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When Keynote came out, I called up the manager of the group that developed it, and told him that he'd saved my life. If I'd had to do one more WWDC presentation with PowerPoint, I'd have shot myself.

-jcr

At a point in the future, people will not want to know if something is Windows or Office compatible because Apple will have taken things to the next level that Microsoft can't do.

They will just drop that old school spyware virus infected Windows PC in the trash and get a Mac!

Megalomaniac's Logic

"I doubt what they've done is as rich as PowerPoint. I am PowerPoint. Ergo . . ."

Sep 16, 08 - 03:30 pm Comment from: Jim - TIV

I use it every week. Just for the way it handles video better than ppt is worth the price.

The author rightfully observes that new Mac users usally aren't aware of iWork's existence.

In fact, the situation is worse, many salespeople actually advise Mac switchers (and upgraders alike) to purchase the latest copy of Microsoft Office.

@Jersey_Trader "They will just drop that old school spyware virus infected Windows PC in the trash and get a Mac"

I firmly believe that Macs will replace the pc for most users, but there will always be a place for a boring workhorse in some tasks. The question is whether Microsoft can get their OS on them instead of the safer and more stable Linux.

I've always wondered why Apple don't ship Mac's to commercial customers with iWork included in the price, rather than iLife? It would help with the "Mac's aren't work-oriented" mis-perception.

Sep 16, 08 - 03:40 pm Comment from: Predrag

Oftentimes, Keynote just can't make it into the corporate board room (as there are no Macs of any kind allowed in there). So, I do my presentation in Keynote, export to PPT and deliver in PPT. It is nowhere near as rich, since most of the Keynote features aren't available, but at least I'm the only guy with very cool-looking presentations.

The world has by now learned to recognise, within 80 nanoseconds, a PowerPoint template. There are only about a half dozen decent ones. In Keynote, there are about 30 excellent, usable templates. My presentations always have an unique look.

Hopefully, one day, I'll be able to hook up my own MacBook to that boardroom display. The real thing (meaning, the Keynote) will blow everyone away.

Sep 16, 08 - 03:45 pm Comment from: Demon

iWork is the best Productivity package out on the market today. Keynote is the by Presentation program because 'the cheapest beta and QA tester in the world tests it", while Steve's Keynote is I'm sure ahead of the released version all the extras will get in a release down the road. Steve also uses Pages and Numbers too.
iWork is rock solid and getting better with each release.

Sep 16, 08 - 03:52 pm Comment from: Demon

'I doubt what they've done is as rich as PowerPoint,' said Gates, who added he had not seen Apple's program," reports Reuters

I guess that Microsoft still hasn't looked at Keynote or they would have tried to copy all of Keynote into Powerpoint by now. That or their so stuck on the path that they've laid out that they just can't change it.

Sep 16, 08 - 04:01 pm Comment from: EvilRonin

Uhhh...without getting into the pros and cons of ppt vs Keynote (I have both) I find it hard to take an author seriously who fails a college class because he can't make a good presentation in ppt. Keynote is clearly more polished and easier to use, but this isn't rocket science. Sounds more like a lazy author...

Sep 16, 08 - 04:03 pm Comment from: It's About Time

I did a test run of a Keynote Presentation last week. Had to use a friend's projector. As it turns out he was working on a Powerpoint presentation. When I showed him what Keynote could do, his jaw dropped. "I guess I have to buy a Mac", he said.

Sep 16, 08 - 04:05 pm Comment from: ron

Pedrag, you must work for a stone-age company. Crush the best, just because we can!

Sep 16, 08 - 04:09 pm Comment from: Micro Me

I saw my first Keynote presentation this week. I was impressed. A paradoxical combination of power and subtlety.

However, I'm stuck with PowerPoint, which is the only format accepted by the conferences I present at.

@Demon,
Take a look at the new Office 2008 for Mac. You will see that MS took a long hard look at Pages and Keynote. Word and PPT for Mac is dramatically different from 2003 version. They still make the simplest things difficult, but they are obviously trying.

Sep 16, 08 - 04:15 pm Comment from: TexasAg03

"I doubt what they've done is as rich as PowerPoint." - Bill Gates, Microsoft Chairman, January 8, 2003

Richer than PowerPoint? Can you even use those words in the same sentence?

A crayon and a Big Chief tablet are richer than PowerPoint...

I've just delivered a great (in my opinion) keynote presentation in Poland (I live in the UK). Several delegates at the conference praised the presentation. But all of them were interested in the program that created it, more than the content I presented. I'm going back to PowerPoint.

"However, I'm stuck with PowerPoint, which is the only format accepted by the conferences I present at."

Not really, there is a "crap" button that will export the presentation as a PPT.

Sep 16, 08 - 04:40 pm Comment from: Grifterus

Every time I make a presentation using Keynote everybody asks "what are you using for presentations?"

Keynote is not only way more powerful than Power Point. It's also much easier to use and more flexible.

When you try PowerPoint (I had to adapt some presentations for some Windows based coworkers), it feels like you come from driving a Ferrari to drive a Yugo.

And this is, even with the Mac version of Power Point. I tried the Windows version... man, it felt like driving a bike without a seat.

Sep 16, 08 - 04:45 pm Comment from: Arnold Ziffel

My wife, who creates on-line education courses (oftentimes using Keynote), recently showed a Keynote presentation at the national meeting of an association she works with, and the hotel's IT folks and the audience were amazed at what she was able to create.

Things are a-changing--the IT guys, when they saw her MBP, said "Alright--a Mac!" Those of us Mac diehards well remember when IT people laughed and made fun of us for using Macs. Now, they are slowly getting it...and it's about time.

Thank you, Apple, for saving us from death by PowerPoint. Long live Keynote.

Sep 16, 08 - 04:47 pm Comment from: Micro Me

"Not really, there is a "crap" button that will export the presentation as a PPT."

Yeah I know, but as Predrag pointed out above, you lose a lot of the benefits and features of Keynote if you do that.

We can't get enough good things fast enough - I hope Apple is working on porting iWorks to MobileMe, and make Keynote viewable/project out of the iPhone - then you don't need a Mac to plug into the corporate projector and show off your presentation no matter where you are.

Sep 16, 08 - 05:43 pm Comment from: goobi

First of all I thank Mac Daily News for carrying my write up on Keynote. It was just the initial tip to get the obvious stuff out of the way.

Thanks for checking it out, and I hope you look at the rest of the series.

@evilronin: I did fail my Powerpoint test back in college. Granted I was lazy and had never really bothered studying it. Maybe I was a little overconfident that Powerpoint would be an easy application to get by. Alas, it was not the case. (If it matters, I was working in PowerPoint 2002 I think. I'm way out of college now)

Sep 16, 08 - 05:53 pm Comment from: Cubert

@zaxxon4,

"I firmly believe that Macs will replace the pc for most users, but there will always be a place for a boring workhorse in some tasks."

I know. Games like "How Fast Can My PC get Pwned"

Sep 16, 08 - 05:56 pm Comment from: Cubert

@Predrag,

"Hopefully, one day, I'll be able to hook up my own MacBook to that boardroom display."

Keep pushing, Predrag, keep pushing.

Sep 16, 08 - 05:59 pm Comment from: Cubert

It takes me 2 hours to do something in PowerPoint that takes me 2 minutes to do in Keynote.

Sep 16, 08 - 06:05 pm Comment from: goobi

@cubert: Are you sure you've got that right? I mean, after those 2 hours, is the presentation nearly as slick as Keynote's? :D

For Keynote to gain some serious ground, Apple need to release a player-only version for Windows. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt if they'd update the app somewhat more often either. I mean, editing in Keynote is as unprofessional and backwards as it can possibly be: there still are no layers, there's no way to quickly zoom-in (our out) on a region of interest, you still can't present in a non-linear mode and syncing actions with sounds ie a short swoosh when triggering a transition just can't be done. And in good old-fashioned Apple tradition, there's no way for developers to write any plug-ins for the app either.

Create the best presentation you’ve ever seen with Apple’s Keynote

Make sure it's the BEST, not the glitziest, etc.

PowerPoint is all about the features and stupid special effects.
Keynote is all about the content, and enabling you to present it.

Never forget these!

Sep 16, 08 - 07:01 pm Comment from: MacSmiley

Apple should do the same thing with iWork that it does with iLife... pre-load each Mac with a free, full-working iWork license, to gain awareness, then acceptance... then dominance in the enterprise. Once it gains a foothold, corporations would kiss Apple's feet for delivering them from the license shackles of Microsoft.

Sep 16, 08 - 07:20 pm Comment from: goobi

@careful what we wish for: I sure hope to demonstrate how to make a good 'presentation' (while of course giving out all the possible jazzy things you can do with Keynote). I know there's a lot of times when people are dazzled by the delivery instead of the content, especially when it comes to keynote.

That being said, I really wish MacDailyNews hadn't quoted that part of the post as the title, makes me shiver with the pressure

Sep 16, 08 - 08:24 pm Comment from: MusicDoc

I've used Keynote a multitude of times for presentations in school and at education conferences. People are always amazed at how smooth and professional everything is. Keynote does, indeed, blow Powerpoint out of the pond.
There's a cool site called Keynote Themepark which offers some very classy template themes in addition to the ones included in iWork.

pre-load each Mac with a free, full-working iWork license, to gain awareness, then acceptance... then dominance in the enterprise.

With any luck it'd goad MS to pre-load each Windows install with a free, full-working, non-expiring Office license.

Ballmer would do it too.

Sep 16, 08 - 08:27 pm Comment from: shen

"man, it felt like driving a bike without a seat."

that *is* the windows experience.....

@ Grifterus
"Windows based coworkers"

Is that a politically-correct version of cowboys?

Sep 16, 08 - 10:49 pm Comment from: Grifterus

@zek,

Nah, cowboys are supposed to be cool. Windows users, well....

Plus, I'm not known for being politically correct, hehe!!

Sep 17, 08 - 01:08 am Comment from: KingMel

@nighthealer
I agree that it would make sense to bundle iWork with new Macs, but in addition to iLife, not in place of it. The two are complementary and address different functions.

Sep 17, 08 - 01:09 am Comment from: KingMel

@nighthealer
I forgot to add that you can buy iWork at a discount when you purchase a new Mac. I did.

i'd use keynote but the charts don't include support for error bars. Same with Numbers. At least Powerpoint/Excel anticipate scientific presentations.

Export your Keynote Presentation as a clickable Quicktime movie and you'll have all your transitions and effects even on a Windblows box.

Sep 17, 08 - 06:11 am Comment from: Hm...

"Power corrupts. Powerpoint corrupts absolutely."

I have both Power Point and Keynote. Keynote is far much better and user friendly. I was able to convert my previous PP presentations into keynote. Although I prefer Word and not Pages.

I haven't been able to make a trial run of a Keynote presentation that did not suddenly skip to the last slide when using the remote. It's never predictable, happens at any point and only when using the remote.

I don't know if the problem lies with Keynote 07, my MBP or my remote, but it's aggravating. The remote came with my MBP and is about 7 months old.

Sep 17, 08 - 05:34 pm Comment from: MacLovin

Ok, I'm 16, and I use my MacBook with Keynote for all my presentations at school, everyone is always wowed by how awesome and smooth it looks. They're always like "how the hell did you do that? It was sweet!" (even if its something boring like history

Bush uses Microsoft Office.