iWork '06 Wishlist - Keynote, Pages, Numbers?

[Epicurus]

I would be happy if Pages was as easy to use as my 1994 copy of MS Publisher Ver. 2.0

True...

Come to think of it, Pages could learn a lot from Publisher. For one thing, Publisher has to exist in a lineup right alongside Word, and yet it still exists. If Pages could take a page from Publisher (and a few from Visio/OmniGraffle with respect to flow charts and the like), it would be very nice.

 

[dogsbody]

...a wider selection of pictures and objects for Keynote (like those found in /Library/Application Support/Keynote/Image Library). Having a set of chess pieces is nice, but how about images of PowerBooks or iPods or other computer related objects....

Was this an example of something you'd like, or should I actually have a folder called Image Library in that location with pictures and objects for keynote in it?

I can't find it!

 

[Epicurus]

Was this an example of something you'd like, or should I actually have a folder called Image Library in that location with pictures and objects for keynote in it?

I can't find it!

I've got a folder there, though it might be a reminant of my Keynote 1.0 installation.

Do a spotlight search for "objects.key", "pictures.key", or "flags.key".

 

[Chacala_Nayarit]

How about a relational database application? Seems silly not to have a database with a spreadsheet and text processor.

 

[Bear]

How about a relational database application? Seems silly not to have a database with a spreadsheet and text processor.

Filemaker.

 

[fklehman]

When I sampled Pages at my local Apple Store I couldn't find a way to get it to use endnotes instead of footnotes. Does Pages offer endnoting? If not, that's my wish.

 

[Epicurus]

How about a relational database application? Seems silly not to have a database with a spreadsheet and text processor.

FileMaker is the "go to" database app for the Mac. It'd be cool if Apple would make an "Express" flavor of FileMaker and bundle it with iWork. Maybe Numbers is just that, if they built the app with FileMaker as a starting point. FileMaker is a little different though, since it isn't really under the Apple umbrella like Keynote is.

 

[GorillaPaws]

I want templates in Pages of different style manuals for research papers. One would be for MLA, one for APA, one for Chicago, and I think their may be a couple more. They'd probably have to pay the respective orgs. a cut or something but it'd be worth it. Right now, the template designed for this is just a really pretty paper w/ lots of pics-- Great for middle school where you don't have stds. to meet, but in highschool, college, grad school etc. these are the REQUIRED stds. And no, you don't get extra credit for pretty pictures in college.

Another helpful thing would be a standard form for author, title, volume, page#, date published etc... and you'd fill in the forms for all of your sources, select which style you're using, and then Pages would construct a bibliography using the proper formatting/alphabetizing. It woulds save sooo much time when you're trying to pound out that paper w/ 20mins to spare. What do you guys think?

 

[Epicurus]

I want templates in Pages of different style manuals for research papers. One would be for MLA, one for APA, one for Chicago, and I think their may be a couple more....

Another helpful thing would be a standard form for author, title, volume, page#, date published etc... and you'd fill in the forms for all of your sources, select which style you're using, and then Pages would construct a bibliography using the proper formatting/alphabetizing. It woulds save sooo much time when you're trying to pound out that paper w/ 20mins to spare. What do you guys think?

This is why I think LaTeX is just a tempting idea: simple standards for all major styles, plus built-in (via BibTeX) bibliographies. But enough of that...

More professional/academic templates would be nice, especially ones conforming to known standards. Built-in reference tracking/bibliography generation would be a welcome addition. Apple would have to keep these features buried for most of Pages' users since they seem to be positioning is as more of a graphically intense document editor. I'd kind of like to see Apple's take on these features, though.

 

[dogsbody]

I've got a folder there, though it might be a reminant of my Keynote 1.0 installation.

Do a spotlight search for "objects.key", "pictures.key", or "flags.key".

It sounds like it may be a remnant. I can't find any of those files using Spotlight and I've checked the Install DVD from iWork and it doesn't have an option to install extras...

Shame, because the chess pieces might have been quite pleasant. Ah well...

Thanks for the reply though, physics_gopher.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I think the problem people are having with Pages is in thinking of it as a substitute for InDesign or even Publisher. Obviously, it isn't. I've been thinking of it (and using it) as a word processor and I am for the most part quite happy with the approach Apple has taken with this application. Could it be improved? Naturally. But I think for a 1.0 product, it's already pretty good. For me at least, it's retired AppleWorks -- and not a moment too soon.

