Chapter 1: An Overview of Microsoft Office 2003

Overview

Information workers dream of programs as flexible as humans are, powerful enough to capture, process, and produce information in a variety of forms, yet simple enough to master quickly. Seamlessly integrating these applications with intranet and Internet resources so that you can find what you need when you need it and apply it almost instantly is part and parcel of this dream.

The last few years have taught us that our simple, interpersonal communication is as powerful and packed with information as the reports and analyses we labor over. We've also learned that working in groups brings far greater benefit in terms of creativity, vision, specialization, and error-trapping than does working alone within our office walls. Physical distance no longer limits us, given virtual meeting rooms, online conferences, instant messaging, and collaborative scheduling. We don't have to run down the hall to check a fact because we can ping a colleague using instant messaging-right now.

'What's possible' has been stretched to include faster, more efficient, further-reaching, and more flexible rules about how we complete our work. Our quickly evolving understanding of what's possible at work drives the need for faster, more flexible, and more efficient tools to get the job done. That's where Microsoft Office 2003 comes in.

Why? Because You Can^[1]

You can carry around thousands of songs in a pocket-sized device. You can watch any U.S. TV show on your home computer anywhere in the world. You can read the diaries of hundreds of thousands of people. You can make a call from the road anytime, anywhere. You can fly thousands of miles for a few dozen dollars or euros. You can order any book, CD, or video directly from your desk and consume it right there without having to get up out of your chair. You can find out almost everything about almost anything within seconds. You can send a photograph to loved ones in a second. You can travel to almost any location in the world within less than 24 hours. You can subscribe to have black socks delivered to you every quarter. You can start a company with a few people all from their desks; no garage necessary. You can write a book, offer it online for free, and still make money. You can sell your attic junk for ridiculous money. You can enjoy life.

Welcome to another week in the 21st century.

^[1]Adapted from a posting by Stefan Smalla, on Stefan Smalla's Info Feed: Weblog on business, technology, startups, and some more www.smalla.net/infofeed/2003/01/19/why_because_you_can.shtml . Used with permission.