Office Suites

Probably the most important piece of software on your computer is a so-called Office Suite. This set of programs typically includes word processing capabilities, the ability to create and manipulate spreadsheets, and much more.

With an Office Suite installed on your mobile computer, you can do all the work that any office needs, from anywhere.

As you probably know, the world's most popular office suite is Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office comes in many versions and flavors, with different programs included depending on the version, and with widely varying prices.

Perhaps a version of Microsoft Office was pre-installed when you bought your laptop. If so, this was likely the Microsoft Office Small Business Edition, which can be purchased (if you don't already have it installed) for a retail price of $449.

The Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003 includes the following programs:

• Microsoft Word (for word processing)

• Microsoft Excel (for working with spreadsheets)

• Microsoft Outlook (email and personal information management)

• PowerPoint, a program used to create presentations (see "Powerful Presentations on the Go," later in this chapter)

• Microsoft Publisher (an easy-to-use desktop publishing program)

TIP

As mentioned in Chapter 2, "Buying a Mobile Computer," there is no cheaper way to get Microsoft Office than buying the bundling deal offered by the mobile computer manufacturer. Dell bundles Microsoft Office Small Business edition for $279. This is $170 less than Microsoft's list price. So, if you have not purchased your computer yet, be sure to get Microsoft Office included with it;. you'll be glad you did.

For a little more money than the Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003, you can have the Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003. The Professional Edition adds to the suite

• Access, an end-user database program

Although you almost certainly know about the Microsoft Office suites, you might not know that there are some viable alternatives to Microsoft Officewhich are much less expensive, or even free. For the most part, alternative office suite products are file compatible with Microsoft Office, meaning that files created in one of these programs can be opened in Microsoft Office, and vice versa.

Alternative office suites available for Windows include

• Corel WordPerfect Office suite, which includes the WordPerfect word processing program, Quattro Pro for working with spreadsheets, and a presentation tool similar to PowerPoint, available for about $80

• OpenOffice, which is available as a free download from http://www.openoffice.org, and includes a word processor, a spreadsheet application, a presentation tool, and more

• Sun Microsystems's StarOffice suite provides a word processor, a spreadsheet application, a presentation tool, a graphics tool, and a database application, all for a suggested retail price of $80