As for price, I'd suggest that the natural comparison is between iWork and PowerPoint. The latter costs around $200 purchased alone and $500 if purchased with Office. So somehow I can't work up much righteous indignation over paying $79 for iWork.

 

[Epicurus]

i was watching Jobs' presentation for the new iMacs and iPods, trying to get a feel for what might be coming in Keynote 3. I noticed that, in addition to several new transitions, the use of glossy reflections beneath objects was also used. I'm sure there's a way to do this in the current Keynote if I did some prep work with Photoshop or Fireworks. Keynote 3 could either address this directly by adding a Reflection option to the current Shadow feature or it could add a gradient option to the current Transparency feature. I think I remember there being a workaround/theme that does this now...

 

[swindmill]

I would like Pages to be as good of a note taker as Word. One mandatory feature to accomplish this would be to allow the tab key to (increase and decrease) indent bulleted and numbered lists. Another needed feature would be a document spell check, so that you don't have to cntrl click every mispelled word. I would also like to see something like Autocorrect, but I assume this would be limited by the fact that Pages uses OS X spell-checker (that actually may not be a fact, I'm just assuming it).

 

[QuarterSwede]

I think the problem people are having with Pages is in thinking of it as a substitute for InDesign or even Publisher.

I think the problem people are having is thinking it isn't. Pages seems to be a substitute for Publisher ... just look at all the templates. It certainly isn't a word processor. The only thing you can't do (which Publisher does very well) is make cards, etc ... and that is the one thing keeping me from buying it.

 

[aafuss1]

A new year is coming and with it a new iteration of iWork (and iLife). Personally I use Keynote a lot and have high hope for the next version. Pages was a real disappointment, so there is a lot of room to be made up. Also, there is a good amount of buzz around a spreadsheet app being added (Numbers). So what do you want to be added to iWork '06?

Keynote 3
Watching Jobs' last few presentations I've noticed new transitions not included in Keynote 2 (like a vertical blinds transition). I'd like to see some new standard themes in Keynote 3 as well. Once feature that isn't really supported out of the box is decent iPod integration. By this I mean being able to load a Keynote presentation onto an iPod and then use the iPod AV outputs to run the slideshow with a projector. With the new remote control and dock, this should be a little easier (although having an IR remote might not be the best option). Since the new iPod support video, this sort of Keynote-iPod integration should also support animated transitions.

Motion graphics and moving templates would also be a welcome addition to Keynote, especially for kiosk displays. Being able to add animated text (flashing, wiggling, changing fonts randomly, etc.) would be cool too. These features might not be great for formal presentations, but they would be a welcome addition. Basic equation support via a LaTeX 3rd party app is fine the way it is, but integrated support for LaTeX equations (and possibly more) would be great. Beyond a new assortment of themes and transition, a wider selection of pictures and objects for Keynote (like those found in /Library/Application Support/Keynote/Image Library). Having a set of chess pieces is nice, but how about images of PowerBooks or iPods or other computer related objects.

Number 1
As for Numbers, basic spreadsheet features are a must. The graphing/plotting features included in Keynote now are just too limited. Beyond simply mirroring Excel, though, Numbers should be able to call upon the graphing capabilities of the Grapher app already part of OS X. This would allow Numbers to work with discrete data sets like Excel and functions like Mathematica (although probably not nearly as well on either front given this would be a version 1 product). Hopefully, though, Apple learned its lesson about releasing software before its ready after Pages all but killed iWork '05.

Pages 2
Pages needs the most work. I'm voting for more LaTeX support for text layout (buried underneath a standard Apple GUI, of course), tight integration with Numbers for graphs, plus better Word importing/exporting. the .doc format has moved to XML and is more open now, so support should be easy to add. Pages could also benefit from a larger template library. Keynote has the benefit of a large user community creating new themes every day, but Pages is left out of this. Apple needs to step in and fill the gap.

Even with a new app like Numbers, I really hope iWork '06 stays under $99 (or at $79 like now if possible). I already have a feeling that iLife might hit $99 if they add a remote, and I don't like how that bodes for iWork.

