iWork '09: The Missing Manual

Two Programs in One

For all its emphasis on creating gorgeous documents, Pages recognizes that writing is a very different activity than page layout. Pages offers one mode for text-intensive projects, and another for creating more extravagant multimedia designs, as shown in Figure 1-1. This gives Pages an unusual but highly functional split personality: Pages is essentially two programs in one, and when you fire up a new document, you choose the one you prefer for the job at hand.

Figure 1-1. Pages gives you two different modes to work in. Top: Word-processing mode puts the focus on your words, for text-intensive projects. Bottom: Page-layout mode lets you juggle complex designs, combining text and graphics into stunning results.

Meet Pages, the Word Processor

Pages’ workhorse word processor puts your text in the spotlight, providing an uncluttered workspace where you can get your thoughts onscreen with a minimum of fuss. Pages doesn’t reinvent the wheel here; if you’ve ever used a word processor before, this will feel familiar. Here the program gives you one big text area where you type a single, continuous chunk of text, adjusting font styles and formatting as you go. The word processor gives you plenty of options to augment your text with images, tables, and charts, but the emphasis remains on your words. From quick to-do lists to opus-length manuscripts, the text itself is the main ...