Amazon.com Product Description

WordPerfect Office 11 combines the best assets of previous versions with new features to improve the workflow efficiencies of users. Building on its reputation for value, ease-of-use, and flexible licensing options, WordPerfect Office 11 enhances the way users create, exchange, and interact with content, providing intelligent methods of collaborating with clients and colleagues.

New Document Map and Collaborative Review functions enhance workflow efficiency while Reveal Codes and RealTime Preview ensure complete formatting control. A customizable and intuitive interface can be adapted to meet your needs and a new Classic Mode features the WordPerfect 5.1 user environment, complete with a blue screen interface and WordPerfect 5.1 keystrokes.

Improved XML integration, built on five years of XML experience, gives you the ability to publish slide shows, spreadsheets, and WordPerfect files to XML, enhancing file sharing options and supporting the deployment of content to multiple devices. Other file sharing capabilities include Publish to PDF features in WordPerfect and Presentations, suite-wide Publish to HTML capabilities, support for ODMA (Open Document Management API), and a new conversion utility to batch convert files from formats including Microsoft Word, RTF, and more. ... Read more

Features

• WordPerfect Office features WordPerfect 11, Quattro Pro 11, and Presentation 11

Reviews (10)

Very Good, let's hope it gets better
I've been using WordPerfect for several years now, and I am very happy with WPO11, Professional Edition. Anyone looking for a reasonably-priced office suite could do no better than WPO11, for now. That said, there are some problems, that I hope version 12 or later will address, especially the Publish to PDF feature.

Feature for feature, WPO leaves M$ Office for dead, at a fraction of the cost. It has some problems, but is a MUCH better option than the market leader. Go for it!

An excellent office software
I like the PDF publishing function, very straightforward. WordPerfect office offers all the tools I need and easy to manage. The most important part is WordPerfect office is fully compatible with MS Office and able to convert all the files, better than staroffice. Other capabilities, like XML and webpage editing, are powerful.

BTW, it's cheap, compared to Micor$oft.

Runs only with Microsoft!
I have been a fan from Wordperfect since the time of DOS, and have kept upgrading it, because I found it technically superior to its concurrent, and because it was a alternative to the hegemony of Microsoft. However, for the same two reasons, now that Linux has become easy to use and rich in programs, I am leaving Microsoft operating systems. And there lies the problem : Wordperfect 11 does not run under Linux, but only under the recent versions of Microsoft's operating system. Too bad, I am greatly disappointed inWordperfect. I think that if they don't understand that their faithful users are the kind of people that are leaving the Microsoft world towards Linux, they will in the end have to disappear. Anyway I would have preferred to run Wordperfect under Linux, but I will have to use another program for compatibility reasons. Bye-bye old friend wordperfect...

Question
I am here because I can't find anywhere else to ask a question.What are the licensing implications of buying a copy of WordPerfect Office 11 from jmurray36 for 49.95?This appears to be the same package that normally sells new for $249.00.How come?What is missing.How can it be sold for this price?

No image preview in this version
When I tried to insert an image into a document in WP 11 I got the error message "no viewer available." Several hours of repairing, uninstalling and reinstalling, and a phone call to Corel support later, I find out that this is NOT an error. WP used to include QuickView Plus, but Corel was not able to bundle it with WP 11. So there are no image viewers inside the program. If you work with images, beware! ... Read more

Product Description

Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Standard Upgrade for MAC .Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Standard software is the quick and easy way to create and share Adobe PDF documents. You can convert files from applications such as Microsoft Office into Adobe PDF documents that can be read by anyone using free Adobe Reader software. Combine spreadsheets, presentations, images, and other files into a consolidated Adobe PDF document that others can read but not alter. Offer reviewers familiar commenting tools to quickly gather input. View comments and feedback from multiple reviewers, and then generate an Adobe PDF file with advanced security features that accurately represents the original document.Acrobat 7.0 Standard Highlights ⢠Create and share documents quickly and easily ⢠Combine different files to create an organized document ⢠Use familiar tools for review and commenting ⢠Protect document content to help preserve its integrityTop Reasons to Buy Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Standard ⢠Easily create Adobe PDF files Create PDF documents with one-button ease from Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Windows users can also convert to PDF from Access, Internet Explorer, Outlook, and Publisher. ⢠Protect sensitive and confidential documents Control documents inside and outside the firewall, online and offline. ⢠Control permissions Set document permissions and restrict whether Adobe PDF documents can be printed or changed. ⢠Assemble documents Create a single Adobe PDF file from multiple sources including Web pages and e-mail to deliver one professional document that anyone can open using free Adobe Reader 7.0 software. ⢠Manage reviews Collect comments, not rewrites, from multiple reviewers that appear together in a single Adobe PDF document. Manage comments using sort and filter tools. ⢠Search with more power Search according to text and document properties to quickly find files on... ... Read more

Features

• Protect sensitive and confidential documents—control documents inside and outside the firewall, online and offline.
• Enjoy improved attachment capabilities—easily attach source files such as spreadsheets and images to an Adobe PDF document.
• Easily create Adobe PDF files—create PDF documents with one-button ease from Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Enjoy improved performance—with improved performance you can quickly convert, collect, and organize Adobe PDF documents.
• Assemble documents—create a single Adobe PDF file from multiple sources—including Web pages and e-mail—to deliver one professional document that anyone can open using free Adobe Reader 7.0 software.

