Sweet Praise for ‘Suite’ Software
Integrated software, which combines several functions such as word processing, spreadsheet and database, has never caught on with consumers the way stand-alone programs have.
Yet now that Windows has taken over most of our PCs, the hottest software packages these days are the competing “office” and “suite” bundles that integrate groups of stand-alone programs. That’s some irony, since the advantage of Windows is supposed to be that Windows programs from various manufacturers can coexist and even integrate with each other merely by virtue of being Windows programs.
But in fact, Microsoft Office 4.2, Lotus SmartSuite 2.1 and Borland Office 2.0 do have added integration compared to the stand-alone versions of their components. More important, however, they provide bargain prices to those who really can use most of the programs they contain.
For large companies, particularly, they make it easier to assure that everyone has the same version of a program.
For single users, however, especially those who actually will only use one or two of the programs such as word processing and spreadsheet, it still may be cheaper to buy stand-alone versions of those programs and it may well be cheaper in the future to buy upgrades for an individual program or two rather than for an entire office package.
If you are a potential office software buyer, there are many factors, often conflicting, to consider in making a choice. But the good news is that you can’t really make a mistake. All three contain top-notch programs that have far more functionality than any one person is likely ever to use.
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Of course if you already use one or more of the products, the choice is pretty easy--unless you happen to use the word processor found in one bundle, the spreadsheet in another and the database in a third. In that case, remember that database applications with custom forms and reports are the most difficult to convert to another program, followed by spreadsheets with fancy macros automating them. Word processing files are the easiest to convert.
If you’re just getting started, I think Lotus SmartSuite is the best value because it contains the broadest range of programs that are needed to run a small business or home office. Just about anyone qualifies for the liberal $299 “upgrade” price for SmartSuite, which includes AmiPro 3.1 word processing, Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows release 4 spreadsheet, Approach 2.1 database, Freelance Graphics 2.01 for presentation graphics and the Lotus Organizer personal information manager.
Microsoft Office 4.2 has the distinction of bundling the most state-of-the art software, including Word for Windows 6.0, the Excel 5.0 spreadsheet, PowerPoint 4.0 presentations graphics and Microsoft Mail for $299 in a liberally applied upgrade policy. For an extra $99, you can add Access 2.0, the just-about-to-ship version of Microsoft’s in-house designed database. Unfortunately the more powerful Microsoft Foxpro for Windows database, which grew out of a Microsoft acquisition, is not offered as part of the package.
The new Microsoft Office packages that actually contain all the software should be hitting dealers’ shelves about now. Until now you got disks and manuals for Word for Windows and Mail and an 800 number to call to get on the waiting list for the new versions of Excel and PowerPoint. I got my Excel package about six weeks ago and PowerPoint arrived two weeks ago.
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Accompanying the programs bundled in Borland Office is something of an identify crisis. The program bundles WordPerfect 6.0 for Windows from WordPerfect Corp., along with Borland’s easy to navigate QuattroPro 5.0 for Windows spreadsheet and Paradox for Windows 4.5 database software.
But Borland is a shrinking company and WordPerfect, the king of DOS word processing, has been seriously outsold in the Windows word processing marketplace by Microsoft. Now WordPerfect Corp. is being bought by networking giant Novell Inc.
However, Borland Office 2.0, also priced at $299 as an upgrade from virtually any single competing program, will continue to be sold. There is sure to be a next version, although with a different name, and it is sure to offer strong integration with Novell network systems. Whatever its future name, it still will contain both Quattro Pro and Paradox. Novell is buying Quattro Pro from Borland in conjunction with the WordPerfect deal and it also has a deal to bundle Paradox into a million sets of the next version of the Office package.
To get the most out of the integration offered by any of these packages, you need a fast 486-equipped computer with at least 8 megabytes of random access memory and hard disk storage of at least 200 megabytes. Figure on 50 to 60 megabytes of disk space just to install any of these three products. That doesn’t count DOS and Windows, the extra fonts you’ll undoubtedly acquire, and fancy screen savers and other special purpose software such as telecommunications and fax, which isn’t included in any of these three bundles.
