iWork '11 or Office '11?

Hi All,

I've just read that Apple has launched iLife '11. I'm a student and need to prepare presentations and write essays a lot! I was thinking of a few things and wanted to know if you guys can help me out:

1) Should I buy iWork or Office?

2) If I buy iWork now, what happens if Apple launches iWork '11 soon?

3) Microsoft has an offer that if I buy Office '08 before the 30th of November, I get a free upgrade to Office '11. Will this really work?
(Office for Mac)

4) With my students discount, I can buy iWork '09 today at a price of £35 whereas Office '08 costs me £99.

P.S: Microsoft has just launched Office '11 at a price of £109!

Please Help.

I'd definitely recommend using the search function. This topic has been discussed many times before and you'll find lots of good information.

Make your decision simple...and forget about all of the extenuating details that may be confusing you.

Just buy the lowest cost software package that gets the job done.

HTH,

- Nick

First up check with your lecturers and make sure you know in what format they want your work submitted. It does happen some will want Word format only and refuse to accept anything else no matter how well the applications may or may not work with each other.

Do not purchase one and then find you will need the other. iWork did not in earlier versions handle spreadsheet conversions at all well.

schweb said:

I'd definitely recommend using the search function. This topic has been discussed many times before and you'll find lots of good information.

Click to expand...

And I would definitely recommend providing these other links. Which I will do.

Review: Microsoft's Office 2011 for Mac
AppleInsider | Review: Microsoft's Office 2011 for Mac

Microsoft’s latest Office 2011 for Mac productivity suite, which goes on sale tomorrow, promises to deliver better compatibility with the company’s Windows version of Office and corporate server products, while also presenting a revised user interface both familiar to Mac users and similar to the company’s Ribbon interface used in Windows.

Click to expand...

A very detailed review worth reading.

And it seems an iwork 11 is not going to come anytime soon from my research. But year ilife 09 is still very good. I'd recommend it. Both iwork09 and office11 have their good and bad points. Neither is perfect. So you need to pick the one which suits you the best.

schweb said:

I'd definitely recommend using the search function. This topic has been discussed many times before and you'll find lots of good information.

Click to expand...

Hi Schweb,
I did go through other posts which only answered my 1st question. My other 3 questions are more specific to me. Thanks.

pigoo3 said:

Make your decision simple...and forget about all of the extenuating details that may be confusing you.

Just buy the lowest cost software package that gets the job done.

HTH,

- Nick

Click to expand...

The lowest technically is iWork '09. But I'm not yet convinced. :-(

Its a good point. Generally they prefer .doc or .docx for essays and .ppt or .pptx for presentations. Thank You.

shail422 said:

Hi Schweb,
I did go through other posts which only answered my 1st question. My other 3 questions are more specific to me. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Ok so here's your other 3 questions:

2. No one knows the answer and Apple hasn't even announced iWork 11
3. Why would it not work? You think Microsoft is going to defraud people?
4. Is not a question

For your your first question there's tons of great info available in the forum if you do a search first. After you read through it, definitely follow-up with specific questions about the software!

jtdolphins said:

Ok so here's your other 3 questions:

2. No one knows the answer and Apple hasn't even announced iWork 11
3. Why would it not work if Microsoft says that's how it works?
4. Is not even a question

For your your first question there's tons of great info available in the forum if you do a search first. After you read through it, definitely follow-up with specific questions about the software!

Click to expand...

Thank You.
I guess I'll buy myself a copy of iWork '11.