Product Description

Ahead Nero PhotoShow Elite - Complete Product - Image Management - 1 User(s) Complete Product - Standard - PCNero PhotoShow Elite lets you experience photo management in a whole new way. Equipped with multiple easy-to-use editing tools found in professional software, Nero PhotoShow Elite allows you opportunity to make every picture perfect.You can do it all - Organize, manage, edit, capture, make musical slideshows and share your photos and musical slideshows online with family and friends or burn a CD or VCD and watch it at your next family event. Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theAhead Soft 60100 - NERO PHOTOSHOW ELITE EASY & COMPLETE PHOTO EXPERIENCE WIN and all other Ahead Soft Software - Multimedia ... Read more

Features

• Photo management with easy-to-use editing tools
• Capture, organize, and manage photos
• Make creative slideshows with soundtracks and special effects
• Bring photos to life with editing tools, captions, and clip art
• Share photos and musical slideshows online or burn to CD/VCD

Reviews (7)

Lousy Software - Unreliable, Slow, Very Difficult To Use
I purchased this software because it was associated with SnapFish, a company I've come to trust. That was a big mistake.

1) The software is very sluggish. I have a nearly new PC with a fast processor and 1.5GB RAM and PhotoShow takes up to a minute to perform the most simple function. More complex functions, such as creating a slideshow with a hundred or so photos, takes anywhere from 15 minutes to 45.
2) The user interface is very rudamentary - like the old DOS style interfaces - and is very non-intuitive and difficult to navigate. You have to take several steps to figure out how to perform the most basic functions.
3) The software is unreliable. In the first 3 days I've had to uninstall and reinstall it twice (at Technical Support's direction) to fix problems. Additionally it lost the thumbnails for one of my albums with nearly 250 photos and Technical Support could only offer that I delete it and try to recreate the album. This was half a weekend's worth of work.
4) The funtionality it does have is very basic and common to all software in this category. In addition, half the options lead you to a screen to order products and services from SnapFish. The free version is worth it but the Deluxe version is not worth a dime.I foolishly paid $59.95 for it without checking out the reviews first because of SnapFish's recommendation.

Serial Number Worked
I was debating on purchasing this, as 2 people wrote the serial number did't work, but it was only 12.00 after the rebates and nero.com had it for 39.00 to download and another 12.00 for the disk. Took me 3 tries to get the serial number right what I thought was an I was actually a one and it worked fine. Glad I purchased this was a great price with the 2 refunds.

Rip Off
I, too, bought this software as a Christmas gift.My friend was never able to install it because the serial number on the CD Sleeve was not accepted.We sent several emails and got absolutely no response.I will never buy another Nero Product!What a waste of $40.00 and a big disappointment for my friend!

Do Not Buy This Product!
Warning - I bought this item as a Christmas gift for my father. He attempted to use the software to no avail.We had the serial number, but it required a password that we could not obtain.My father made numerous attempts to resolve this issue through Nero, however they were useless.It took days for them to reply, and the person replying had not a clue. In fact, they insuated that it was stolen, even when an amazon receipt was supplied. My father has had this software since Christmas - and he still hasn't used it.I must say Amazon.com has been great.They are going to reimburse my account and I am sending the product back to where it came from.

Real easy photo software
This is one of the easiest softwares I've ever used for my digital photos.It allows me to edit my photos, add clip art and captions, and make slideshows.The best thing is I can email my slideshows to my family living throughout the U.S. So many features are available and anyone can use it, even my 7 year old daughter. ... Read more

Features

• Includes versions XP, 2000, and 97
• 30 program tutorial features Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and more
• Also includes Outlook, FrontPage, Publisher, Project, Windows, Web pages
• Great for both the novice and the advanced professional
• Learn the fast and easy way

Reviews (1)

Valuable Resource
I have been using this software package for quite some time and I must say that it is well worth the dollars spent.I'm glad I took the plunge, I was reluctant even though I have always thought highy of the Learn2 products. As a data analyst I have been using the Microsoft Office suite of applications for this position as well as several others prior to this one and I can say that I have learned several tips and tricks from the software. It's not just something that can be used by the novice user, and it can, but by the intermediate and advanced user as well. For me it has been particularly useful in cleaning up some of the bad habits that I have acquired over the years as well as affording me insight into some of the features that I have never used. These cd's span several application generations, 97, 2000, and 2002. For the price it is an excellent reference tool that can be useful, and certainly referenced regularly, to all users regardless of their skill set. ... Read more

Features

• In-depth, advanced learning options combined with step-by-step instructions -- you'll work in the actual program as you learn
• Learn Windows 98, Me, XP gives you a heads-up with the world's most popular operating system -- quick and easy lessons show you everything you need to know
• Learn Outlook 2000 & 2002 is designed to show you what Outlook can really do -- it's far more than just an email program and you'll just how much
• Learn The Internet will have you surfing the Web like a pro -- you'll even set up a stock portfolio online
• Learn Word 2000 & 2002 shows you the ins and outs of this popular word processor -- manipulate text, check for spelling, use the thesaurus and more

Amazon.com Review

Microsoft Office 2001 builds on the excellence that Macintosh usersenjoyed in Office 98. In this latest version, Microsoft revamps the form andfunction of the Office suite to make it feel more at home on the Mac than everbefore.

A curvy new interface, which echoes the elegance of the upcoming Mac OS X,reveals improvements in each component. Word's versatile editing tools nowinclude instant access to Encarta dictionary definitions; and Excel now importsFileMaker databases, sorts and manages lists, and sports a new calculator thatsimplifies formula creation. PowerPoint's new Tri-Pane interface and textAutoFit feature make it easier to build presentations. Plus, the ability to savePowerPoint documents as QuickTime movies makes it easier to share them.

The most significant addition to Office 2001 is the new personal informationmanager. Dubbed Entourage, it will handle your e-mail (AutoFormat andAutoCorrect features that are borrowed from Word nicely refine composition),address book, to-do list, and calendar. Entourage can filter your e-mail andtasks quickly with color-coded categories and custom views, and sync seamlesslywith your Palm OS device, which helps to keep you organized.

