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Recommendations for a new Mac user?


Emanuel Cardona

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I will be using the Mac primarily for Bible software programs, typing in word documents, searching pdfs, and surfing the internet. Today I downloaded BetterSnapTool and it's amazing for my multitasking purposes. For word documents, I have OpenOffice in my Windows Laptop and would like to have no problems viewing those documents in Mac and vise versa. I am open to suggestions and much better tools. 

Edited by Emanuel Cardona
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You will have pages as a free install on the mac as part of its own office suite. It should work and preview will open your files to view. In page you can save those files as doc or rtf to open on windows box.

 

So you shouldnt struggle, find a file type that works best for you and use that as default. There are slight differences but learn to live with them. There are even differences between word on mac and windows which bug me but i have learnt to live with and be aware of them when producing documents on specific systems.

Edited by ukfraser
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I have been using LibreOffice on Windows, Linux, and MacOS with no problems sharing files across platforms. LibreOffice should have no issues with OpenOffice file formats.

 

Shalom,

Joseph

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I have been using LibreOffice on Windows, Linux, and MacOS with no problems sharing files across platforms. LibreOffice should have no issues with OpenOffice file formats.

 

Shalom,

Joseph

Definitely! LibreOffice works much better with Hebrew (and Syriac and so on) then OpenOffice. We use it in a working group with with Mac and Windows users and we don't have any major problems, although our layout is rather complicated and comprises Hebrew, Syriac, Greek and Latin. LibreOffice opens odt-documents without any problems; some information concerning formatting might get lost, if you open docx-documents. 

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Libreoffice sounds good as you are probably more familiar with its interface. Plus you may want to adopt it on both platforms.

Pages is yet another program to get to grips with a yet another interface.

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Hi Emanuel,

 

I still consider myself a new Mac user. As I look at my Apps, I'd say these are the ones that helped me the most, and amazed me coming from Windows:

 

PopClip - indispensable

Mellel - for any long documents, 1000 pages plus, and it syncs with iOS also

Word for Mac 2016 - they seem to have fixed all Hebrew problems;

            except if you use SBL Hebrew, it doesn't display correctly (neither everywhere in Mellel, I found out)

 

This one seems to work even better in OSX:

 

Scrivener - syncs with iOS also

 

What I'm planning to buy:

 

PDF Expert for Mac - the iOS version is incredible, you can edit with it

            - there is a trial version

 

In the spirit of just offering suggestions, IMHO I do think LO is good, and perfectly adequate for most projects. But I do think Word is a better product than LO, though not a much better project. I think it offers more in terms of desktop publishing, especially with regard to graphics and tables. Also, PopClip doesn't work in LO.

 

Finally, avoid NeoOffice in Sierra for Hebrew.

 

Regards,

 

Michel

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LO and Word users, does at the very least EzraSIL for Hebrew and GentiumPLUS for Greek work fine?

 

Michel, thanks for those suggestions! I am going to check them out.

 

Any suggestions on what has been helpful is welcome.

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Ezra SIL works perfectly. It's what I use. I don't like SBL Hebrew.

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And here is GentiumPlus in Word:

 

post-32543-0-64106600-1498425943_thumb.png

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. . . and GentiumPlus in LibreOffice:

 

post-32543-0-06996200-1498426215_thumb.png

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Mellel -  and it syncs with iOS

 

Scrivener - syncs with iOS also

 

To clarify, Mellel in iOS keeps successive numbered copies of documents with the same title; it doesn't replace them. But you have to manually open them from Dropbox, etc. It acts as a safeguard.

 

After setup, Scrivener documents sync automatically.

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Michel, I see the convenience of the PDF Expert for Mac in my teachings. I am trying out the trial version.

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Here is a smattering of useful apps I touch fairly frequently on my Mac.

 

Übersicht - http://tracesof.net/uebersicht/ for desktop widgets

Wavebox - https://wavebox.io/ as a Gmail desktop client

Magnet (similar to BetterSnap Tool)

Alfred (app launcher)

LastPass (password manager)

aText (text expander)

Brackets (code editor)

Caffeine (keep screen alive for presentations)

FreshBack Mac (changes to desktop backgrounds)

MindNode Pro (mind mapping)

Edited by Michael Hunt
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HyperDock https://bahoom.com/hyperdock/I newer want miss it.

 

And https://www.papyrus.de. Keep an eye on it it will come soon in English. You can try the demo. It's definitely more than just a writing app.  http://www.rom-logicware.com

 

Greetings

 

Fabian

Edited by Fabian
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Here is a smattering of useful apps I touch fairly frequently on my Mac.

 

Übersicht - http://tracesof.net/uebersicht/ for desktop widgets

Wavebox - https://wavebox.io/ as a Gmail desktop client

Magnet (similar to BetterSnap Tool)

Alfred (app launcher)

LastPass (password manager)

aText (text expander)

Brackets (code editor)

Caffeine (keep screen alive for presentations)

FreshBack Mac (changes to desktop backgrounds)

MindNode Pro (mind mapping)

MindNode Pro is very interesting! I seem to only find the paid version, though.

HyperDock https://bahoom.com/hyperdock/I newer want miss it.

