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Some software questions for a PC user considering an iBook too...
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
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We need a replacement notebook and I'm trying to decide between an XP notebook and the new Powerbook. My last Macintosh was a Mac Classic I bought for peanuts in 1993, and I thought it might be fun to to get an iBook to fill our notebook slot and try some newer Mac stuff.
But... Going for the iBook is going to cost a lot more than a similar XP notebook -- nearly $1,500 with AirPort Extreme, 640MB, and a larger hard drive. So another $500 to buy Mac versions of the apps I use is out of the question.
Email and web apps are included, so no problem there. The other apps I need are:
1) Basic photo editing -- cropping, fixing red eye, resizing, etc. Will iPhoto handle that?
2) Creating/editing MS Word files. Any inexpensive Mac word processors that read Word .doc files? Is OpenOffice usable on an iBook if I don't mind the X11 interface?
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Retired.
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Originally posted by DennyA:
We need a replacement notebook and I'm trying to decide between an XP notebook and the new Powerbook. My last Macintosh was a Mac Classic I bought for peanuts in 1993, and I thought it might be fun to to get an iBook to fill our notebook slot and try some newer Mac stuff.
But... Going for the iBook is going to cost a lot more than a similar XP notebook -- nearly $1,500 with AirPort Extreme, 640MB, and a larger hard drive. So another $500 to buy Mac versions of the apps I use is out of the question.
Email and web apps are included, so no problem there. The other apps I need are:
1) Basic photo editing -- cropping, fixing red eye, resizing, etc. Will iPhoto handle that?
2) Creating/editing MS Word files. Any inexpensive Mac word processors that read Word .doc files? Is OpenOffice usable on an iBook if I don't mind the X11 interface?
1.) Yep, iPhoto can handle that beautifully and with ease...
2.) Yes, TextEdit (included in Panther 10.3) can Open and Save and Word .doc files...
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Thanks, Gorickey.
I assume TextEdit handles the basics -- italics, centering, font sizes, text color, etc? I don't suppose it has a "word count" feature...
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Retired.
Status:
Offline
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Originally posted by DennyA:
Thanks, Gorickey.
I assume TextEdit handles the basics -- italics, centering, font sizes, text color, etc? I don't suppose it has a "word count" feature...
No word count feature; however, it does have the basics you mention....
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Staffs, UK
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If you want a more capable Word Processor than Text Edit, you should check out Mellel. It has most of the features most people need - plus a few very nice things that are totally unique.
Oh, and it costs $25 ! 
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Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Belgium
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OpenOffice is pretty good, it's not really fast or pretty but it does work well and has a lot of features. The interface is a direct copy of older versions of office for windows, so you should feel right at home. Mellel and textedit are very good also, I have Office v. X and I prefer textedit for the simple stuff, Mellel is great for students and writing papers...
GraphicConverter is a basic image editor and browser, I consider this an essential app for any mac, you don't have to buy it right away, try it for a couple of weeks and see if you like it...
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: London, UK
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Originally posted by DennyA:
1) Basic photo editing -- cropping, fixing red eye, resizing, etc. Will iPhoto handle that?
2) Creating/editing MS Word files. Any inexpensive Mac word processors that read Word .doc files? Is OpenOffice usable on an iBook if I don't mind the X11 interface?
OpenOffice is very usable if you are OK with X11. Well worth having. You can also install the GIMP (also an X11 app) for a much more powerful image editing capability than that available in iPhoto - it's roughly equivalent to Photoshop 3 or 4. Both are free of course:
As for Word Count and other statistics in TextEdit - although the application doesn't have this feature itself, you can get the freeware Word Service which introduces numerous text editing features etc to all text based apps that support the Services menu:
(Last edited by JKT; Oct 30, 2003 at 04:31 AM.
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Awesome... Thanks, you guys are really helpful.
Can I just plug in a standard PC two-button USB mouse? Does the Mac recognize mouse scroll wheels?
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Status:
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Originally posted by DennyA:
Awesome... Thanks, you guys are really helpful.
Can I just plug in a standard PC two-button USB mouse? Does the Mac recognize mouse scroll wheels?
Yep! This should be no problem at all. I have done this many a time with my Mac laptops.
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