Entourage's presence is felt throughout Office 2001--every application will letyou flag documents for follow-up and pass the reminder on to the calendar, andthe address book is accessible at any time, which is invaluable if you use Wordfor mail-merge tasks.

This integrated approach is key to Office 2001's appeal. A new FormattingPalette automatically shows tools that are relevant to the task at hand; theOffice Clipboard palette keeps track of multiple items that have been copiedfrom different Office applications; and the ubiquitous Office Assistant isalways on hand with tips and how-to advice.

Our advice? With features as wide-ranging as these, Office 2001 makes it easyfor you to create, manage, and present your documents like a real pro. --JackGardiner ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Too much Windoze; not enough Mac.
Like a good boy, I had been regularly purchasing various Microsoft-for-the-Mac upgrades for a very long time. How long has it been? It's been so long that my first copy of Excel (1.0, in 1985) was free, because at the time I possessed registered copies of MS Multiplan and MS Chart. That's a long time by anyone's measure.

My most recent Excel upgrade prior to MS Office for the Mac 2001 was Excel 95; I took a bye on Office 98 principally because I've never been particularly fond of MS Word (even in the Mac versions that had worked reasonably well). For most of the fifteen years or so that I've been using Macs almost exclusively, my word processor of choice has been WriteNow: Lean, mean, full of most of the features that I need, still running on OS 9.2.2, and, regrettably, discontinued (abandoned would be a more appropriate term) several years ago.

However, with the ever-increasing hegemony of Windoze-based business networks, and with the fact that Excel 95 cannot run on a G4 Mac with OS 9.0 or newer, I bit the bullet and purchased this Office 2001 package. And, while I've now pretty much climbed its learning curve, the experience hasn't exactly been one that I'd write home about.

Here are a few nits I choose to pick (some small, some not so small):

* Somewhere between Excel 95 and Office 2001, Microsoft programmers seem to have lost track of the fact that Macs have both "Return" and "Enter" keys. (Windoze machines have no "Return" key.) The "Return" key no longer functions as it did, scrolling down one cell in an Excel spreadsheet; it now does precisely the same thing the "Enter" key does (which is limited to whatever one chooses from the "Preferences" menu). Not very bright!

* In like fashion, the MS programmers decided to reassign several of the common "Command" key functions (Fill Down, Fill Across, Insert, Delete, Clear, etc.) to the "Control" key, again in some ill-founded effort at "cross-platform"compatibility. (Imagine my surprise when I first went to insert a row or column, only to find that my selection was formatted in italics!) In the process, the ergonomic superiority of the Mac keyboard, requiring less "stretch" effort to activate these keyboard shortcuts, has now been sacrificed to the Bill Gates God of Uniformity. And Microsoft continues to place the Font menu on a toolbar, not as a Mac-standard menu. Not very bright!

* While tools have been added to the toolbox library, the ability to customize toolbars for one's own use has actually been reduced! And the tools don't always load consistently, suggesting some bugginess that requires a Microsoft patch or two, not yet available. And, unlike previous Excel upgrades in my experience, this one appears to provide no additional chart types. Not very bright!

* Word is incompatible with RamDoubler 9.0 (another patch still not available). But, for once, my newest (G4) Mac has more memory than RamDoubler can deal with. Nevertheless: Not very bright!

* Word files - as always - are bloated for reasons that have little to do with content or formatting. (As a comparison, a 25-page file, containing a few tables and some minor formatting, which occupies 91K of HD space as a WriteNow 4.0 file and 96K as a WordPerfect 3.5e file, occupies 194K as a Word 2001 file.) If not "Not very bright!", then "Why?"

* The ubiquitous Windoze paperclip "Advisor" has been transmogrified to a less-than-winsome "flex-toy Mac." Gimmee a break!

* Entourage is incompatible with Outlook or Outlook Express. Its inclusion is specious at best, and one wonders how many will use this module.

* Once again, as far as a database module is concerned, Mac users are left in the lurch. Access continues to be notable by its absence (not that it is every database user's "dream program"), and FoxPro has long been history as far as Microsoft support is concerned. Moreover, a Mac port of SQL is just a fantasy. And VisualBasic is only present in crippled form, to support the modules that are VB-capable.

There are a few (very few, I'm sad to say) gains:

* PowerPoint works fine. But I have little need for it, save for the odd PP file that gets attached to my e-mail thanks to some chain letter or other.

* The modules run acceptably fast. But I think this has as much or more to do with G4 speed and available RAM as it does to "tight" coding by software engineers.

* Word works acceptably well (but not particularly great) as a platform for HTML coding.

* I've got the cross-platform compatibility that my business-related activities require.

For those G4 users needing a single module but not needing "full" cross-platform compatibility for other applications, my advice is to limit yourselves to just the Office 2001 module (saving some bucks), hang on to your WriteNow 4.0 program (it'll run just fine on OS 9.x G4's) or download a free copy of WordPerfect 3.5e, take a bye on Entourage (Outlook Express works just fine, and is bundled free with Explorer), and, if you need a database program, there's always FileMaker Pro.

Summary: A "forced" upgrade for G4 Mac users who must use Excel. More steps backward than forward for those of us who prefer Macs but need the cross-platform compatibility. At best, three stars, and then only with the greatest of reluctance.

Bob Zeidler

($$$)...
High priced, low grade programs. Apple needs to develop office programs of their own.

