Hi, I have used Word, Claris/AppleWorks, and OpenOffice and like Tony said, for the average user AppleWorks is great. I primarily use MS Word/Office because in an educational environment it is necessary t have a great level of compatibility and saving everything as and RTF just doesn't cut the mustard sometimes, especially for the archaic versions of MS Word(for Windows). The major drawback to OpenOffice, which for some is also its biggest advantage, is that it is not as fully stocked with features as AppleWorks and MS Office. It is a benefit for some because you can go in a program those features in that you need and add some that other programs don't offer. This does require a good deal of programming knowledge but most of the usual features are included. Some of the features Word has that some "salivate" over are some of the graphics components, which are really quite good, and in some cases better then the ones on the Windows side. However it is much lighter then its windows counterpart on is the font tools. The most obvious drawback to the MS Office suite is that there is no really powerful database creator like you see in the database side of AppleWorks ( or Windows). These features are built into the excel program's spreadsheets and I for one have always liked using AppleWorks' database builder better. I will say that MS PowerPoint is more powerful then the AppleWorks slideshow utility but that's not really word processing. There is no great sin in using Microsoft's software on your mac especially since MS Word was out for mac three years before windows, but it really boils down to your personal preference and which word processor does what you need done best for you.
Hope this helped, Mike Garton duPont Manual HS - JCPS JazTech at mac.com On Mar 28, 2004, at 6:43 PM, Tony LaFemina wrote: > Marta Edie wrote: > >> Now you made me curious. I really never compared the Appleworks with >> anything. I have been out of the job situation since the eighties. We >> then still had claris. And I only used and still use it for word >> processing. It just seems to have been sitting around so quietly. All >> the fuss is being made over the iLife et al. I guess i shall check a >> little into Appleworks capabilities or the lack thereof. Is anybody >> out there who can tell me of any comparisons of different word >> processing programs so one could have an overview? I don't much care >> to inflict a microsoft program on my mac, but an honest appraisal I >> would approve of. Jerry put that free Open Office on my Mac once, >> but since i have upgraded to Panther it won't launch, and I have to >> get that fixed before I can even see what something similar to >> "Office" would look like. Many make a lot over "Word", but not ever >> having been in touch with it, I have no idea what that would do and >> where it stands in the hierarchy of word processing programs. >> Marta >> > Hi Marta > > Don't feel alone. I'm in the same boat as you. ClarisWorks/AppleWorks > have been the only programs I've really used, to make my computer seem > like it has a purpose. From what I can see, it basically does the same > things other similar programs do. And, besides word processing, it > also has Draw, Paint, Spreadsheets, and Databases. For the average > home user, AppleWorks can't be beat. I even believe it's all anyone > would need to run a small business. > > The way I look at it is this. So what if other programs costing three > or more times as much as AppleWorks has more features. If you need > them, then buy the other software. But, just to say I use such and > such, be my guest. My guess is, most of the people using those more > expensive programs like Office, don't use half the features that come > with them. I also think a lot of people simply get bored looking at > the same old screen and need something new and different to hold their > interest. I imagine, if my first computer was a PC, I'd be saying the > same thing about MS Works. But I could be wrong. > > -- > Tony LaFemina > When you want to do more than just buy software > http://hometown.aol.com/visitmacland/index.html > mailto:remacs at optonline.net > > > > > > | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will > | be April 27. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>. > | This list's page is <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup>. > -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 5021 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.math.louisville.edu/pipermail/macgroup/attachments/20040328/687e3b40/attachment.bin
