Writing merged cells vertically

Question

Hello,
In Excel I can merge cells of the same column and write a text in those merged cells and put the text vertically.
I try to do the same with Numbers '08 but was not possible.
I know that I can insert a text box but this do not resolve my need, because I need a 4000+-row SS with 200 dates that need to be written vertically _ to save space — maintaining the path.
Is this feature in Numbers '09 or — if you are an Apple insider — in Numbers '11?
Extra: why is Numbers so much slow than AppleWorks SS?
Thanks,
Jorge Lucas (the guy from Rio Grande do Sul)

Answer 1

Yvan,
My interest in the iPad depends on 2 or 3 things:
1) if I am able to build a better and bigger db that the one I already have functioning — for over 10 years — in the db module of AW (the one that you knew some years ago and that is better now, with its 255 fields (it is limited at 255) running fine;
2) if I can get the pdf or e-book version of my text book ( I have the free paper version and I tried — unsuccessfully — to buy the digital copy (the book alone weighs 1 Kg);
3) I need to see which Math apps I can have that substitute the ones I have on the MacBook;
4) I was counting on the full versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote — you put cold water on my plans.
Apart from the classroom usage that would be something — just imagine, been able to hold it with one hand and write in the board with the other! — it would be nice to use it as an e-book reader and/or internet reader.
But, if the iPad does not do the things I need, I am also considering a MacBook Air 13.3” (1.32 Kg), hoping that I can use AppleWorks in Lion or going to FileMakerPro.
But even this option is hard to implement it because here we have to pay more than double the American price; and our salaries are very much less than the American.
By the way, you said:
I don't understand why FileMaker which is able to create FileMaker Go for the iPad is unable to do the same for the Mac. Bento is far from being an alternative to the AppleWorks DB module.
The last hope I had about the inclusion of a DB module in the iWork suite, was gone after FileMaker made the list organizer Bento: it was very clear that they would not include the Filemaker Pro in the suite because it alone costs more than the all suite; so *+I thought that Apple would ask FileMaker to produce a flat version (not relational) — that could be named “FileMaker” (without the “Pro”)+*.
They could charge for it the same as each of the existing 3 applications.
Bento is very much less than this and because your thoughts on it, I never even tried it.
So, I better wait the release of the new iPad, the iWork ’11, put some money together and find a way to make my teaching easier.
+Thank you for the bad news about iWork for iPad.+
Now, I am closer to the Air.
Jorge Lucas (the guy from Rio Grande do Sul)
Message was edited by: Jorge Lucas
Message was edited by: Jorge Lucas