Very pleased with the PowerPoint improvements
Once you get over the learning curve of Office for Mac 2001, it is far superior to the Windows counterpart.They moved items around, came up with a new format window, and moved controls over to the left hand side of the screen.However, I am impressed with the overall flow and feel of the products.There isn't too much in the way of new functionality here, which was a bit of a disappointment.Resolution of imported graphics into PowerPoint has to be unbelievably high to get a good projection on a large screen.As a person who works with graphics and color quite a bit, the improved options for choosing almost any color you can think of is quite welcome.I haven't made the jump to OS-X yet, so I haven't experienced that version.But if you are still running 9.x - I highly recommend this version.

Very pleased with the PowerPoint improvements
Once you get over the learning curve of Office for Mac 2001, it is far superior to the Windows counterpart.They moved items around, came up with a new format window, and moved controls over to the left hand side of the screen.However, I am impressed with the overall flow and feel of the products.There isn't too much in the way of new functionality here, which was a bit of a disappointment.Resolution of imported graphics into PowerPoint has to be unbelievably high to get a good projection on a large screen.As a person who works with graphics and color quite a bit, the improved options for choosing almost any color you can think of is quite welcome.I haven't made the jump to OS-X yet, so I haven't experienced that version.But if you are still running 9.x - I highly recommend this version.

Why Make it More Complex?
Every time I upgrade, some features are better but many more have become over-complex.Lets face it - how many people are capable of using even a quarter of the features of Word?Who wants 150 templates?I never use them - I make my own.

There seem to be some serious problems with Word.Tables in Word on the Mac are a nightmare.Its all so unpredictable and can be very slow compared to a PC. For no apparent reason (usually when I've cut'n pasted a row - or reduced the font size using keystrokes rather than the mouse)it crashes.It even took Excel with it last time.

I hate the new drop-down autofill in Excel 2001.The old one was fine and quicker.Why "improve" something just for the sake of it?They have done something really odd to the sort function with numbering.At one time it sorted 2 after 20 ...another "improvement"?

As for the multilevel numbering.If only they would stop changing it.I just get my head round the latest version and they change it again!The contortions one has to go through to miss out a level ....

Overall I like the look of Office 2001 and some of the features are great.I even like Entourage - contrary to popular opinion.

Why isn't there a decent built-in fax facility? I am having a dreadful time with Symantec - it won't open with anything I posess!

In desperation I was going to try Appleworks but was put off by the reviews .... ... Read more

Product Description

Office 2003 Basic Edition can help organizations and their employees transform information into impact. New and familiar products, features, and functionality improve how people and organizations connect to people, information, and business processes. Advances in intranet collaboration through integration with the collaboration and information-sharing portal, Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003, enable employees to access and share information both internally and externally. Support for information rights management (IRM) and industry-standard Extensible Markup Language (XML) provide a platform on which to quickly build cost-effective solutions that can have an immediate impact. ... Read more

Features

• Microsoft Office Word 2003, the latest version of the best-selling word processor
• Microsoft Office Excel 2003 enables you to turn data into information with powerful tools to analyze, communicate, and share results
• Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003 provides an integrated solution for managing and organizing e-mail messages, schedules, tasks, notes, contacts

Product Description

SMARTSUITE MILL 9.8 UPG W9X/WME/WNT/W2K/WXP EN ... Read more

Features

• Create rich documents, useful spreadsheets, and compelling presentations
• Features Virtual PC 6.1 for Mac with Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Enhances compatibility between Macs and PCs with easy-to-use tools
• Run Microsoft Windows applications on Mac
• Includes Microsoft Word X, Entourage X, Excel X, and PowerPoint X

Reviews (2)

Works just fine on a G5
As much as I hate Microsoft I still need their software. VPC 7 works just fine on my 2.5 G5. Not a speed demon but more than acceptable performance.

bit

Virtual PC does not work on the new G5's
The Virtual PC is not supported by the new G5's. Do not buy this software or the G5 if you want to operate dual operating systems.They have no information as to when or if it will be supported ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Microsoft Office v. X is a fully native program designed specifically for Mac OS X that harnesses the power of Office, the simplicity of Macintosh, and the stability of Unix. Office v. X has been completely redesigned with a fresh new Aqua interface. Office v. X supports all Mac OS X features and technologies, and has Mac-only features like Formatting Palette, Microsoft Word Data Merge Manager, Microsoft Excel List Manager, and Microsoft PowerPoint Movies. Office v. X includes Microsoft Word X, Excel X, PowerPoint X, and Entourage X, for Mac.

The modern user interface within Office v. X has been completely redesigned to include a bold new Aqua visual appearance--a perfect representation of what an application running on the new Mac OS X should look and feel like. Communication is a snap. E-mail is made even easier in Entourage X by allowing connections to Microsoft Exchange servers, Hotmail, and Mac.com so users can more efficiently manage e-mail online and off. With the integrated and improved Entourage calendar, you can easily organize your schedule and set reminders for important events and projects.

Office v. X is compatible with Office 2001 for Mac, Office 98 Macintosh Edition, Office for Microsoft Windows, AppleWorks 6, and FileMaker Pro 5.5., so you can share files with anyone, whether they use a Mac or a PC. Keep track of contacts with the comprehensive Address Book, which stores all of your contact information and lets you locate an address on a map or find driving directions from Expedia.com. Improved task reporting, calendar functions, and international time zone adjustments make time management even easier. Easily access customizable templates for résumés, catalogs, newsletters, calendars, and more from the Project Gallery. The Clip Art Gallery, including hundreds of images, provides tools to make working with graphics quick and easy.

