Microsoft Works Suite 2003 (07/25/2002)

Review: There really is no reason to use Works when you can use Open Office.org. OOo is open source,free, just as easy to use, but much more robust, and 100% MS Office compatible.

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Review: Anyone requiring a good general purpose software suite or word processor to use around the home or even small office should take serious look at this package. To buy MS Word alone as a separate package would cost more than this package on its own yet here is what is the latest version of Word packaged up with a spreadsheet, a database, Encarta Standard Encyclopedia, Money 2002 and Picture IT Photo 2002. I have often wondered what is the reasoning behind the price of this package as to buy these programs separately would cost many times the cost of Works Suite yet here it is all in one package. Getting the latest version of Word alone makes this package worth having since Word is regarded as the best standard for word processing. I would be very much surprised if this alone didn’t satisfy the needs of all readers when it comes to producing some pretty fancy documents and even books. Add to this the capability of a very versatile spreadsheet to keep track of your finances plus a database to track assets and data about contacts etc and you would satisfy most needs unless you are in to picture handling. To satisfy this need you are provided with Picture It which is a very capable program for getting the best out of you snaps or other pictures. If spreadsheets are not your style than there is MS Money which operates in a similar format to Quicken and keeping track of finances is a breeze. Works Suite is task oriented, as is the fashion with most Microsoft packages these days. Personally I don’t find this method easy to get around in, possibly because I know what I want to do, but for the inexperienced user it is probably a good way to go with its step by step approach. Certainly for a novice the Wizard type interface saves you from stumbling around trying to create a document or whatever, that is presentable. It is just a matter of choosing from a list of projects and making choices as they are presented until you have the finished project. Most unusual in these days of handbooks on disks that you have to print out yourself this package does have a handbook which does give you some clues albeit not too many about how to use or set up some of the programs. A fair amount of attention is paid to Picture IT and certainly Word in the manual pointing out many of the features and how to use them. Topics covered in the manual include Creating a travel Budget, Creating a Household Inventory, Setting up an Appointment – using the Calendar, Address Books, Mail Merge, Synchronizing Data With Handheld Devices and using Microsoft Money Standard. Initially on boot up I was presented with a Program screen based on tasks that can be achieved using Works. I suspect though that had I perhaps approached Works in a different way it would have brought up the Home Page which offers a choice of ways in through Tasks, Programs, History and finally Take a Tour. The default setting in Programs is to Word where you are offered choices between Bibliography, Brochures, Certificates, Labels, Letters, mail Merge Documents and even Menus for parties etc. (29 Choices) On making your choice up pops a wizard to guide you through modifying a prepared template. If you don’t want a wizard in any of these then you can choose a blank document, database etc. and work to your heart’s content as normal. The History choice can be very helpful. In a way it works like the old file list at the bottom of the File menu in word or the Document menu off the Start Button in Windows. It makes it easier to find a document that you worked on a couple of days ago. This can be especially useful if your memory has become a worry lately like mine. The Calendar is not quite what most would expect. It is not a calendar in the sense we are used to but really a diary to keep you up and running and hopefully on tile. On the other hand Picture IT allows you to create everything from Flyers to Cards and Calendars (the real ones) as well as allowing you to download pictures from a digital camera or scan photos or other pictorial objects. Photos can be operated on to remove red eye and many other defects. While you can buy all the programs separately and at much greater cost and can also buy other Microsoft packages such as Publisher here you have an integrated system where programs overlap and work together. In my mind Works Suite is a very good value for money package capable of allowing you to do most tasks or chores quickly and easily with minimum hassle. If you want a word processor plus a few other tools don't rush out and buy Word buy Works Suite and you will find you have a gold mine of capabilities that should answer most if not all your needs.

Review: It seems like that when Microsoft release's a new product the crowd are very quick to jump on Microsoft This is 6 (SIX) Programs. Duh, it's going to take up a chunk of disk space, but look at the features, Money 2003, Streets 2003, Word 2002,Encarta 2003! I agree I would not spend $400 for Microsoft Office XP but that why they have the Student and Teacher's Edition. for 149, Face it, all the people who Hate Microsoft,love to destroy a low cast App.

Review: This is Microsoft's bargain software package. I critize Micro$oft as much as anyone but this package is a bargain. I use Open Office every day. If you need the entire office suite get Open Office.

Review: To be perfectly honest this package is very poor. Its all very well charging £90 for an OS thats worth 40, but this really takes the biscuit. Think about the package and what the alternatives are, a photo editor, Paint Shop Pro, £40, an encyclopaedia, Britanica, £10, and an "office" suite, StarOffice, £20 or NOTHING depending on what version you get. £120 or £70... does the Microsoft name really cost that much?

