Living the Free Lifestyle

1. Living the Free Lifestyle • Presented by David Greenbaum (www.clickheretech.com) • to the Lawrence Apple Users Group 2.0 • (www.laugks.org)

2. In the Beginning... • The Mac needed Microsoft!!! • Microsoft Word was one of the first applications for the Mac in 1984 2

3. 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

4. Windows versions of Office • Many different versions • Some include Publisher for desktop publishing • Access for databases 4

5. 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

6. 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

7. Other Version Costs • Without Virtual PC • Full version: $330 • Upgrade: $200 • With Virtual PC • Full version: $400 • Upgrade: $250 • WOW! 7

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. NeoOffice • Based on Openoffice.org specs • Better interface, like other Mac Programs • Does not require X11 • Donation requested 12

13. 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

14. 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

15. Collaboration • Allow others to review and/or edit your documents • Publish directly to a blog

16. 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.

17. Google competitors • ThinkFree online--always crashed my computer • Zoho: • Includes more than Google Apps: presentations, planner, database, contact management, mail • Worked, but enjoyed google!

18. 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!!

19. 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

20. 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

21. "Alternative" Word Processors • Fond Memories • WordPerfect for Mac • Macwrite • Ran on a floppy. Wow. 21

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. Let's compare load times and features in real time • We’ll take a complex document and open them in various programs: • ....

28. 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

29. 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

30. Let’s compare again • This time using a complex spreadsheet

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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

37. 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

38. 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