I have an AppleWorks database, which is one of iWorks weaknesses and the last reason several of us still use AppleWorks. I have some people who insist on beating themselves with chains and want it converted to Access, which Microsoft also doesn’t provide on the Mac side. Ideas on how to do this. My wife (who owns this database) and I really recommend that our target use Quicken or QuickBooks instead (as it’s really a check register), but for now they own neither product.

Ideas? I was thinking about giving Bento a try, but my wife doesn’t like the idea of spending anything for this conversion project. Export for databases is very limited in AppleWorks, a version 6 issue if I remember correctly.

And one thing you may have not taken into account is a little something called SproutCore, as discussed a lot here recently, which may well be Apple’s greatest gift to Google (and everyone backing an open internet)…

I have spoken to a number of editors at Oreilly and they have confirmed to me that the software used primarily for long documents is FRAMEMAKER.

As for the reason people do not switch from Word – it is human nature. We are always conformatable with our own sanctuary and generally we prefer not to go out of the boundaries. A few brave souls will try. There is very little that is offered across by other products relatively speaking to Microsoft Word and there is no justification to switch. Take the case of Louts Symphony – IBM is really working very hard to clean up the software and present it as a viable option for business users but the consumers are just not ready to move. People do not just wake up one day and decide they want to switch OS Platforms or applications – there must be solid justififcation to do so. Howsever, this does not imply that other products and development should stop. On the contrary development should continue.

I can see some things that PAGE has implemented cleverly like tables etc but it is not adequate enough to justify to switch. Further more, these titles such as PAGES and NUMBERS are at a very early stage of development with respect to functionality and features. As you stated – you have been using word since 1986 that is more than 20 years and that itself is an attestation that the software has matured to some extent and will continue to do so.

Office 2007 is on a league of its own – and Microsoft has not stood still. Microsoft Office LIVE is way ahead of the game – keep an eye on it.

http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech/Vol.02/02.02/Feb86Mousehole/index.html

That’s the only other on-target Google hit I found besides for this very comments thread on “Kensh Rutha”. No doubting you guys’ old timer hacker cred! :D

I owned some computer stores in that era… MSFT was screwin’ us back then (too):

1) we promote the new MS stuff & MSFT direct sells to end users before shipping to resellers… all our signups bought direct!

2) the store needed to buy every sales person a copy (full wholesale) of word just to demo to customers…

Kensh Rutha saved our (and MSFT’S) bacon.

Ha! ResEdit rules eh? I’m sure you would never have done anything inappropriate.

Some old hands here, feels good, don’t have to feel so old!

Do da name “Kensh Rutha” srtike a familiar note?

:)