add .DotNet apps/IE?
What about MS Project? I've heard Merlin is pretty good but never tried it.