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DTP, Design expert Fred Showker takes a look at Apple's new word/page processing program Pages
Pages utilizes an "Inspector" palette reminiscent of Claris HomePage, GoLive and some of the others. Unlike Adobe's confusing and annoying plethora palettes -- which now even require their own separate palette manager, Pages borrows from the more sophisticated context-sensitive "Modification" window of Quark Xpress. So, Pages' context-sensitive Inspector window puts most of the commands you need a simple click away. Apple has also removed the publishing nomenclature and replaced it with instantly recognizable terms. (Yes, it does dumb it down to fifth-grade level. But that's where 90% of the public is anyway, right?) So you no longer adjust tracking or kerning, you simply change character spacing. You no longer have to understand primary or secondary leading -- but rather how much "extra" space between lines or at the end of a paragraph. Virtually all but the most precision fine tuning is easily accessible: alignment, color, line and paragraph spacing, tabs and so forth. Most importantly, the Inspector window offers convenient access to formatting commands affecting the document as a whole, its layout (columns and sections), the size and positioning of graphics and how text wraps around them; formatting control for tables and charts and most other nuances.
Thank goodness Apple developers finally discovered something we've been using in the industry for well over a century -- style sheets. I've lamented for years that there's never been a good word processer that handles styles correctly. They've all tried. That's why I use Quark Xpress for most of my word processing chores. It's the only program that really does styles correctly. Pages almost gets it right -- and gets closer than most other programs. Best of all, the process of applying styles has been simplified. Rather than tedious steps you can simply click -- or even copy/paste.
Pages has incorporated an easy, intuitive interface for creating price lists, product specifications, photo collages, stock portfolios, schedules or progress reports. It uses tables to organize and structure everything. (Most of the time the tables are hidden behind the scenes.) Along with tables of data or information, you'll find an easy-to-use charts generator as well. Just insert a chart and enter your data in the Chart Data Editor -- then click to create any of six different types of charts.
So far, this first look has sounded like software for the fifth-grader, or the convenience store employee on the corner. Many of you are probably saying any software can do that. An important test would be if power users can find usefulness in Pages? I think so.
Okay, Pages is wonderful for pretty pictures and decoration. After all, Apple's trademark is making anyone look good, right? "If you really don't have anything important to say, then decorate it and no one will notice." So, while Apple is putting the emphasis on inserting pictures, movies, and even iTunes, (So you can impress all your fifth-grade friends!) it has quietly included some power-user tools that only us adults can appreciate.
Power users and most professional designers are more interested in message and structure than decoration. In fact, the best designed documents don't need decoration at all. If you create structured documents with multiple chapters or sections, facing pages and headers and footers that change throughout the document, you can do it in Pages. In fact, if you take a liking to developing templates, you'll be able to structure inner pages, chapter starts, and any number of alternative layouts and variations. It's easy!
One thing that has plagued the design industry for years is generating Tables of Contents and indices. While Pages is not the end-all to that quest, it does a fine job of accommodating structural elements. Pages has a TOC tab in the Document Inspector where you set up all the paragraph styles you want to appear in the Table of Contents. The sweet part is that Pages will track and index everything automatically. It is simply amazing how easy it is -- use the Insert menu and choose Table of Contents. Presto, this tedious operation is all completed for you -- and your contents appear. You'd have to pay over $500 for software that does this for you.
As I worked through several different publication scenarios there were too many features missing, or misbehaving for me to write them all down. Here are just a few:
One obvious condition is the overall lack of key-commands or shortcuts throughout. Using the program is nearly 100% mousing. So, for most efficient productivity, the user should avoid design and styling on-the-fly -- concentrate on copy/content first and style/design later. Except no one will do that since the program encourages design-on-the-fly. Mouse oriented programs are always take more time.
Key commands for styles would be really nice, particularly if the document is long, and the text has been imported. Apple has given some tricks for facilitating intricate styling, but keystroke shortcuts would be wonderful. (RSG had this in version 1 nearly two decades ago.) Thank goodness the change/update feature works -- it's a lifesaver.
An "apply" button in the Inspector palette would help! (If you hit the "enter" key to confirm your changes, you run the risk of deleting the object you just styled! In fact, Apple warns you about this in the documentation -- a feature in direct opposition of Apple's own interface guidelines.)
While Pages imports and exports virtually the whole spectrum of file types, there are some pitfalls. At last, we get a fairly reliable import of those annoying dot-doc files the Windows people insist on spreading. Pages even exports to the dot-doc format. But don't expect to seriously get what you see. Additionally, as Pages does import all manner of JPG, GIF, TIF, EPS photos and graphics, but it defaults to iPhoto. If you're like many others who design pages, and have collections of clip art or stock photography other than iPhoto, you'll have to go hunting.
The list could go on a bit, but really, if you didn't know about the features the program should have, it won't be a problem -- you won't miss them.
For 95% of the computing public today, Pages can be the wrap-around solution to word processing and document production. Many, many users will be able to drop Word or InDesign or Quark the very next time their manufacturers ask for upgrade money. Many other users will just say no to over-bloated, over-rated software and dump the others now. Apple has done a commendable job of including everything that should be there, while omitting (or hiding) everything that shouldn't be there. In true Apple tradition, following iPhoto, iMovie iTunes and Keynote, they've candy-coated Pages in a wonderfully inviting and easy-to-use interface. This first version is so well put together, it will be exciting to see what they add and how they upgrade it for future versions.
As I said, this is my first real look. As I dig deeper in to Pages, I'll be passing along more insights -- good or bad -- about this new publishing program. At first look however, if you don't need high-end pre-press capabilities, and you're not publishing newspapers, phone books or encyclopedias, then Pages on the Mac could be a home run. An added bonus is the newly updated version of Keynote -- the world's best presentation software -- with lots of new features including DVD export!
Yes, you can probably do all this with the software you already own -- it just won't be as easy, as fun, or as good-looking! For seventy-five bucks, what have you got to lose? Zip on over to Apple, or get a discount from your favorite software vendor and pick up a copy of Pages! Seriously.
Until next time, happy mousing.
Thanks for reading...
Fred Showker, Editor/Publisher UG Net News
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