Corel Corp. Business and productivity

The Bottom Line: Despite some compatibility setbacks, Corel Home Office suite is useful for creating documents. Its conscientious size, small-screen optimizations, and attractive price make it a good buy for a Netbook office suite, or for saving space by shedding advanced features.

Specs: 1 user, 1 GHz, USB drive, Mouse or tablet, 1 GHz

The Bottom Line: The Corel WordPerfect Office X4 suite best fits those who prefer traditional interfaces for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. We found the features rich, but the execution sometimes clumsy.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows Vista Business, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, 466 MHz, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, 466 MHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 6.0 or later

The Bottom Line: Corel WordPerfect Office X3 is a very good productivity suite with enough enhancements to warrant an upgrade. Microsoft Office users, though, should wait for Microsoft Office 12.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, 466 MHz, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, 466 MHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 5.5

The Bottom Line: Corel WordPerfect Office X3 is a very good productivity suite with enough enhancements to warrant an upgrade. Microsoft Office users, though, should wait for Microsoft Office 12.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, 466 MHz, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, 466 MHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 5.5

The Bottom Line: Current WordPerfect customers should certainly upgrade to Office 11.0. But SOHO users won't need some of the functionality.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP1, Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP1, 370 MB, Intel Pentium 166 MHz, 64 MB, 11, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, Intel Pentium, 166 MHz, Windows

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows Vista Business, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, 466 MHz, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, 466 MHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 6.0 or later

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, Microsoft Windows Vista Business (32/64 bits), Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32/64 bits), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32/64 bits), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32/64 bits), 466 MHz, 800 MHz, CD-ROM, Sound card, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, 466 MHz, 800 MHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 6.0 or later

Specs: 1 user, Maintenance

Specs: 1 user, License, Linux 2.2, 255 MB, Intel Pentium 200 MHz, 64 MB, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, Intel Pentium, 200 MHz, Linux