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Living the Free Lifestyle. Presented by David Greenbaum ( www.clickheretech.com ) to the Lawrence Apple Users Group 2.0 ( www.laugks.org ). In the Beginning. The Mac needed Microsoft!!! Microsoft Word was one of the first applications for the Mac in 1984. 2. Microsoft Office.
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Living the Free Lifestyle • Presented by David Greenbaum (www.clickheretech.com) • to the Lawrence Apple Users Group 2.0 • (www.laugks.org)
In the Beginning... • The Mac needed Microsoft!!! • Microsoft Word was one of the first applications for the Mac in 1984 2
Microsoft Office • Microsoft Office first came out on the Mac in 1989 with Word, Excel and Powerpoint • Word: Word Processing • Excel: Spreadsheet Calculations • PowerPoint: Presentations • In 2001, Entourage was added for email, scheduling and contact management 3
Windows versions of Office • Many different versions • Some include Publisher for desktop publishing • Access for databases 4
Problems with Office • Does not run native on an Intel Mac • Slows the computer • Interferes with the RAM available to other Rosetta Apps • A resource and memory hog • Even with no applications running, it takes a significant amount of memory and processor cycles 5
Cost • Student Teacher edition: can only be used by students or teachers for Academic work. • $129 for 3 computers • Though many people buy this version, if you don’t follow the End User License Agreement you are in violation of the agreement and are doing the equivalent of software piracy 6
Other Version Costs • Without Virtual PC • Full version: $330 • Upgrade: $200 • With Virtual PC • Full version: $400 • Upgrade: $250 • WOW! 7
Alternatives • First we'll look at the Suites • Then individual programs • It *is* possible to live the Microsoft free lifestyle in the closet • Because with all these options you can read and send documents and your friends and family won't know about your choice 8
Appleworks • Not Intel based...no plans to do so • Has Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Database and Drawing • We loved you from the Apple II days. • If you have docs in that format, suggest converting them now to Microsoft compatible format • Appleworks is dead! Long live Appleworks! 9
NeoOffice/Open Office • Both Free • Includes word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation • Require a relatively beefy computer and a bit slow • Neither is without major bugs..but the price can't be beat 10
OpenOffice.org • Alpha for "Aqua", other versions require install of X11 • X11 version requires: • Mac G3 400Mhz or higher • Mac OS X 10.3.x (10.3.5 recommended), Mac OS X 10.4.x • 256Mbytes RAM • 400Mbytes available disk space • X11 required. 11
NeoOffice • Based on Openoffice.org specs • Better interface, like other Mac Programs • Does not require X11 • Donation requested 12
Other Free Alternatives • Google Apps: my personal favorite • Can't do much more than TextEdit. Opens and saves as Word Documents • Must be logged into a free google account to use. • No Internet connection means no google docs 13
Google Apps Features • Google checks track of your revisions, so you can go back to a previous version • Your documents are available anywhere you have access to a web browser: • No need to carry a flash drive, use floppies etc. 14
Collaboration • Allow others to review and/or edit your documents • Publish directly to a blog
Risks of Google Apps • Privacy: someone (or the government) could get into your account without you knowing • No backups: • While Google has never officially lost a document, there is always that risk • However, you can save google doc files to your computer.
Google competitors • ThinkFree online--always crashed my computer • Zoho: • Includes more than Google Apps: presentations, planner, database, contact management, mail • Worked, but enjoyed google!
Word Processing • Textedit--with every Mac • The latest version of textedit can read and write Microsoft Word documents. • Sweet. Free is in most people's budget!!
Why would you need anything else??? • Textedit is very basic. It can't do much more than act like a glorified typewriter • Most people will be fine with this. Less features means less confusion 19
Typical Features used in Word • These are not in TextEdit • Headers/Footers; put a page number at the bottom • Mail Merge: create mailing labels or take a list of people and send them the same letter with Dear and their name inserted at the top 20
"Alternative" Word Processors • Fond Memories • WordPerfect for Mac • Macwrite • Ran on a floppy. Wow. 21
Mariner Write $60: • An old standby that works on Intel based as well as PowerPC • Fast and reliable • Easy to understand without too many features. Reminds me of Macwrite 22
Supports key features • Mail merge, tables, and headers/footers • Target audience • Someone who needs these advanced functions but wants to avoid office • Mariner offers a full time-limited trial
Nisus • Another program that's been around a long time • Key feature: accurate representation of foreign graphics • One of the first programs to accurately use right to left languages such as Hebrew, and non-Roman languages such as Chinese 24
Nisus • Based on experience: this is the academic standard on the Mac for anyone using foreign language characters • Features academics like such as table of contents and advanced footnote support • Two flavors: • Express: $45 • Pro: $79 25
Mellel • Hebrew for "Typewriter" ’מלל’ • Yet another group of programmers that were frustrated there was not a quality Hebrew word processor for the Mac • Key competitor of Nisus: See when you search for Mellel! 26
Let's compare load times and features in real time • We’ll take a complex document and open them in various programs: • ....
Spreadsheet • 2+2=4 • Spreadsheets are used to do numerical computations--a calculator on steroids • If you don't use a spreadsheet, you'll be fine. Some people go their whole life without one • However they can come in handy sometime 28
Google Docs and Spreadsheets • Similar to "docs"--reads and writes excel spreadsheets • Can't do complex "macro" functions. • Mariner Calc • Provides the basic Excel spreadsheet functions • Can read Excel Spreadsheets • Cost: $50, or with Write: $70 for the pack 29
Let’s compare again • This time using a complex spreadsheet
Presentations • Keynote, part of iWork Suite • “You’re soaking in it now” • Can read and write into Powerpoint format • Advanced features such as easy export and integration with other iApps • You can also create the individual slides and put them into iPhoto as a presentation • Note: iWork, unlike iLife, does not come free with your Mac. 31
Other Office components • Database • For many members, spreadsheets or address book can acts as a database • Filemaker Pro clearly the leader • $299 New • $179 Upgrade • Unfortunately, many databases made in Access require Access on the computer due to special programming. 32
Desktop Publishing • Microsoft Publisher Alternatives • iWork’s Pages again meets most of Publisher’s functions but cannot read or write it’s format • Quark/Indesign isn’t an alternative because they are full fledged design programs • Another great alternative: Swift Publisher by BeLight Software • $44.95 direct download • Powerful program! 33
Entourage (Email) • Apple Mail of course • Online email • Gmail, yahoo (yahoo now has unlimited email) • Thunderbird • Cross Platform, from the Firefox crew • Mailsmith • Advanced scripting functions • Eudora (discontinued) 34
Entourage calendaring • Of course, iCal • Use MissingSync to sync with your Palm • Google again • Can read/write iCal Info • Yahoo • Lots of other websites as well depending on what features you need 35
Entourage Contact Management • Address Book • Recommend "Address Book Exporter" for mail merges • Google and Yahoo again • Note: no reason you can’t use more than one and synchronize them • Personally I use Address book and google for contacts and calendars • Web based info can be viewed from your phone! 36
Review • You can create word processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations without having to pay anyone though, there are tradeoffs • Ditto for the less popular functions such as publishing, calendaring, email and contact management • All these alternatives have generous trial period • Embrace your choice!! ?????? 37
Thanks for your time! • Created by Dave Greenbaum, aka DoctorDave™: http://www.calldrdave.com, with a Macbook using Keynote and PowerSlides templates • Don’t forget to tip your server! • Permission is granted for other User Groups to use this presentation so long as credit is given to Dave Greenbaum, DoctorDave™, and the http://www.calldrdave.com is included