 

And https://www.papyrus.de. Keep an eye on it it will come soon in English. You can try the demo. It's definitely more than just a writing app.  http://www.rom-logicware.com

 

Greetings

 

Fabian

I see what you mean about HyperDock. Thank you!

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I would also suggest virtualbox. If you have your original windows disks, you will find windows runs really fast on a mac.

 

;o)

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If you are interested in mind node and sermon preparation you can read Abram K-J's (https://www.accordancebible.com/forums/user/31802-abram-k-j/) article on "How Mind Mapping has Rejuvenated My Sermon Preparation" (see http://www.preachingtoday.com/skills/2016/june/how-mind-mapping-has-rejuvenated-my-sermon-preparation.html?paging=off)

Edited by Michael Hunt
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If you are interested in mind node and sermon preparation you can read Abram K-J's (https://www.accordancebible.com/forums/user/31802-abram-k-j/) article on "How Mind Mapping has Rejuvenated My Sermon Preparation" (see http://www.preachingtoday.com/skills/2016/june/how-mind-mapping-has-rejuvenated-my-sermon-preparation.html?paging=off)

A good reason for my second recommendation http://www.papyrus.de. Because a Mind Note is included and you can link it to the text. And many more.

 

Greetings

 

Fabian

Edited by Fabian
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HI Fabian,

Papyrus Autor looks good. But I remember having a few problems with Hebrew fonts the last time I tried it.

Would you mind posting a screenshot of Hebrew Gen 1,1 (or any verse), with Accordance, Ezra SIL, SBL Hebrew, and Times New Roman fonts (whatever you have) in Papyrus?

Thanks.

Regards,

Michel.
 

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Hi again,

 

I remember the problem now, when I pasted more than one verse, and sometimes with one verse, the text flow changed from rtl to ltr, and back again. Do you experience that problem? I just downloaded the Demo, and pasted Gen 1:1,2, and got this:

 

post-32543-0-68694400-1498526282_thumb.png

 

Have I missed a setting that fixes this?

 

Thanks.

 

Regards,

 

Michel

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Oh, yes you are correct. That behavior is relatively new. I have reported this just right now. I'm sure this will be fixed soon.

 

 

Greetings

 

Fabian

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Hi Fabian,

 

I'm taking a bit of a break this week, so I have more time for the Forums (much to the chagrin of some, I'm sure), and trying out/investigating new things that Members recommend.

 

Just playing with my 1574 page BHS Hebrew file in Papyrus, I can see it is just as fast as, if not faster (hard to tell) than Mellel with large files. It handles scrolling, and edits across those 1000+ pages effortlessly. I can type Hebrew correctly. If they fix the paste issue, I think I will become a user.

 

I have to say though, I'll wait for the English version to come out. I'm not fluent in German, and as I get older, easier is often better.

 

Regards,

 

Michel

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  • 3 weeks later...

Some of the OakTree staff will be in Berlin (Germany) this year. https://www.sbl-site.org/meetings/Internationalmeeting.aspx see also the Accordance Seminars. 

 

R.O.M. Logicware GmbH are located in Berling (Germany) https://www.papyrus.de/impressum/ 

 

This would be a great opportunity to meet one another. 

 

Joel had activated the "Get Verses" feature for Papyrus. It would be great if the ailments with the Hebrew Font could be deleted. Then this would be a great package.

 

 

Greetings

 

Fabian

Edited by Fabian
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Hi again,

 

I remember the problem now, when I pasted more than one verse, and sometimes with one verse, the text flow changed from rtl to ltr, and back again. Do you experience that problem? I just downloaded the Demo, and pasted Gen 1:1,2, and got this:

 

attachicon.gifPA.png

 

Have I missed a setting that fixes this?

 

Thanks.

 

Regards,

 

Michel

Hello Michel

 

Can you please explain a little bit what you had seen? 

 

Greetings

 

Fabian

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Hi Fabian,

 

The Hebrew lines don't wrap correctly. I tried pasting from Accordance, BibleWorks, Logos, and websites, and I tried typing my own Hebrew. It happens whether you paste and match style, or paste as unformatted or RTF text.

 

Two things happen. First, a Hebrew verse fills up a line, and whatever is left over justifies to the left on the next line. Then, the next verse justifies to the right, and fills the line from right to left until it meets the remaining left justified Hebrew from the previous verse. This also happens when I type Hebrew, and add a period. It starts to position and wrap incorrectly.

 

Second, it seems impossible to edit a pasted bit of Hebrew. For instance, if I copy from BW or Logos in verse mode, I can't delete the end of lines and have it wrap correctly. Also, if I type my own Hebrew and go back to edit, when I add or delete something it often affects the justification and wrapping. Totally frustrating actually. I didn't try very long.

 

Here is a sample from Accordance, pasted as unformatted text:

 

post-32543-0-59571000-1500390775_thumb.png

 

Maybe I'm missing something. I there a right text direction setting? I couldn't find it in the help. But every program I use handles Unicode Hebrew correctly without this kind of setting.

 

It's a great program otherwise. I'm always looking for a Unicode multi-platform word processor that can handle a thousand plus page documents. Word can do it, but it is slower than Mellel. Papyrus Autor is as fast as Mellel, and even works in Linux in Wine. If it handled Hebrew correctly, I might change to it for everything.

 

Regards,

 

Michel

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