Note to users attempting to install Office v. x for Mac on new Apple hardware systems: Customers that have the Office v. X Test Drive Installed when attempting to install Office v. X may experience installation failure. The Test Drive is currently pre-installed on the PowerBook 12- and 17-inch models, as well as the 15- and 17-inch LCD iMacs. To facilitate successful installation, it will be necessary to remove the Test Drive by quitting any Microsoft Office applications and running the Remove Test Drive application located in /Applications/Microsoft Office X/Remove Test Drive. For more information on the Test Drive and its effect on your new Mac PC, please visit the Mactopia website at www.microsoft.com/mac. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Great Product!!
Really Great! Microsoft did it. Feature rich software. It really works well than its Windoze counterpart. Price is a bit high, but once you start using it, you won't regret for that. A must have product for Mac fans.

Does the job with some nice features
Like almost everyone on the planet, I've used Office for Windows extensively and initially I was a bit put off by Mac Office as it does look and feel different (what the hell is Entourage anyway?).

However on working with it more you get used to it, and it has some nice features that the Windows version doesn't.

3+
Entourage - I have really come to like the app- I use it as a replacement for Palm Desktop (Memos), Address Book (it is a little 'richer'), and Mail (it does hotmail as well as POP & IMAP), and everything integrates well.
Ability to mark a doc for followup - Office will give you a reminder, even when it's not running.
It's Office, right?It does almost everything.

3-
While docs are compatible with Windows versions, I have had problems with complex spreadsheets, so I do not think it is 100% perfect.
It is a little sluggish (800mhz G4 iMac, Panther, 512mb).
Entourage's calendar management isn't as good as iCal - can't publish/subscribe, or even import/export data.More generally, Entourage isn't very 'open' - it shares data well with other parts of the app, but not other apps.

Overall, it does what you expect and let's face it, it's the de facto standard for a reason.Expensive thought!

HOW TO FIX UNEXPECTED CRASH BUG
Some very nice person posted this. So I feel it's my duty to spread the word.
You may get a "Word has unexpectedly quit your system has not been damaged" message.You'll see an angry review below about someone who was broken by this problem.

Do the following
1. Open your folder with your user name
2. Open your library folder
3. Open your microsoft folder
4. DELETE the following two files:

Word Font Substitutes
Word Settings (10)

If for some reason you are having trouble finding the files just type them into the folder names into your search engine and you should be able to locate them.Microsoft Wordwill immediately work again and the files will be recreated automatically.

SPREAD THE WORD (v.X)!

yes, it is bloatware, but it is good bloatware
To start with, let us accept that Office is bloatware. It is big, relatively unwieldy, and is full of features. A quick scan of the menus and cryptic toolbars almost screams "DESIGNED BY A COMMITTEE".

On the other hand, this is not all bad. I use Word ALL of the time and Excel on a regular basis. I keep trying to find an alternate word processor, so I've download Nisus and iWrite and a host of other toys. Most of these are perfectly respectable word processors, but I rarely get far before I need to use something I'm used to in Word. Sometimes it is image embedding, sometimes it is an obscure cross referencing facility, and sometimes I need to build a table that spans pages and, oh, and, oh yeah, and .... Word has the BEST tables facility. I used to work with a guy called Matrix Breath, so I really got to know tables.

Suddenly, I'm exporting my document in RTF and a promising application has been demoted to "toy". This is actually the upside of bloatware. It's sort of like those toolkits one always drools over in hardware stores with nine hundred ratchet bolt heads, a glistening array of extender bars, and six power grip handles, one for each arm of Siva. Normal humans never need these kits. They may buy them, use one small set of components, then lose a piece and then go out and buy a screwdriver.

My plumber owns four of these, all calibrated. My auto mechanic owns six, because he needs English, metric and Alfa Romeo.

The downside of bloatware is the learning curve. You really have to learn in order to use even 10% of all the features. Did you know there is an equation editor? Did you know that there is a garbage grade drawing program? Did you know that there is an almost lame, but actually useful image processing component? Word v.X can probably edit movies and burn DVDs, but if you can't get to Dungeon Level XVI, stick with iMovie and iDVD.

Yes, you do have to spend your first half hour with Word disabling the "Do What You Think I Mean" features. I learned how to format a business letter back in grade school and I'll insert my own superscripting, thank you very much.

Still, it is no exageration to say that Word is possibly the best piece of bloatware ever written. (EMACS is a close number two).

As for Excel, it too is a fine piece of bloatware. VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet was almost lapidary. It had just enough stuff in it to sell Apple IIs. Lotus 123 started the accretion process and at some point, the planetary disk coalesced into Excel which lets you solve partial differential equations using the Karmarkar algorithm and format the result in cuneiform. It takes two extra keystrokes for hieroglyphics.

I don't even use those little calculator programs anymore. I just keep Excel running - no sweat under OS X - and then, when I decide I didn't mean 2+2, but I really wanted a regression analysis, I already have my data sitting right where it can do me some good.

As for Powerpoint. I haven't used it in years. Yes, so I'm a mutant. Mutants are IN nowadays. Ask Hugh Jackman or Anna Paquin. My niece wanted to make a birthday card and she accidentally started up Powerpoint. Well, it has mutated. You can do collage animation, it supports sound, video, programmatic sequencing and even some lame user interaction. It's no threat to Macromedia, but these features are such time sinks that we might be spared a few bullet slides.

As with everything else in the Office suite, its accumulators crackle with barely restrained power. (Any Doc Smith or IBM 1130 fans out there?)

So, if you are a normal human. Try getting a normal human office suite. Appleworks is just fine. If you need more, more, more, then you should break down and go for Office. It definitely has more, more, more, just like Bill Gates.

As a bonus, the Macintosh version and Windows versions eat the same file formats, so you can freak out Windows users.

