Nima Yousefi's Equinox of Insanity

iWork ‘08 Sucks Scientifically

Long story short, Pages (the iWork word processor) does not integrate with any reputable reference management software that we could find, and Numbers (the iWork spreadsheet app), doesn’t do error bars. So basically, for use in the scientific field iWork ‘08 is a complete non-starter.

This is very unfortunate, given that Arthur Levinson, the CEO and Chairman of biotech juggernaut Genentech, sits on the Apple Board of Directors, and that Apple has historically marketed strongly towards scientists.

Look, I get that graphic designers and artist types get all the mad Apple street cred, but scientists stuck with Apple through the dark days too. Scientists did their fare share in keeping Apple alive. We bought the stupid ass OS 9 and those goofy multi-colored iMacs and suffered through using hockey-puck mice, just like graphic designers did. The least we can ask for is to be treated with respect and dignity. We’re people too. Granted, we’re less hip and spend all our time in dank basements committing Godless and unmentionable acts, but still.

So we (scientists) are stuck with Microsoft Office for our work. Stupid Microsoft. The whole point of buying a Mac is so that we can throw off the yolk of Microsoft’s oppressive hegemony, or some such bullshit of that nature. Apple isn’t making it any easier to be a mindless zombie Apple worshipping cultist. Damn you, Apple. I cast upon thee no less than three hadoukens!