Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

MS Office or Pages/Numbers/Keynote

Options
  • 31-01-2013 11:50am
    #1
    dmeehan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭


    I am newly converted Mac user after years of iOS devices.
    What are peoples recommendations for office software. Should I opt for the ubiquitous Microsoft Office or get Pages/Numbers/Keynote.

    I already use Pages/Numbers/Keynote with iCloud on my iPad so I am leaning more in the direction of these although MS threw a cat in the pigeons with the announcement of the new subscription option for Office at €99 a year for up to five licences, and includes 20GB skydrive storage.

    What are peoples experience with both options?

    I have installed OpenOffice but I am not really a fan ...
    Tagged:


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    It really depends on the functionality you're looking for and to a certain extent the people that you'll be exchanging documents with.

    I use Pages/Number/Keynote for most of my work but there are times when I have to switch to a Windows VM and fire-up MS Office, usually when working on customers documents that have specific functionality which is only available in Office (Win).


  • Options
    #3
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,910 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    I think you can use trial versions of Pages/Keynote/Numbers?


  • Options
    #4
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,677 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Apple used to offer a trial version of iWork but not anymore.


  • Options
    #5
    silvine
    Registered Users Posts: 3,132 ✭✭✭silvine


    I've used both. The problem with Pages is that you have to export the files to another format if you want to open them on anything but a Mac. It's a minor inconvenience. the iCloud functionality is quite useful.

    I find Office on the Mac is unreliable and prone to crashing. That said, I tested Office 2010 and not the version you are describing.


  • Options
    #6
    Sinfonia
    Registered Users Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭Sinfonia


    I use Pages since I got a Mac.
    For general use there isn't really too much different; what Graham says above hasn't been an issue for me (but we're presumably doing different things anyway).
    I have Numbers and Keynote too, but I haven't personally had any use for them yet (only got the Mac a couple of months ago).

    I suppose I'd advise you to go with Pages etc. as they would presumably work more neatly with your setup, i.e. using the same programs on your iPad.
    You can export a Pages file as a Word file anyway, or a PDF, and I haven't had any problems opening Word files with it either.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,910 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    Apple used to offer a trial version of iWork but not anymore.

    My apologies, I wasn't aware that there wasn't a trial version anymore since I actually bought it myself.


  • Options
    #8
    taylorconor95
    Registered Users Posts: 331 ✭✭taylorconor95


    I have Office for Mac and iWork. I never use Office, its crazy clunky and asks you to update it nearly every time you open it. Office also installs loads of junk apps on your system (Microsoft Document Connection, Microsoft Language Register, Microsoft Upload Center, Microsoft Query, the list goes on...)

    Also if you like the Mac UI in general, get Pages. Office has so many buttons crammed into the top of the window that it becomes hideous to look at. Then again, if you're used to it then that's a different story.


  • Options
    #9
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users Posts: 13,134 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    I've Pages 4 years now and it flies when compared to Word. The templates offered are quite handy, it's cheaper to buy by miles and it's great if you want to drop photo's into documents (Word hated doing it). Number's isn't up to much but if you are big for visual presentations, Keynote pisses over Powerpoint.


Advertisement