A Month with a Mac: A Die-Hard PC User's Perspective
by Anand Lal Shimpi on October 8, 2004 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Mac
Microsoft Office
And now we get to my least favorite part of my Mac experience; that is, with Microsoft Office 2004. While I read that many Mac users heralded Office 2004 as an improvement to the previous version of Office for the Mac platform, it doesn't even begin to hold a candle to Office 2003 on the PC or just about any previous version of Office.
A number of my initial complaints about Office for the Mac have been resolved with Office 2004, but the most significant one remains: Office 2004 is an unacceptably slow application. On the PC side, we often talk about why anyone would need a Hyper Threaded 3.6GHz Pentium 4 for typing in Word, but on the Mac, I would do anything for something to make Word more responsive. While I'm assuming that the problem isn't hardware related (I find it hard to believe that the G5 processor has inherent problems with Microsoft Word), it may be a combination of hardware and software, as I have already mentioned that simple things like scrolling do not happen as fast as they should under OS X.
Simple things like bolding a word are ever so slightly slower under Office for the Mac than under Windows; you wouldn't notice it if your first experience with Office was on the Mac, but coming from a Windows user's perspective, it can drive you crazy.
Office is also the only application, which I've used on the Mac, that does not have a plethora of keyboard shortcuts associated with anything but the most common commands. Even Office 2003 for Windows has more keyboard shortcuts than the Mac version; maybe Microsoft's Office Mac team view OS X as little more than a beginner's OS?
Thankfully, compatibility with its Windows counterpart remains top notch; although, I occasionally forget to append an extension to files that I save, making for an interesting time when emailing them to Windows computers (I usually get an email back to the tune of "all I got was a .dat file").
There are clear differences between the Mac and Windows Office interface that are seemingly unnecessary because the changes made to the Mac version don't exactly make the suite fit in any better with OS X as the application still feels very un-Mac-like. Instead, it seems that the changes to Office were made for the sake of making the suite different than its Windows counterpart, which doesn't make much sense at all to me.
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webchimp - Friday, October 8, 2004 - link
When you compared multitasking performance on a Mac to a Windows PC, was the Windows PC also a dual processor machine?One of the major benefits of multiple processors is multitasking performance and it would be unfair to compare a single processor PC to a multi processor PC regardless of the particular CPU and OS.
insomn - Friday, October 8, 2004 - link
"When writing an article (especially big NDA launches), I'd have around 20 IE windows open"IE?
www.getfirefox.com
20 IE windows = 1 firefox window.
CindyRodriguez - Friday, October 8, 2004 - link
I'll try to only comment on the big stuff.Anand doesn't get the application install process at all. He's overthinking it way too much. Things don't have to be 'windows complicated' in OS X.
In a drag and drop install, you aren't copying the "Application Installer" over to the hard drive. You're actually copying the Application its self over.
Applications in OS X are actually bundles. They appear as binaries but they are actually directories with a hidden .app suffix on them. Select any OS X native App and control-click or rightclick on it. A contextual menu will pop up, select "Show Package Contents". This is the whole application.
Contrary to what Mr. Shimpi said, there is no process were files are auto-magically copied to hidden and forbiden regions of your hard drive when you copy an application bundle from the installer disk to your hard drive. The application is entirely selfcontained so you are actually dragging everything over in one fell swoop. There is no disconnect because what you see in the install is what you get, a simple copy. OS X bundles are actually incredibly elegant ways to package applications.
Some applications do require some additional files to be installed into the OS and this is where Anand was getting confused. Not all application installs in OS X are simple drag-drops. Many use more familiar installer shells. Some Drag and Drop installs also contain self repairing, Office is one example. Though the install is simply a copy, the application does require some files (like fonts for example) to be installed into the OS. This occurs when the application is first run, not when you copy the application over. On subsequent launches, if any of the required support files have been removed, they are reinstalled in much the same way. This is also a very nice feature.
Chuckles - Friday, October 8, 2004 - link
With regard to your trouble opening folders and applications using the keyboard:Command-o opens whatever you have highlighted. I had never heard of Command-Shift-Down Arrow opening stuff before this.
CindyRodriguez - Friday, October 8, 2004 - link
Argh.. I could only get through the first two pages before I was ready to pull my hair out.* The article is outdated even though it was published today. Apple rev'ed that machine in July.
* G5s are expensive but so are similarly configured PCs. A dual opteron or dual Xeon from a real vendor with a real warranty will cost you just as much or more than the G5. I've actually spec'ed out dual G5s next to dual Xeons and dual Opterons and contrary to what Mr. Shimpi says.. do don't get "much more". Do it your self everyone.. but remember that a dual 2GHz isn't a $3K computer anymore.
* Your overview of the Mac on page 2 is wrong. Apple didn't ship a Radeon 9600. The rev one shipped with a Radeon 9600Pro. That may seem like picking nits.. but I bet you'd consider is significant if I offered you a free 9600Pro or a free 9600 but not both.
* Anand tells us in Page 2 to look at the specs to see how mediocre they are.. but he forgets to remind us that this computer is a Rev 1, not a rev 2.
* Anand apparently didn't bother to look at Apple's new DVI monitors. He asserts that you loose the cable clutter cutting benefits of ADC but this isn't true. There is STILL only one cable to the DVI monitor. The cable breaks out to power/usb/dvi at the computer end.. in fact, Apple's new cable now includes firewire.
* Once again, to pick nits.. the mouse cable on an apple mouse is short to plug into the keyboard not the monitor. Apple keyboards have always had pass through ports for the mouse.
I'll try to trudge through the rest when I get time.. but it's pretty painful so far.
knutp - Friday, October 8, 2004 - link
Sure there is a 2004 version of the Office pacage. Remember that this is a version only suited for Mac OS.http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/A...
KutterMax - Friday, October 8, 2004 - link
One aspect not touched on in the review is some of the other applications included with the G5, that being iMovie, iPhoto, and iDVD.I'm a PC user but my wife has her own G5. She does a lot of work with digital photography and video and uses these apps a ton. They seem to work really well and integrate nicely together. $3000 is a lot to justify for a machine, but certainly these apps add some value. Further, an iMac G5, which would be about half the price, would also include these same apps and provides a little more value for the money (but only a single processor).
ksherman - Friday, October 8, 2004 - link
the current version of the MS Office is 2003, not 2004... But a very god article indeed... Though i dont think ill be slapping down $3000 down for anything except a down payment on a car! :) I do agree that the slow downs that exist are crazy, given such an expensive computer. The fact that over 1GB memory is practically REQUIRED is a bit of an annoyance. But thats the price for a sexy OS!sgd2z - Friday, October 8, 2004 - link
ThatGuyPSU - Friday, October 8, 2004 - link
Thanks, Provia. I realized that after I hit Post Comment. Regardless, MS Office 2004 for the PC doesn't exist and probably won't since we're just about at the end of 2004. If anything, you'll see an MS Office 2005.