For what it is worth I plan on TRYING to write lab reports with Pages this quarter. We'll see how they go. But I'll make a template of the basic report and just Change thing in it to make them unique. I think it should work.
EndNote and the like don't seem to have a problem. Just imagine an open XML database of references that could be transformed into different citation and bibliography styles using XSLT with a super friendly front-end that can hide the complexity of XML and XSLT for most people, but still leaves all the flexibility there for those that want it, all integrated into Word.jemeinc said:I couldn't agree more. There has to be a way to implement this. Though, getting the approval from APA, and MLA might be a problem. They want to sell their manuals, and this could, conceivably, cut into their sales.
A lot of people didn't give Pages a try back then... it was a little expensive ($795), and I was using FrameMaker for papers on NeXT systems back then.weldon said:Great post. I've heard of Pages by Pages, but I didn't think that Apple's Pages was a direct descendant. While I took programming classes in college on a NeXT box, I never used the app and thought it was more of a classic word processor.
What I see Pages as trying to do (again) is to define a new category.As for the rest of the discussion about comparing Pages to other apps...
I think it's absolutely fair to compare Pages to what else is out there...
devman said:Go to system preferences. Open International. Drag British English to be first in the list of languages. If it's not in the list, click the Edit button to add it.
I thought one of the nice thing was that its all in one place, you don't have to look for it... thats what I liked about Keynote. You can add fonts and colors items to the toolbar AFAIK.jamdr said:The main problem with the UI I think is that it is too hard to access things that you want to do all the time. Everything is in that annoying palette with all those buttons, when instead Apple should move some things to the toolbar. I want to be able to change fonts and styles and justification with the click of a button.
I think if it's trying to define a new category it will fail. People won't really know what to do with it and won't understand why they need it. It's important to provide a comparison so that people can understand what they can do with the app. And I have no such compulsions about trying to refrain from imposing my viewpoint on everyone around me.RacerX said:
- What I see Pages as trying to do (again) is to define a new category.
- The problem is that most people hold up what is new to what they know.
- And I sure don't need (or want) Apple to redefine it around my needs at the expense of those it is design to serve.
- I guess the point I'm trying to make is that just because Pages isn't the app that some people want it to be doesn't make it a bad app or one that doesn't have it's place in the computing world.
Well, Pages for NEXTSTEP failed, so it already has a history of that. But that doesn't negate the fact that a number of new categories are needed to fill in the gaps left by the current line of specialty apps.weldon said:I think if it's trying to define a new category it will fail.
Why is a comparison needed? Are people unable to understand a description?People won't really know what to do with it and won't understand why they need it. It's important to provide a comparison so that people can understand what they can do with the app.
I'm not too familiar with Ruby. What is it?Fukui said:I thought one of the nice thing was that its all in one place, you don't have to look for it... thats what I liked about Keynote. You can add fonts and colors items to the toolbar AFAIK.
The thing that I don't like about pages is very simple: No text background highlighting and no ruby support, and no vertical text.
It's useful to add pronunciation to the text for different language speakers, or usually in JP language papers so someone can know how to speak a particular Chinese character.wrldwzrd89 said:I'm not too familiar with Ruby. What is it?
I'd LOVE to see Ruby support in TextEdit for Tiger!Fukui said:It's useful to add pronunciation to the text for different language speakers, or usually in JP language papers so someone can know how to speak a particular Chinese character.
It may be obscure but its very useful, especially if it was built in to Cocoa just like spelling...
I'm sure your not the only one.wrldwzrd89 said:I'd LOVE to see Ruby support in TextEdit for Tiger!
EDIT: Oops, wandering off-topic again...
Ruby support should definitely be in an update of Pages.
thequicksilver said:Jobs called this 'Word processing with an amazing sense of style', indicating that it's a word processor à la Word. It's not. It's a basic DTP application
Actually, for the past several years Office has offered the option upon opening to load a document or pick on of several templates. Office even organizes them by type: Professional memo, sales order, etc. So, nothing new there. Move along.broken_keyboard said:I thought it was revolutionary - the idea that you always start with a template and never with a blank document. I thought - wow, all these years and Microsoft didn't come up with this?
I think thats the whole point.Don M. said:I'm a writer and it (Pages) is totally unsuitable. Clearly a wannabe DTP program, ala Publisher. I'm sure Pages is great for doing a church newsletter. For any moderately-serious writing, Pages is unacceptable.
Why do you miss it? Why didn't you just continue to use it?tuggy said:LyX is what i miss most since i switch from linux to mac.
tuggy said:guys, if you really want to make some SERIOUS word-processing, i suggest you to try the LaTeX system
LyX is what i miss most since i switch from linux to mac.
http://www.lyx.org
alexf said:Is is just me, or is Pages one of the worst apps that Apple has put forth recently?
Designing a newsletter has proven to be one of the worst computing catastophes that I have had in recent years. Pages erased my work multiple times, even after I had saved it. Also, the way the program formats is terrible; Apple has caught the Word syndrome of trying to help you so much with Word processing - guessing what you want to do and doing it for you - that it makes you want to pull your hair out. I also find the interface very counter-intuitive (highly surprising for an Apple app)
Sorry for the rant, but I just lost a lot of money and time because of this half-baked program, and I have to let it out. I had high hopes for Pages and am sorely disappointed. And I thought that only Microsoft could push my buttons like this...