Apple profiles iWork@work for small businesses

I was thinking of trying iWork. Isn't Pages just AppleWorks word program? Hmmm...I am not too thrilled about the beach ball dilemna, because I have an older Mac, but also hate using Microsoft Word. How about using InDesign for pages/templates, or is that over the top for most people? I used to use Quark, which I knew quite well back in the day, but no longer have the program. So what is the final ruling on the best document program?

On the discussion of iWork I would love to add my two cents too. I use Pages for all my documents, DVD Cases, and so much more. I love the program, obviously! Excel is still something that I use from time to time. The don't think you need to choose one or the other. Pages and Keynote are incredible tools and they kill their direct competition in my eyes...For sure! I am sure when Apple comes out with a competing product to excel it will knock it out of the water also. Until then. I own and use both for completely different purposes! Just my two cents!

Good catch on the typo! You are correct! I do in fact not use a 60 mm macro. I have the 50 mm 2.5 EF Macro. It is least expensive lense I have but I totally love it for those great tight details shots! I should probably mention it to Apple. I am sure they have no idea that the writer made that mistake! Thanks for pointing it out!

I personally like iWork and I try to use it as much as possible. When Pages doesn't do something that I need, or I need to test compatibility, I go over to Word. Not a big deal. Keynote is the best presentation software on any platform in my opinion. Pages shines in its ability to create simple professional-looking documents very quickly. If you need something that does more, by all means, go give Mellel, Nisus Writer, Word, etc. a try.

I can totally see iWork as being a great option for small business and home based businesses. No need to whine about it not being a full fledged office suite. It's not intended to be. If you need a spreadsheet application, there are plenty of choices (NeoOffice, Mariner Calc, etc.).

Well, here are the links for my comment above (the engine ignored my fancy html):
"Pages Templates": http://www.tuaw.com/2007/05/20/pages-templates-1-0.
My comments: http://www.tuaw.com/2007/05/20/pages-templates-1-0/#c4999393.

See detailed comments on Pages in previous TUAW post re "Pages Templates", including mine here. Behind the flashy front, Pages simply lacks basic features present in WP and page layout apps as long ago as 1990.

What Apple should add to iWork is a database app. Think of it as FileMaker Lite, a DB app for the rest of us who don't need FM Pro's bells, whistles, and high price. Let's call this new addition to the iWork suite a simple name: Data.

Maybe Data could bridge the gap between DB apps and spreadsheets, with easy-to-use elements of both. Now THAT would be revolutionary thinking!

These have been up for about 2 weeks (since the 18th)... Slow!

No, the troll has been carrying on like a twit for probably weeks now, it's just turned to fascist trolling in the past few days.

I thought the "troll" was just joking around. Perhaps the poster was just being ironical?

Anyway, I for one, AM EXCITED about this development. I run a copy with 90+ installed Macs, and we use both MSOffice and iWork.

We use MSOffice for spreadsheets and about 25% of our documents. Keynote is used for 100% of presentations and the balance of the documents.

We have budgeted to upgrade EITHER iWork or MSOffice 2008 this year.

Everyone here hopes that given the poor design and quality of MSOffice, Apple realizes that iWork is neither an AppleWorks replacement nor a .Mac for documents and released a suite of applications that allows us to be creative with our documents. In short, allows us to create beautiful documents that sell, communicate, without using a layout program and a design team.

iWork should be the "Final Cut Express" of a pro document design suite. Lots of powerful tools, but not everything and the kitchen sink, in a fast and easy to use solution.

Fingers crossed. We're rooting for Apple here. Let's hope they get it and can deliver...