If Apple's iWork developers aren't already hard at work restoring some of this functionality, they should be, for exactly that reason. Mavericks is plainly aimed at helping people who use Apple devices every day to get the most out the experience - besides the relatively mild interface adjustments and new apps, the underlying operating system has been bolstered to improve efficiency and performance. AppleScript may be techy, but it's pretty democratic - anyone who wants to use it should be able to use it. If you've upgraded to the new releases and you don't like them, you should still be able to use the old ones - albeit with the limitations they've always had, and without the new features like round-trip iCloud support between OS X and iOS.īut this whole issue unveils a more fundamental problem: by neglecting AppleScript support in iWork apps, Apple underserves customers who would otherwise use their products - not just big companies with IT departments, but freelance workers who want to save time, small and medium-sized businesses that benefit from workflow automation tools, and others.
#Iwork apps software#
To be clear, unless you've done something unusual with your iWork installation, you should still have the old apps inside an iWork '09 folder in your Applications folder, and they should still be functional (at least they are in the two machines I've upgraded with the new software - as in all things, your mileage may vary). AppleScript support can be a key differentiator for those customers. It's about getting better results with less process. And for many of them, workflow automation represents improved productivity, better return on investment, and better usability. A lot of people depend on Macs to help run their businesses efficiently.
#Iwork apps mac#
But that lowest common denominator consumer doesn't represent the entire spectrum of Mac users. It's too techy for them, it requires too abstract an understanding of how applications and the system work with one another. It's one less barrier to entry for prospective buyers of new iPads and Macs.Įntry level consumers, by and large, aren't interested in AppleScript. It's much easier to explain that Office isn't included, but Apple's own Office-style apps are (and they're capable of reading and producing Office-compatible files). Up until now, I've had to say no, and then either try to sell them a copy of Office for the Mac or explain to them about the iWork apps and the Mac App Store. "Does this include Office?" is one of the first questions I get from customers who come in looking at the iPad or the Mac. Take a look at this thread about Pages on Apple's discussion site alone to get a sense of what diehard Pages users are saying. But AppleScript and other long-standing features are gone. Getting back to iWork for a moment, clearly the priority on this release wasn't on workflow automation, or making sure iWork apps had every feature and function they did before - it was on aligning the Mac version of iWork much closer with its iOS counterpart, and creating a common user experience that translates well between devices.Īpple's succeeded on that point, and they've made plenty of embellishments to make some users looking for new features and functionality happy.
Perhaps that shouldn't be any terrific surprise, as you're likely to find Office in most business environments, especially corporate locations where IT departments are capable of whipping up and supporting AppleScripts to improve the productivity of the workers they support. The irony is that Microsoft supports AppleScript in Office more thoroughly than Apple does in its iWork apps. Clearly it helps keep Apple on competitive terms for new iPad and Mac owners who are looking for useful productivity software.
#Iwork apps free#
I've never been able to figure out why.Īpple's decision to make iWork apps free with the purchase of new hardware is a shot across the bow of Microsoft, which gives away its Office software on its beleaguered Surface tablet. On balance when it comes to AppleScript, Apple is a somewhat lousy and really inconsistent eater of its own dog food. iWork apps aren't the only Apple-made products that suffer from limited automation support. And as Goble points out, even before now, iWork apps haven't been a shining paragon of AppleScript virtue.
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