Hybird version-Intel and PPC.
Keynote-some edu. orientated, Authorware like features and a show on the go (a viewer for Windows users)-ala Presentations on the PC.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I think the problem people are having is thinking it isn't. Pages seems to be a substitute for Publisher ... just look at all the templates. It certainly isn't a word processor. The only thing you can't do (which Publisher does very well) is make cards, etc ... and that is the one thing keeping me from buying it.

Huh, then I must be making a mistake using Pages as a word processor. Silly me.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I would like Pages to be as good of a note taker as Word. One mandatory feature to accomplish this would be to allow the tab key to (increase and decrease) indent bulleted and numbered lists. Another needed feature would be a document spell check, so that you don't have to cntrl click every mispelled word. I would also like to see something like Autocorrect, but I assume this would be limited by the fact that Pages uses OS X spell-checker (that actually may not be a fact, I'm just assuming it).

What do you mean, control-click every word to spell check? That's not necessary at all!

And count me as a vote against auto-correct, one of Word's more annoying "features." The last thing I want is a computer telling me what it thinks I meant to write.

 

[Bear]

...
More professional/academic templates would be nice, especially ones conforming to known standards.
...

Templates do not have to come from Apple. You could design your own. And there have been templates released by various people.

For all you know, the template you want could already exist. Or there could be one that's close enough to be an easy modification to what you want.

 

[Bear]

What do you mean, control-click every word to spell check? That's not necessary at all!

I think swindmill means they don't want to have to click on every misspelled word. They should learn to spell better. What swindmill should od is use Edit->Spelling->Spelling... which will bring up a standard spelling checker dialog if they're too lazy to control-click.

And count me as a vote against auto-correct, one of Word's more annoying "features." The last thing I want is a computer telling me what it thinks I meant to write.

Frequently the auto-correct function totally fouls up and then you have to remember what word you really meant to be there. So I agree with you on this.

 

[joed]

I use Keynote at work for our directors presentations - generally overseas.

Keynote 2 is good, but seems a bit too childish and limited in how far it goes.

Some of the major features I'd like include:
1. Mask to ANY shape (not just a standard square)
2. Styles, as in for text and also for slide settings and transition settings
3. Scale a group - seems so obvious!

i have others on my website if anyone is interested macwishlist

Oh, and we NEVER use Pages. Really seems like half an app.

 

[Epicurus]

For all you know, the template you want could already exist. Or there could be one that's close enough to be an easy modification to what you want.

Existence is one thing, convenience is another. More professional/academic templates may exist out there somewhere, but that doesn't mean that Apple shouldn't bundle them with the shipping product. Apple prides itself on being a "systems" company, developing a product from all sides, and making a complete package. If half the features I want are only available from 3rd party plugins and templates, then Apple isn't doing what it set out to do.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Oh, and we NEVER use Pages. Really seems like half an app.

Yeah, the good half.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Existence is one thing, convenience is another. More professional/academic templates may exist out there somewhere, but that doesn't mean that Apple shouldn't bundle them with the shipping product. Apple prides itself on being a "systems" company, developing a product from all sides, and making a complete package. If half the features I want are only available from 3rd party plugins and templates, then Apple isn't doing what it set out to do.

Templates are really pretty easy to create in Pages. Within a couple of hours of installing iWork (starting from knowing nothing about Pages) I created several standard report and memo templates for our business, with placeholder text, styles, etc. In fact what I'd like to be able to do is switch the canned templates with the one's I've created as the default list when starting a new document. I think this can probably be accomplished with some manual tweaking in the library files, but I'd rather not do it that way.

 

[Josh]

If Microsoft can include Access with the Office Suite, Apple should include File Maker w/ iWork.


It would cost me more to get iWork (only Pages and Keynote 2) + FileMaker than it would to buy the entire Office Suite for Windows.

 

[dogsbody]

Give me a P! Give me an A! Give me a G!

Yeah, the good half.

I back you 100% on this - I love Pages and I've found it brilliant for laying out assignments for my students and creating a booklet of photos and quotes for a local Special Needs school. The printers were pretty impressed with the quality when I gave them the PDF copy on CD...(that's not my trumpet being blown, it's Apple's)