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SummerLoving · Jun 15, 2005, 03:46 PM

Hey.
I recently bought an iBook G4 and I was wondering what is the program that is used to write documents/power point presentations etc... I know it's called Office, but do you have to buy that program?
I got a trial version of iWork when I bought the iBook. I was wondering if there is anything else already installed in the iBook without the need to buy it?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Chips G · Jun 15, 2005, 03:57 PM

Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac is probably what you are looking for, although it is quite pricey.

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/product...pid=office2004

There is an alternative called OpenOffice or NeoOffice which is free and I find works quite well. You may want to try it out first to see if it suits your needs before spending the big bucks on Office.

It can be found here: http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/oo...downloads.html

Good luck.

pat++ · Jun 15, 2005, 04:49 PM

If you want to write documents/presentation, and don't need the files to be compatible with Office (Word/PowerPoint), you can use AppleWorks which should be installed on your iBook.

Mojo · Jun 15, 2005, 07:23 PM

Depending on what you are writing you can also consider specialized word processing applications. I recently discovered CopyWrite and it has replaced AppleWorks for most writing projects.

While the CopyWrite default set-up is for books, it can be customized (I primarily use it for developing a blog with multiple departments). The cool thing about it is that you can write and easily access your notes, documents, URLs, etc. from within CopyWrite. You can also switch to a full-screen mode when the mood strikes; apparently some writers find screen clutter to be distracting when writing on a computer. Moving between writing projects is also very easy.

I should note that there is a bug in the current version so that files dragged to the CopyWrite window are not properly linked, making them in accessible from within the application. The fix is to replace "file://localhost/Users/" with "file:///Users/" in the CopyWrite window. The developer is aware of the glitch and promises a fix in the next maintenance release.

CopyWrite is $35 and is very similar to the popular program Ulysses which is 100 Euro (approximately $122 US.) I compared both programs and CopyWrite was the one for me.

Personally, I would try to find a suitable word processing program and only stoop to use Word as a Last Resort.

discotronic · Jun 15, 2005, 09:45 PM

If you want a great word processor you should try Abiword. It is a very nice program. Here is a link:

http://www.abisource.com/

discotronic · Jun 15, 2005, 10:26 PM

NeoOffice is also a great program. Chris Gilpin posted a like above.

Here is my experience with a quick test of the programs.

Using Abiword I opened a 12 page Word document that contained a graphic on each page. It opened the file just fine but none of the graphics opened with it.

Using NeoOffice I opened the same file but this time the graphic where there. They where not perfect and some of the format was lost.

I then opened a PowerPoint presentation. It opened just fine but it had lost some of it's format also.

Even after all that I would still consider these programs. They are free which is great and they do offer a certain level of compatibility.

As far as regular text goes both programs did just fine when importing.

Randman · Jun 15, 2005, 11:14 PM

Apple's Keynote owns PowerPoint. And it works at importing and exporting presentations to PP in case you need to.

SummerLoving · Jun 16, 2005, 12:24 AM

Thanks a lot guys...

willed · Jun 16, 2005, 07:41 PM

Of course Microsoft Office Student & Teacher Edition is much cheaper with the same features, if you are in some way connected to education.

Phrogman · Jun 21, 2005, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by willed

Of course Microsoft Office Student & Teacher Edition is much cheaper with the same features, if you are in some way connected to education.

There is no requirement to be connected to education to purchase the Student & Teacher Edition.

hcorf · Jun 21, 2005, 10:35 PM

there is no requirement to get it off bittorrent either, i think microsoft has enough money right now. ...

Randman · Jun 22, 2005, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by hcorf

there is no requirement to get it off bittorrent either, i think microsoft has enough money right now. ...

Stealing is still stealing.

hcorf · Jun 23, 2005, 01:53 AM

being poor is still being poor

Randman · Jun 23, 2005, 02:10 AM

You have two computers and extra stuff in your sig and you talk about being too poor to buy a software package?

buggsuperstar · Jun 23, 2005, 02:34 AM

Originally Posted by Phrogman

There is no requirement to be connected to education to purchase the Student & Teacher Edition.

How, pray tell?

Unless you're referring to getting a friend who is a teacher or student to purchase it on your behalf...

hcorf · Jun 23, 2005, 03:56 AM

who says i paid for them? some of us have friends who work in warehouses

buggsuperstar · Jun 23, 2005, 04:09 AM

Originally Posted by hcorf

who says i paid for them? some of us have friends who work in warehouses

mitchell_pgh · Jun 23, 2005, 05:19 AM

Originally Posted by hcorf

being poor is still being poor

Tell that to the judge.

Phrogman · Jun 23, 2005, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by buggsuperstar

How, pray tell?

Unless you're referring to getting a friend who is a teacher or student to purchase it on your behalf...

Uhhh....walk in to CompUSA....pick up Microsoft Office for Mac (student teacher Edition). Walk over to counter....pay sales clerk....walk out of CompUSA.

or

Go to Amazon.com website....put Microsoft Office for Mac (Student Teacher Edition) in your shopping basket....Check out....wait a few days....it will miraculously appear on your doorstep.

That easy!

And guess what!......totally legal!!

turtle777 · Jun 23, 2005, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Phrogman

That easy!

And guess what!......totally legal!!

Aren't we all students of life ?

-t

jhogarty · Jun 23, 2005, 10:26 AM

Isn't the only restriction on the Microsoft Office (Student/Teacher) is it is not upgradeable? I believe when I was buying my iMac at the Apple Store they offered it to me and explained it that way.

My only reason to consider the MS Office route is for Excel. I wish that iWork had included a decent spreadsheet app.

J...

buggsuperstar · Jun 23, 2005, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by Phrogman

Uhhh....walk in to CompUSA....pick up Microsoft Office for Mac (student teacher Edition). Walk over to counter....pay sales clerk....walk out of CompUSA.

or

Go to Amazon.com website....put Microsoft Office for Mac (Student Teacher Edition) in your shopping basket....Check out....wait a few days....it will miraculously appear on your doorstep.

That easy!

And guess what!......totally legal!!

I stand corrected then.

I always thought you had to be a student or teacher to purchase Microsoft Office for Mac (Student Teacher Edition).

Phrogman · Jun 23, 2005, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by jhogarty

Isn't the only restriction on the Microsoft Office (Student/Teacher) is it is not upgradeable? I believe when I was buying my iMac at the Apple Store they offered it to me and explained it that way.

J...

True dat...The Student Teacher Edition is not eligible for discounted upgrades. However, you do get three licenses with each Student/Teacher copy, so you can legally load it on three different Macs. Other than that, there are no differences between the standard edition and the Student/Teacher edition. The features for each edition are the same.