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iWork is a suite of applications created by Apple Computer, containing a word processing and layout application (Pages), and a presentation package (Keynote). Although iWork was originally rumored to be an update or replacement for Apple's entry-level application suite AppleWorks, Apple is currently billing it as "building a successor to AppleWorks", but it does not replicate the functionality of AppleWorks' spreadsheet, database, and drawing tools. Likewise, it does not compete directly with the Mac version of Microsoft Office, but instead offers tools with a different focus (presentation, rather than analysis) at a lower price. It is designed to integrate with existing applications from Apple's iLife Suite. Although iLife comes free on every Mac, iWork is to be bought separately. There is a free 30 day trial for iWork on every Mac, and also if customers chose to upgrade to a newer version of iLife, a free trial of the newest iWork comes free as well.

It is Apple's first consumer product to require a serial number in order to run. AppleCare states that there is no master key , and that they cannot help users with serial number problems beyond the typical data entry tips, such as avoiding substitution errors.

History


iWork '05

iWork '05 was launched in January 11, 2005 and features a new version of Keynote (Keynote 2), and the first release of Pages (Pages 1.0).

iWork '06

In January 2006, Apple introduced iWork '06 at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco, which features new versions of Pages (Pages 2) and Keynote (Keynote 3). New features common to both programs include 3D charts, tables with formula support, reviewer comments, and shaped image masking. The addition of tables with formula support may have been added to quiet rumors of an Apple spreadsheet application. Since iWork's focus is on presentation, Apple incorporated a way to put most common spreadsheet features into a table while providing only limited additional functionality.

Contents


iWork is comprised of two applications: Pages and Keynote.

Pages

Pages is a word processing application with an emphasis on presentation. It is useful for many projects beyond that of the standard word-processing application. Pages comes loaded with a set of Apple-designed templates for presentations including:

  • Newsletters
  • Journals
  • Invitations
  • Stationary
  • Resumés
  • Education Projects
  • Marketing Projects

Pages, in addition to Keynote (its iWork counterpart), is closely integrated with the iLife suite. It includes a media browser for inserting pictures, music, and video from iPhoto, iTunes, and iMovie. Pages allows the user to save or export in formats including:

Keynote

Keynote is a slideshow application with an emphasis on presentation. It is similar in many ways to Microsoft's Powerpoint, but contains several features native to the iWork suite. Keynote makes use of iLife integration by including a media browser for inserting pictures, music, and video from iPhoto, iTunes, and iMovie. Keynote also features the ability to include animation in slideshow presentations. Keynote is quite versatile in its ability to recognize and save to many formats, including:

Criticism


iWork has been criticized due to the lack of a spreadsheet or database program as well as a project management program.

The lack of the spreadsheet application could be considered intentional—in iWork '06, both Keynote 3 and Pages 2 allow one to create tables with automatically updating fields, thus reducing the necessity to have a distinct application devoted entirely to the spreadsheet capability. However, interchange with other programs would be difficult.

iWork has also been criticized due to lack of support of the OpenDocument format.

See also


External links


Mac OS-only software made by Apple Computer | Office suites

Apple iWork | IWork | IWork | IWork | IWork | IWork | IWork | IWork

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "IWork".

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