MacOffice v.X for the Office proffessional
To start with, make sure you are buying Office for the right reason. It's not meant for the timid home user just looking for something Jr., and Sally can write their book reports with. You want to do that, then just stick to AppleWorks (which I also use, in conjunction with Office). If you're not used to Office, yes, it could definitely have a steep learning curve. But if you're an experienced Mac Office user, working in OSX, then this version is a must, if for no other reason than it runs natively in OSX which makes it substantially faster than previous versions running in Classic mode. For those who claim all MS did was make it pretty, the interface is a rsult of Apple's Aqua interface, not a primary thrust of MS's MBU. Crashing? I've used Mac Office v.X for well over a year now, and I can honestly say, I cannot recall once having the machine crash while running Office. And for the person who compared using Word for page layout vs. Adobe FrameMaker...I use Frame daily at the office to layout books (I'm a designer of books and am forced to use Frame for it's XML functionality), and that's a truly unfair comparison...it's like comparing AppleWorks paint mode with Adobe Photoshop. They are completely different applications for entirely different tasks. Also, I find its cross-platform compatibility with Office XP (et.al.) to be seemless so long as the same True Type fonts are used between both PC and Mac systems.

Need more info on running Office v.X? Microsoft has also published a book called Office v.X Inside Out that I got when I purchased my software which has returned my investment on the book many times over. Even to an experienced Office user, there are many helpful procedures in here that will help lessen the upgrade learning curve.

The only reason I don't give MS Office v.X five stars is because I don't believe anything is perfect...but for the life of me, I can't see where this version of Office is lacking at the moment. This is a good investment for offices small or large. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Works Suite 2003 provides six Microsoft software titles for your home PC for one low price. Works Suite brings together the full versions of Microsoft Word, Works, Money Standard, Encarta Standard, Picture It! Photo, and Streets & Trips all in one, easy-to-use package.

Works Suite puts a ton of tools at your fingertips. Hundreds of new, stylish templates are available to quickly start and complete virtually any personal or organizational task. The My Projects organizer gives you step-by-step help to complete small or large projects like planning an event, family reunion, fundraiser, school project, moving, and much more.

The software gives you better ways to organize the household, manage finances, edit and enhance photos, send greetings, do research, and get directions and maps. The quick-start Task Launcher home page gives you quick access to your schedule, to-do list, and most recently used Works Suite programs. Manage personal finances and track investments with Microsoft Money. Plus, edit photos, create fun photo projects, and easily share memories with Picture It! Photo. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Neat Programs....however
I installed this suite on an IBM with a stripped hardrive and only Pro 2000 operating system present .I could not have been happier.Word provides much more versatility than the Works word processor and is wonderfully integrated as a companion to task launcher and enhanced spreadsheet capability.Digital photography is fun with Picture It! however I ended up using Pixela from Sony most of the time as a more convenient application for my camera. Encarta is always first class and Money took a long time to update my records for the year from scratch...but was easy,accurate and intuitive to use.I just bought a new computer with Home Edition XP and am terrified to install this suite which duplicates many areas of XP...but I really miss using Word and will tough it out with some of the problems others have experienced.This is a great product!

Installing Ms wks Suite 2003
A suggestion to install ms wks Suite 2003 Simply right click NortonAv icon on btm right of taskbar. then click disable auto protect. After installing software restart cpu and NAV will go back to auto protect automaticaly.If it doesnt simply right click Nav icon again and then click enable auto protect

Microsoft works 2003
I loaded Word 2002 only. It caused the processor to run at 100% all the time that word was active. It would take 30 to 120 seconds to type one character then another or to click on a tool bar item and have it open. All service packs were installed, and didn't cure the problem. When I deleted Works from My computer it caused all WMF files to show up in oriental letters. This program like most Microsoft software it is over priced, buggy and a waste of money. LONG LIVE WORD PERFECT! My computer is running Win. 2000 PRO, service pack 3, 512meg of memory and an AMD 750 Processor. Also jpg. wmf, gif files would no longer work with thumbnail views.

Great Product
Great product for the price .MS Money is kinda tricky to set up but once you get it, youll find it is well worth the money... Ms works,word,Encarta great products in this fine software package.. Product was ordered on Sunday was shipped on Monday and recieved on Wednesday....great service

Great Product
Great product for the price .MS Money is kinda tricky to set up but once you get it, youll find it is well worth the money... Ms works,word,Encarta great products in this fine software package.. Product was ordered on Sunday was shipped on Monday and recieved on Wednesday....great service ... Read more

Product Description

SmartSuite goes beyond traditional office suites to bring you better value and a better way to work the web. Check out our award-winning spreadsheet, word processor, time and contact manager, presentation graphics software, and database. Publish data to your intranet site easily saving your webmaster time to work on the extranet. Access Internet news and weather with a click. Analyze Web data in Lotus 1-2-3 and more. SmartSuite Millennium Edition 9.8 is the latest edition of the award-winning office suite including: Lotus 1-2-3, Lotus Word Pro, Lotus Freelance Graphics, Lotus Approach, Lotus Organizer, Lotus FastSite, and Lotus SmartCenter. With SmartSuite 9.8, it is easy to convert files from earlier versions of SmartSuite and other business applications including Microsoft Office. SmartSuite 9.8 file filters exchange documents seamlessly to and from 1-2-3 and Excel, Word Pro and Microsoft Word, or Freelance Graphics and PowerPoint. The power of SmartSuite 9.8 combined with Lotus Notes and the Internet, make SmartSuite the industry's most complete suite for addressing the needs of both enterprise and individual users. ... Read more

Features

• Lotus 1-2-3
• Lotus WordPro
• Lotus Freelance Graphics
• Lotus Approach, Lotus Organizer
• Lotus FastSite, Lotus SmartCenter

Features

• Begin building powerful presentations in no time, with Learn Powerpoint 2000 & 2002
• This set of quick-and-easy lessons will introduce the world of popular office applications to any beginning user -- quickly and effectively
• Learn Word 2000 & 2002 introduces you to the features of this popular word processor -- manipulate text and create perfect documents
• Build budgets and analyze data like a pro, with Learn Excel 2000 & 2002
• Have a complete contact list, calendar and email address book at you fingertips with Learn Outlook 2000 & 2002

Features

• Support for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more
• Includes 2 of the most powerful applications available for Palm OS
• Documents To Go Premium Edition: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Beyond Contacts: access all vital business and personal Outlook information
• View, edit, and create files; access contacts, calendar, tasks, and notes

Reviews (2)

Does not pass quality check (Needs polishing)
The electronic sheet does not support all formula. Worse, the function T(number) that converts a number into a string doesnt work since version 5 (I reported it near 18 months ago)Dataviz only supports last version at USD$ 19.99 per incident, even if the problem has been reported in the past. Three support calls and you are near of paying in support, the price of the box.

Best Office suite for the Palm OS
Everything you could need to bring your Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Pictures, PDF files and all Outlook data down to the handheld.Easy install and great interface! ... Read more

Product Description

Microsoft Works Suite 2004 on CD .Works Suite includes six popular Microsoft home products in one, easy-to-use package. Works Suite includes Microsoft Works, Microsoft Word and the latest versions of Microsoft Money Standard, Microsoft Encarta standard, Microsoft StreetsTrips, and Microsoft Picture It! Photo Premium. It's one of the best software values you can find! Features: Works Suite provides software for productivity, communication, personal finances, learning and reference, getting directions and planning trips, and photo editing all in one package. Works Suite gives you more than applicationsâ¦the Task Launcher brings all six products into and easy-to-use interface, gives you more than 500 pre-designed templates to help easily complete almost any personal, household, school, and community related tasks, and helps you manage larger projects with the My Projects project organizer tool. Works Suite is an incredible value. If acquired separately, these products would cost more than $200 dollars (USD) but Works Suite has an estimated retail price of just $99.99. If you purchase Works Suite and find your needs grow and you need upgrade to Microsoft Office, you qualify to purchase discounted price, upgrade versions of Microsoft Office 2003. ... Read more

Features

• With Works Suite you can qualify for discounted upgrade pricing for Microsoft Office 2003
• Six popular Microsoft home products in one, easy-to-use package
• Microsoft Works, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Money Standard, Encarta standard, and more
• Task Launcher brings all six products into an easy-to-use interface
• 500 pre-designed templates for personal, household, school, and community related tasks

Reviews (19)

works by itself
The program itself installed fine, but I need to print envelopes, wich some genuis did not program in, I use the other programs, but was forced to uninstall the works and go back to my older version. If you need spread sheets and the like it is fine but keep your old works it is much better.

Is it an upgrade or can it be a stand alone program?
I just recently purchased Microsoft Work Suite 2004 and haven't even open the box yet because I am confused about what is needed to run the program.It seems that it is not a stand alone program, but an upgrade to many different types of word processing programs.Can I install it and run it without other word processing software?Is it an upgrade?

I bought this for the Microsoft Word software
My computer(2001) model, HP. Walmart special, came with Microsoft Works 2001 installed on it.
My husband is starting a new job and to send his reports in he needed WORD, so this employer could open the attachment. they couldn't open the attachment being sent in Works, because I didn't have Word.
So far I have just installed the upgrade for Works 2004 and Word 2002.I think it is going to be just what we needed.
I am thankful that my computer came with Works preinstalled, because on the side of the box it states:
Microsoft Works Suite 2004 is an upgrade to Works, Word, or other word processing programs.
To be elgible for Microsoft Works Suite 2004, you must be a licensed user of any of the following applications:
Microsoft works(all versions), Microsoft Word(version 6.0 or later for MS DOS, Windows, and Windows NT(workstation)Wordperfect for MS DOS(4.0-5.1) Wordperfect for windows(5.1 or later) productivity suites from Novell or Corel which contains these wordperfect versions

Product activation is required for continued use of Microsoft Word, and may be done by internet or telephone, Instructions andMicrosoft
privacy policy will be detailed to the user during launch of the product.

So be sure and check to see if you qualify for this product or you may have Word, only briefly!!Thank goodness I had Works.

I plan on putting some of the other software on my computer at a later date.

Hope this helps you.

No complaints
This software package came on my new computer that I bought in April 2004.I'm still exploring the features, but I'm very happy with it so far.The computer also came with a free trial of Microsoft Word but, after checking out the Works package, I couldn't understand why I'd bother spending a month getting accustomed to Word when I knew I'd not purchase a renewal.Works works for me.

What upgrade?
I can't understand where people are getting the idea that this is an upgrade. I searched Microsoft's site and there is no mention of an upgrade version.

You can use an installation of Microsoft Works to get Microsoft Office at upgrade prices, but there appears to be no qualification to use Works itself.

The only caveat is that certain sellers in the "used and new" section are selling OEM copies at very low prices. The OEM copies do not provide tech support unless you bought a computer from the company named on the CD or DVD case. However, you can (as I have done) installed an OEM copy and used all the software including Microsoft Word without any problems.

Again, given in my review I believe this to be one of the bargains of software, I don't see any reason why this shouldn't be on your computer. I am about to sell my computer and I am buying a new copy for my new computer. I'm sure the person who buys my old computer will think it a bargain that so much software is legally included. ... Read more

Product Description

Professor Teaches Office Super Set ... Read more

Features

• Self-paced, multimedia training programs for Microsoft applications
• 42 tutorials, on 10 CD-ROMs, offer up-to-date instruction
• Practical exercises build essential skills quickly and effectively
• Step-by-step interactive instructions make learning easy
• Professor Answers reference feature for browsing by topic or keyword

Amazon.com Product Description

Art Explosion Label Factory Deluxe 2.0 is an entire generation ahead of existing label-making solutions. It is one of the fastest, easiest ways to create professional-quality labels. The software uses wizards to assist you in making even the most complex labels in just minutes. But behind its simplicity lies a powerful application with a sophisticated set of features.

The package includes more than 700 label formats and templates, 30,000 clip art images, support for 35 bar code formats, an integrated database manager and address book, and much more. Other convenient features include intelligent wizards that guide you in creating labels, drag and drop support, context-sensitive menus, a detailed help system, and print preview capability ... Read more

Reviews (2)

MS Office 2000 Premium
This is a great package because it includes not only Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and some other nice stuff, but FrontPage, which is a very nice website authoring tool.As FrontPage alone sells for quite a lot, this is a good deal, even at the original selling price.

BEWARE, however, of the items listed here on the Amazon page because not all these MS Office 2000 listed here are Premium.Several are MS Office Professional, and they do NOT contain FrontPage.A clue to which is which is the number of CD's in the package.Premium should contain 4 CD's, not 2.

An Interesting Choice
Photo Draw is considerably more useful than Microsoft Image Composer, which it should replace. Ideal solution for building graphics on the web. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

AppleWorks 6.2 combines six core capabilities--word processing, page layout, painting, spreadsheet, database, and presentation--in one easy application. By seamlessly integrating these capabilities with Apple's QuickTime digital technologies, AppleWorks 6.2 makes it easy to incorporate text, spreadsheets, digital photos, images, sounds, and movies into a single document.

Sharing documents is a breeze with AppleWorks 6.2. New translators for Microsoft Word and Excel files let you open and modify these files from within AppleWorks. You can even save AppleWorks documents in these formats to share with friends and colleagues.

If you're running AppleWorks 6.2 on Mac OS X you'll notice additional benefits. Preemptive multitasking means that you can work on AppleWorks projects while iTunes rips your CD collection in the background, and your system will still stay responsive. The advanced Quartz graphics system in Mac OS X lets you save your print previews of any AppleWorks document as a PDF file. Anyone with Adobe Acrobat Reader on any platform can view and print these PDF files.

An expanding library of templates--stored on the Internet--can be downloaded via AppleWorks 6.2 without launching a browser or decompressing files. Many of the templates are designed by affiliated organizations, such as the AppleWorks Users Group, and new templates are added regularly. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Very good software, well, the best for me.
It is amazing software, really smart and pleasure to use. There are some things to improve to my taste, but overall it is definitely worth the money. In two hours of the actual using it appears by far more convenient that notorious MS Office. Extremely rich applications fulfilled by right tools. It is not overwhelmed with unneeded garbage but with smart and well organized things.
As one reviewer has mentioned it isn't Word. it is better. You don't have a filling that some one staying and breathing into your neck.
BTW, MS Word brought wrong habits and misleading conceptions, but if you know how to work , this one is much more productive tool.
All pieces well coordinated and inter working.
Very recommend. The interface a bit different and a few things to learn, but since you started to use it there is no way to back to MS Office. MS Office has more features in the same way as track has more horsepower, but will you drive it on vacation rather than coupe ?
One more thing to say, there is no any issues with MS Office compatibility. I converted many different documents and had no difficulties at all.

It's not Word.
Let me make one thing clear: AppleWorks is not Microsoft Word. It is not Microsoft Office. And it is not a substitute for Word or Office, just as a Honda Civic isn't a substitute for a Hummer. It is, however, much easier to use, much less intrusive, and much less expensive. If you need Microsoft Office's features, by all means buy a copy. If you need to exchange files with Office users, it's probably a good idea to buy Office. But If you need to get work done quickly and easily, grab a copy of AppleWorks. All the modules (Word processor, graphics, spreadsheet, and presentation) are seamlessly integrated. Screen clutter is minimal (though the toolbars could be smaller.) Basic (and I stress basic) compatibility with Word and Excel files is included. But its strongest point is its ability to stay out of your way: it doesn't try to reformat your work to suit it's own ends, or make grammatical decisions for you, and the on-line help is helpful, not intrusive.

Easy to use with many good features.
A great application.If you don't want to spend the extra money and get Office X then this is the application for you.It's very easy to use and has a lot of great features like templates and clip art plus, you can make your own templates and clip art.It has many features that Office X has except it doesn't have grammar check.That is the only draw back but half the time I never paid attention to it when using Office 2000 for windows so this isn't a big deal for me.I have converted many documents from Office 2000 to AppleWorks with no problems.I also use it for college and I have yet to feel the need to get Office X.Some other features it has are spell check, a word counter, and it can read back your documents to you!!Try it out.You won't be sorry!I use this application on an iBook running Mac OS X 10.2.4

Great upgrade from office mac
I am a computer programmer and have been using MS Office since office 97 was released.I bought an Ibook 2 weeks ago in order to get away from the Wintel platform (and Linux too).The appleworks program is great it lets me create documents that MS Office can read and will also open MS documents.AppleWorks (as far as I can tell) has all the power of MS Office and is way easier to use.I have only been using it for a couple of weeks and can already create better documents faster using appleworks.I have not used the presentation part of AppleWorks yet but I assume its as good as the rest but, for presentations I reccommend keynote.

Well worth your money!
...Appleworks Office does everything I want an office program to do and it's stable and reliable. (I'm running system 9.2 on a G4). Another reviewer claims it isn't compatable with other programs, but fails to give any useful specifics, such as what programs and how it isn't compatable with them. I ignored that review and bought this software, and I'm glad I did. ... Read more