[Callahan]

Does anyone know if Apple is planning to release an updated version of AppleWorks? I know there have been runors floating around for months regarding a planned "i (fill in the blank) suite" in cocoa but I never find any credible information , only rumors and wishful thinking - which is what I am doing. I think a new office suite from Apple would be great.

[RonAnnArbor]

There have been rumors about this for a long time...but nothing has been announced.

[dstroer]

I too keep hearing this rumors. I can't see how they could go much longer without creating something new. WIth Keynote they have an excellent presentation program I now use for all my presentations. That is a good start. I am hoping they will release a full blown suite soon!

[nkasuri1]

I personally think that they were originally planning on releasing an office suite but have not reconsidered. Microsoft sent them a strong message when they discontinued development on explorer after the introduction of safari. Keynote was probably supposed to be the first in a suite of office applications, but after the explorer episode it will probably end up an orphan. I anyway think that Apple would have a tough time doing better than office as its a damn good office suite.

[SeaFox]

I think Apple plans it and it has been rumored for awhile. But they absolutely cannot have Microsoft pull Office for Mac (which is what they'd do if Apple did release an Apple Office (iWorks) suite.
Macs would not even be considered for an enterprise environment if you could not run Office on them. It doesn't matter if AppleWorkls had good compatability with MS formats, the fact there's no direct link between the two suites would mean AppleWorks would always be one step back in file format matching. It would be an endless game of catchup with the MS "standard".
The IE/Safari example is a good comparison. When M$ discontinued IE for Mac they said it was because people were requesting features like Safari's pop-up blocking that they weren't going to do. Just a cop-out answer on M$'s part. Because last week I heard on CNN they were going to be including ad-blocking capabilities in the new versions of IE (built into Windows). Not just pop-up blocking but probably more like iCab or Mozilla's abilities for all ads on a site.

[Bob_Kovacs]

Who cares if Microsoft doesn't like it. You should be looking more at OpenOffice because first of all it is opensource and free and second most UNIX/Linux users are familiar with OpenOffice and MacOSX is a UNIX based operating system. Mac users should start embracing more of what the rest of the UNIX based world is, and stop worrying about what Microsoft thinks. Look at the success of Safari, based off of KDE's Konqueror web browser.

[dstroer]

My understanding is that Apple created Safari because Microsoft advised them they were going to quite supporte IE on MAC OS. Microsoft gave apple a heads up and an opportunity to create an alternative product so they would not be seen as abandoning the market.
While Office is an okay program I certainly would buy an Apple Office Suite. I have refused to put an Microsoft products on my system thus far and I for one, would jump at the chance to have a powerful office program from Apple or anyone else. I have Openoffice 1.1 and it works well. The problem is that I have been using Appleworks for years and I don't want to convert everything to Office Format or start over from scratch.

[Mac-Ale]

I agree...while I'm no huge fan of Microsoft, competing with the world's largest word processing and spreadsheet apps would be a BIG business mistake on Apple's part right now...and I don't even particularly like Word or Excel (too bloated and non intuitive), its just I KNOW I have to use them to communicate with 99% of my colleagues....

[DPG4450Guy]

In reply to:

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Who cares if Microsoft doesn't like it.

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Apple HAS to care. It would be financial suicide for them not to. Your argument is utopian and while I might like to live in the world you envision, it doesn't exist.

[TheNewSteve]

I have used OpenOffice before on a PC when I didn't feel like shelling out for PowerPoint and Word...
When my PowerBook comes in a week and a half, I will definitely be installing the FREE and 100% compatible (format-wise) OpenOffice suite on my PowerBook. You can work in formats that are perfectly readable to people using MS Office on any computer.
Highly recommended, especially at the (non-existant) price.
I see there is an OS X version that runs under "X11." What is X11?
-Steve

[Larand]

This is an oversimplification, but basically X11 is something that allows you to run certain UNIX apps on OS X. You can find out more here.

Also, I agree OpenOffice.org is wonderful, but before you go to the trouble of installing X11 and getting it all set up, you might want to check out NeoOffice/J, which is a port of OpenOffice for Mac using Java. Very cool...

[sbrickclick]

Remember the VERY first MS Office Suite WAS on the Mac. The big problem (back then) was Apple not giving much support to the devlopers and that's why part of the reason MS Office isn't that great compared to Wintels.
Heres my suggestion for the Office Suite
iWork Office Suite
iWrite (word processor)
iCell (spreadsheet)
Keynote
iSee (as in Outlook - Look ahead /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif would replace Mail and iCal and would be have more features and would have Exchange connection)
* i(database) The Database suite - made for the Mac.
All software would have compatibly from Mac/PC Word, Excel, Outlook and Access
All for $299 - upgrade from AppleWorks - $99
Add ons:
iPage (the Web page builder, MS FrontPage equ,) ASP and PHP comp., Addons such as stock ticker, weather box, and news box. Forms, and forum (yes make your own forums) and other dodads. - $89
iPrint (MS Publisher equ., the Graphics software) Make your own banners, newsletters and more like making visual flow charts (MS Visio).
$69
iProject.
The project software
$89
So there you go an iWork, or iOffice maybe it better than Micro$oft.

[nkasuri1]

The primary problem I have with OpenOffice is its windows like interface. Why would I want to use an application on my mac that looks and behaves exactly like a windows application. I think its worth shelling out a bit of money for appleworks if you dont want to spend a bundle on Office. Even though with some of the new discounts its not that expensive.
I really don't think that Apple should develop their own Office suite for two reasons. The first is that MS Office provides an essential link to the PC side of the world. Very few people would be willing to give up compatibility just for the sake of not buying a Microsoft product. Apart from the fact that Office is a very powerful group of applications and Apple would have a tough time doing a better job. Additionally, Apple shouldn't try to reduce MS Offices market share. If MS was to ever stop development of Mac Office it would have a very detrimental effect on the Mac platform. One of the first questions i'm asked when trying to convince someone to switch is if Office is availible on the Mac and if its completely compatible with its Windows counterpart. Despite all the MS translators out there, none of them are 100% compatible with windows office docs.
It just doesn't make any sense for Apple to compete with MS here, especially since they are about to ramp up application development in their Mac Business Unit.

[sbrickclick]

OK, Where's FrontPage, Publisher, Access (i know why), Visio, Outlook Classic (w/ out required Exchange Server account) and a whole dozen of Office Apps on the mac, see my orginal post. If Microsoft killed IE on the Mac (cuz Safari), then why would Microsoft strike back and make IE better - intergrate it with the OS (heh heh). Clippy, and Links are'nt on the Office on the Mac for Office Assistants, The Entourage isnt good as Outlook, Theres no webpage builders from MSFT, FrontPage. So really, Microsoft could just kill Office since it lacks a lot of feature. iWorks or iOffice in IMHO is a pretty good idea -and Apple strkies back at Micro$oft for a monopoly /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif