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Level 1

4 points

How can we convince Apple to bring back AppleWorks?

I've been using OS 10.7 for a year and a half, and can only run AppleWorks on my old machine - once it gives up the ghost, I won't be able to use it at all. Numbers and Pages are adequate, but they don't have the ease of use and the flexibility of AppleWorks. Ditto for EZDraw (whose text function *****). AppleWorks is lean, efficient, multifaceted, and easy to use - for my money, it's one of the best apps that Apple has ever produced. I'd sure love to see it developed for 10.7 and beyond...

AppleWorks-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Mar 25, 2013 7:24 PM

Best reply

Roger Wilmut1

Level 10

131,158 points

Posted on Mar 26, 2013 12:34 AM

I agree with you about AppleWorks being one of the best programs ever written; I used it myself for many years and it's an impressive combination of power, simplicity and a small footprint - the text rendering is poor but that's the only real problem.

However I'm afraid there is absolutely no chance whatever of Apple bringing it back. They regard Pages and Numbers as replacements, and Bento for databases (though there is no comparison) - Filemaker Pro is the only substitute. The program has been unsupported and not sold for some years now and Apple certainly have no interest in reviving it: this would require rewriting it from the ground up (and I understand there are technical problems as to why the program can't just be upgraded).

There are possibilities to keep running it: you should be able to install Snow Leopard on an external hard disk and start from that (provided that the Mac did not come with anything higher than Snow Leopard originally installed); and success has been reported in running Snow Leopard under emulation in Parallels - the method is described here: it seems complex and I haven't tried it: use at your own discretion.

Otherwise I'm afraid you will just have to get used to using the modern alternatives. This article might give you the odd idea:

http://rfwilmut.net/aw

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32 replies

Oct 17, 2013 6:41 PM in response to PMadryga

Please Apple bring Appleworks back. After ipages continues to ruin my book from pdf to epub, I am now looking for an old powermac just so I can use Appleworks again.I bought this MacBook Pro last year to use ipages, big mistake. I could just cry.

Oct 17, 2013 11:37 PM in response to ziggylepoof

AppleWorks is not coming back. I agree with you that it's a pity, and that it was one of the best computer programs ever written; but you have to be realistic.

Oct 18, 2013 4:18 PM in response to PMadryga

I love AppleWorks, too, and my daily use of it has kept me from upgrading past Mac OS X 10.6.8.

Oct 27, 2013 1:36 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

I would pay $300 (or more) for an upgraded version of AppleWorks that could run on the newest Macs and read and use all my old AppleWorks files.

And I would buy a new Mac in order to use it. In a heartbeat.

Oct 27, 2013 6:52 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

Ronda,

I wholeheartedly agree with you and would jump at the chance to do the same. I too am stuck with 10.6.8 and I suppose will be for life. Having far too many files and documents in WP and SS that cannot be converted because of time constraints. And I have many DataBase files that have nowhere to go without tremendous time and work.

If only Apple would investigate this fabulous opportunity.

Harold

Oct 28, 2013 11:58 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

I would too - but I understand that when Apple switched to the Intel chip it wasn't compatible with Appleworks, nor can it be -

I would be hugely happy if Apple would give us the choice to have a system that used the pre-Intel platform.

Oct 29, 2013 6:37 PM in response to nottinghill novice

You are right Novice but it still worked using Rosetta until Lion 10.7 Then they abandoned the use of it and there went our favorite application. I just wonder how many of us would still use AW if only it worked Lion. As I said before I am so deeply involved with it that I cannot see any way to upgrade. Fortunately I have three Apples and can endure for a few more years.

Harold

fruhulda

Level 6

15,161 points

Oct 31, 2013 10:20 AM in response to Harold Coates

Don't you mean 10.6 Snow Leopard isntead of 10.7 Lion?

Oct 31, 2013 12:28 PM in response to fruhulda

No, it worked under 10.6.8, which I have and no longer works under 10.7. That is when they removed the app Rosetta which converted AW so it would continue to work even with my Intel Mac's.

Harold

fruhulda

Level 6

15,161 points

Oct 31, 2013 10:12 PM in response to Harold Coates

That is what I meant.

Nov 1, 2013 2:35 AM in response to fruhulda

Is it possible to recreate a version of the app ROSETTA as a piece of software that could be tagged to Appleworks to continue its use?

Nov 1, 2013 3:15 AM in response to nottinghill novice

nottinghill novice wrote:

Is it possible to recreate a version of the app ROSETTA as a piece of software that could be tagged to Appleworks to continue its use?

This is not possible. Your best bet is either to install Snow Leopard on an external hard disk and boot from that to run Appleworks (if your machine did not origially come with a higher system than Snow Leopard), or to run Appleworks under emulation in Parallels - the method is described here: it seems complex; however Snow Leopard Server is available in the Apple Store (by telephone) at a reduced price (or it was - I don't know if it still is with the advent of Mavericks) and this makes the process a lot easier. I haven't tried either method: use at your own discretion. You can then run AppleWorks as an emergency measure.

MlchaelLAX

Level 4

2,286 points

Nov 1, 2013 5:15 AM in response to Harold Coates

Harold Coates wrote:

You are right Novice but it still worked using Rosetta until Lion 10.7 Then they abandoned the use of it and there went our favorite application. I just wonder how many of us would still use AW if only it worked Lion. As I said before I am so deeply involved with it that I cannot see any way to upgrade. Fortunately I have three Apples and can endure for a few more years.

Harold

Appleworks running in Snow Leopard Server installed into Paralllels for use in Lion, Mt. Lion (and presumably Maverics):