Evaluating the Most Popular Software Bundles

When you first turned on your new PC, you might have been surprised to see your desktop already populated with a bunch of shortcut icons for different programs. These are the programs that were pre-installed by your PC's manufacturer. Which particular programs were pre-installed on your PC depends on what sort of arrangements the PC manufacturer made with the software publishers.

If you purchased a low-priced PC, chances are it came with either Microsoft Works or Microsoft Works Suite pre-installed. If you purchased a higher-priced PC, chances are it came with Microsoft Office pre-installed. And if your PC manufacturer didn't cut a deal with Microsoft, your PC probably came with Corel WordPerfect Suite pre-installed. We'll look at each of these bundles separately.

Microsoft Works

Microsoft Works is suite of five basic applications, all tied together by an interface called the Task Launcher (discussed later in this chapter). The key components of Works are

• Works Word Processor A simple word processing program you can use to write letters, memos, and notes.

• Works Spreadsheet A simple spreadsheet program that lets you enter rows and columns of numbers and other data, and then performs basic calculations and analysis on those numbers.

• Works Database A simple database program that functions more-or-less like a giant electronic filing cabinet. (Learn more in Chapter 15, "Working with Databases.")

• Works Calendar A schedule management program.

• Address Book An all-purpose contact manager you can use to store names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses.

Microsoft Works Suite

Microsoft Works Suite takes the basic Microsoft Works program and supplements it with a variety of other software programs, all tied together by the Task Launcher. The programs that Microsoft packages in Works Suite differ from year to year, but in the Works Suite 2004 version, they include

• Microsoft Word A full-featured word processor that replaces the Works Word Processor in the basic version of Microsoft Works. (Learn more in Chapter 13, "Working with Words.")

• Microsoft Money A personal finance program that lets you write checks and manage your banking and investment accounts. (Learn more in Chapter 17, "Managing Your Finances.")

• Microsoft Picture It! Photo A graphics program that lets you edit and manage your digital photos.

• Microsoft Streets & Trips Used to generate maps and driving directions.

• Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia A first-class electronic encyclopedia.

• Works Spreadsheet A basic number-crunching application.

• Works Database A basic flat-file storage program.

• Works Calendar A simple appointment scheduler.

• Address Book Used to store contact information.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office is a suite of professional-level applications, just like those used in corporations around the world. These programs are more fully featured than the ones in Works and Works Suite, even though they aren't tied together by a common "launcher" interface.

There have been numerous versions of Office over the years. The current version is called Office 2003; the previous version was called Office XP. Within each version, Microsoft sells several different "editions." Each edition contains a different bundle of programs; which Office programs you get depends on the edition of Office you have.

Don't confuse Microsoft Outlook with Outlook Express. Outlook Express is an email-only program, whereas Microsoft Outlook adds contact management and scheduling functionality. (Learn more about Outlook Express in Chapter 25, "Sending and Receiving Email.")

The edition of Microsoft Office bundled on most new PCs is called the Standard Edition, and it includes the following programs:

• Microsoft Word A full-featured word processing program, discussed previously.

• Microsoft Excel A full-featured spreadsheet program. (Learn more in Chapter 14, "Working with Numbers.")

• Microsoft PowerPoint A program that creates professional-level presentations. (Learn more in Chapter 16, "Working with Presentations.")

• Microsoft Outlook A full-featured scheduling/contact/email program.

The Small Business Edition adds Microsoft Publisher, which is a graphics program you can use to create brochures and other projects. The Professional Edition adds both Publisher and Microsoft Access, a sophisticated database program.

tip

If you're currently using Microsoft Works or Works Suite and want to upgrade to Microsoft Office, I recommend purchasing the Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition. This version is identical to the Standard Edition (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and costs just $149. And you don't have to be a teacher or student to purchase it.

The programs in Microsoft Office are the most popular programs used by computer users worldwide. It's hard to find someone who isn't using Microsoft Word as their word processor; if you're a serious number cruncher, there's just no substitute for Excel; and even kids in grade school use PowerPoint to prepare slide shows and electronic presentations. This ubiquity translates to almost-universal compatibility, which means that if you're using Office, you won't have any problems sharing files with other computer users.

Corel WordPerfect Suite

Although most of the world is standardized on Microsoft products, there are still some who prefer a non-Microsoft alternative. For them, Corel publishes the WordPerfect Suite, which includes the following programs:

• WordPerfect A Word-like word processing program.

• Quattro Pro An Excel-like spreadsheet program.

• Paradox An Access-like database program.

Some manufacturers that opt for the WordPerfect suite also bundle a copy of Intuit's Quicken personal finance program with their new PCs. (Learn more about Quicken in Chapter 17.)