Product Description

With iWork '09, Apple's productivity applications have come of age. Unfortunately, their user guides are stuck in infancy. That's where "iWork '09: The Missing Manual" comes in. This book quickly guides you through everything you need to know about the Pages word-processor, the Numbers spreadsheet, and the Keynote presentation program that Al Gore and Steve Jobs made famous. Friendly and entertaining, "iWork '09: The Missing Manual" gives you crystal-clear and jargon-free explanations of iWork's capabilities, its advantages over similar programs - and its limitations. You'll see these programs through an objective lens that shows you which features work well and which don't. With this book, you will: produce stunning documents and cinema-quality digital presentations; take advantage of Mac OS X's advanced typography and graphics capabilities; learn how to use the collection of themes and templates included with iWork; get undocumented tips, tricks, and secrets for each program; and, integrate with other iLife programs to use photos, audio, and video clips. Learn why iWork is the topic most requested by Missing Manual fans. One of the few sources available on Apple's incredible suite of programs, "iWork '09: The Missing Manual" will help you get the best performance out of Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and more in no time.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15135 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 888 pages

About the Author
Josh Clark is a writer, designer, and developer who helps creative people get clear of technical hassle to share their ideas with the world. When he's not writing about clever design and humane software, he's building it. Josh is the creator of Big Medium, friendly software that actually makes it fun to manage a Web site. In a previous life, Josh worked on a slew of national PBS programs at Boston's WGBH. He shared his three words of Russian with Mikhail Gorbachev, strolled the ranch with Nancy Reagan, and wrote trivia questions for a primetime game show. Now Josh makes words and spins code at his hypertext laboratory globalmoxie.com in Paris, France, where he lives with his wife Ellen.

Customer Reviews

Not just a handbook
After many years using all the various editions of Windows and MS Office I moved over to an iMac and Apple software last year. Although the Apple software, such as iWork, is very intuitive and allows the user to just plunge in and start using it, I was aware that my inexperience with Apple products was a limitation. So when iWork was updated to the '09 version I decided to buy "The Missing Manual". I have previously bought other Missing Manuals, such as the one for Photoshop Elements and have always found them very good. I was not disappointed with the iWork '09 one and it has already increased my knowledge and abilities with the software. Yes, it can be used as a manual and just dipped into for the relevant topic but these books are written in such a readable style that it is worth going right through them. Because the Apple products are so integrated and standardised what is learned for one is often applicable across the whole range. I certainly recommend this book.

Handy Pal!
Missing Manual works have proven to be of first class assistance in mastering new applications in the past. As an iMac owner, I cannot speak too highly of them. The iWork '09 volume is no exception to the rule. Its beautifully illustrated A-Z approach makes sophisticated Mac applications so simple. I am extremely grateful for the discounted Amazon version and I am going to take my time and enjoy getting to grips with the range of new tools provided by this application.

Treat yourself!

A Comprehensive Guide
First of all, it has to be said that Apple do provide manuals for the three applications that make up iWork, they are supplied on the DVD and are also downloadable from the Apple web site. For this edition they are fairly comprehensive and may be all that is required.

I should also point out that this edition is a new book by a different author to the previous iWork 05 Missing Manual that was published some years ago; it's not just an update which is often the case with software user guides.

Just under half the book is concerned with Pages, the word processor and page layout program. The coverage is comprehensive of the features offered and how they can be used is well described, it's not just a list of the functions by menu. There are many illustrations although the printing could have been better; colour would have been ideal but even in monochrome they should be clearer, the paper quality may be the villain.

The rest of the book is split between Keynote and Numbers, the presentation and spreadsheet applications. I don't use these programs on a regular basis so have not referenced these sections as much as the Pages pages but they seem to also be covered in detail. For Keynote I've found the iWork manual in the Apple Training series to be useful, these take you through a project step by step but by their nature they don't cover all the program's features.

Missing Manuals have a missing CD which is a reference to a web site. In this case I was disappointed by the content. I had expected to find the documents used for the book but only found links to other sites.