nisus
Latest
Nisus updates Writer Pro for Lion
Nisus has updated its Nisus Writer Pro and Nisus Writer Express software with full OS X 10.7 Lion-compatibility and full-screen features. Besides the Lion features, Nisus Writer Pro 2.0.1 adds a number of requested features like drawing tools, track changes, and watermarks. Nisus Writer Express 3.4 also adds a file importer that is compatible with both Intel and PowerPC Macs. Nisus Writer has been around for the Mac since 1989 and was the first word processor to handle multiple type systems in its file format. Since then the program has begun to show its age. The UI is a little clunky, retaining a OS X Jaguar-style look that many who are used to Word or Pages might not appreciate. However, for you old timers, the Nisus Writer updates are a nice touch to ensure continued compatibility with the latest OS X. Nisus Writer Express and Nisus Writer Pro are universal apps and require Mac OS X 10.4.11 (Tiger) or later. Nisus Writer Pro 2.0.1 is available online for US$79.00 or a $49.00 upgrade price for owners of 1.x. A three license Family Pack is also available for $99.00. Nisus Writer Express 3.4 is $45 or $30 for the upgrade version. A three license Family Pack is available for $79. These updates are free to current license holders of Express 3.x and Pro.
Big changes in Nisus Writer Pro 1.1
In the latest skirmish in the endless battle for word processor supremacy, Nisus Writer Pro has been updated to version 1.1. The new features include enhanced commenting, a Mail Merge capability that uses the Mac OS X Address Book or csv files for a record source, a vastly improved Table of Contents generator, indexing, bookmarks for navigation or cross-references, an enhanced Nisus Macro Language (take that, Microsoft!), and the ability to embed Perl scripts. There are even more features, so visit the Nisus site for details.Nisus does a great job of listening to their customers, and it appears that Nisus Writer Pro 1.1 has included many of the features requested by users of the initial release. The download version of Nisus Writer Pro 1.1 is $79 to new users, $49 for owners of Nisus Writer Express and free to owners of Nisus Writer Pro 1.0. A 15-day free trial download is available for this Universal Binary app (Mac OS X 10.4 or better required).
Mac 101: system-wide thesaurus at the touch of a hotkey
As a Mac switcher, my Mac's built-in spelling and grammar checking has been a huge productivity boon for me. I'm someone who often gets stuck on a word, and since nothing's ever good enough for me, I've often wished that Leopard also included a built-in thesaurus. While that's not currently in the cards, there is an alternative. How many ways are there to say "Whoops?" Of course, Leopard does include a built-in thesaurus via Dictionary.app. See the continuation of this post for a screenshot. Thanks to everyone in the comments for keeping me honest. If the Apple offering isn't to your liking, Nisus Thesaurus, a free app from Nisus Software, works as a standalone application and a system service. This means that it installs in the Services sub-menu of your Mac and is accessible from any program you use that is able to interact with the Services sub-menu. These applications include Mail, TextEdit, Safari, MacJournal, and countless others. Once installed, using your new thesaurus is as simple as highlighting a word that you would like to look up, and pressing the Nisus Thesaurus Services sub-menu hotkey (Command -<). This will pop up the Nisus Thesaurus window with your word options only a click away. Select the word you would like to use as a replacement, press Command->, and voila; your new choice has replaced the original word.