Review: Unlike most of the reviewers of this product, I bought Works Suite 2002 and have been using it for six months. The reason is that Word has FINALLY! adapted features that made WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS my wordprocessor of choice for many many years. One caution: without any "word" to the user, the Word installation overwrites the less feature-filled Works wordprocessing that came with my computer's edition of Works 2000 (without all the spiffy features of the Suite). I am using Word to do the final drafting of my dissertation. There is a fairly steep learning curve, although I've used the basic Word approach in a computer lab. I spent a day getting the outline numbering feature to work, only to work around the feature in the FORMAT menu and use the "Lists" command to set up an outline hierarchy of numbered headings and paragraphs, instead of using the frustrating "Outline Numbered" option. You also need to be wary of the Formatting and Styles task pane, as you can easily undo a lot of work in getting your text to look exactly as you want. The culprit is the "Automatic update" option on the first formatting screen. I also find that I can't display only the styles I'm currently using. There are some fabulous features, however. I made a simple two-column chart (called a glossary, I think) for an index, and then sat back and watched Word create the index. I can also create and revise Tables of Contents quite easily. Problems again: It is not possible to add anything after the endnotes. In proper academic style, the index comes after the endnotes. If I move the index to separate file, I may be able to add it after the endnotes, but no direct entry of text is possible. Or I could probably repaginate the index and endnote sections, and shuffle the parts after they are printed. I've used some of the other programs for a day or so each. I found PictureIt a bit counter-intuitive, although its features are first-rate. I can never find an appropriate starting point for the things that Money wants to track, so don't use it. I've briefly used the spreadsheet, which is adequate for what I need. Contrary to what one of the online reviewers said, there is no PowerPoint program. I was able to use MSWord to put together overhead transparencies and text for a presentation this past summer. The Works Suite 2002 interface is interesting in suggesting how to use the program, but a time-waster for getting down to an ongoing task. From time to time the "history" tab on the main Works page is useful, in recovering dropped text. Otherwise, both the Works 2002 and the image of the Works 2003 main page (quite different) distract from the task at hand. I'm happy to have gotten a deal on MSWord 2002; and unhappy about unintended consequences, and features that do not work, when I use it.

Review: This product is great for its target audience; its just a matter of determining whether you fit in that category or not. In grammar school, I used only MS Word; in high school, I learned Excel and Powerpoint. Now that I'm in college, I used these products a good amount. It is worth noting that the bundled spreadsheet and presentation programs do a fair amount of what Excel and Powerpoint do, but its just not enough. I like to think that the needs of an average K-12 student are increasing in terms of software, and a full office suite is a definate necessity for college students. This product represents a slight understanding of this at Microsoft, however, this product does not stand up to OpenOffice and other free competitors. If you're comfortable with the limited features go out and buy it. I just can't see how the shoe could fit for many students like myself.

Review: For the price you pay for this product, I think that Microsoft could do better for support when the product is first purchased than to charge you $35.00 per hour. I think they should give 90 free support.

Review: It's about time Microsoft stopped putting out annual re-issues at these prices without any substantial improvement. $100 a year is way too much for an annual upgrade.

Review: mICROSOFT GETS A GOOD PRODUCT AND KEEP SELLING NWER VERSIONS i HAVE THE 4.5 AND IT WIRKS FINE, i DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO PAY CONYINIUOSLY FOR NEW WHEN THE OLD WORKS GREAT

Review: What an improvement over previous versions of Works! This is a fast, well-implemented package that will suffice for most home users. Put this on a fast, cheap XP machine and who needs a Mac?

Review: the usage we get out of and from it is worth the cost. Not being professionals we use it for home and school projects. Works great, no problems and very user friendly

Review: Its not bad but Star Office is only $50 and is a complete office suite. You can get it for free if you download it from the web.

Review: The Works Suite will do 99 % of what you need at home and in most small business. The remaining percent needs Office. But I never remember how it is done in Office so I use Works to work around the problems!

Review: When you can get a complete suite of full-featured Office software, compatible with and just as powerful as Microsoft Office, for a fraction of the price, buy it. But of course, I'm not referring to this Works junkware. I'm referring to WordPerfect Office.

Review: It's just like Gates to suck more money out of everyone for what should be free. Apple gives every Mac user a copy of Appleworks (painting, drawing, word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and database software all compatible with MS Office), iTunes (industry leading music jukebox and burning software), iCal (industry leading calender program which can be exported to your PDA, cell phone, or iPod), iMovie (industry leading home digital video editing software), iDVD (industry leading home DVD recording software compatible with all DVD players), iPhoto (industry leading photo management software), and security features that actually work - all for FREE. And if you absolutely need to have MS Office, it is available on the Mac and it works better than the Windows version! Now ask yourself why you still use a PC, because my Mac can also run Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, and XP (but I never have to). I guess you people like doing things the hard way.

Review: I haved used Works for several version for my construction business and I love it. Doesn't load you down with unwanted features you never use. I have tried Appleworks, Star Office, Corel Suite and others. I keep coming back to the easiest program available. Well done Microsoft!

Review: Why are so many people so nasty about MS programs? If you don't like their products, don't use them. If it wasn't for MS, computers would NOT be nearly as advanced as they are. And, no, I am not a MS lover. I just respect what they have done for the computer industry.

Review: More ms junk. Find a friend and get office for free or try Sun's free version - fast, small, compatable, intelligent and no crashes.

Review: This is still too expensive. I'd rather not buy it at all. I don't even need half these programs, and all computers already come with some sort of word processing. Quite frankly, it's a waste of money.

Review: OpenOffice does what you need better and cheaper. With full word, excel, powerpoint, etc. compatibility you at least owe it to yourself to download the free, less then 70 MB, file and give it a try. (www.openoffice.org) A Washington Post article even says,"After using the Windows version of OpenOffice for the past week and a half, I can attest that it either matches or beats Microsoft Office in features and ease of use..." the full review can be read from here http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4246-2002May11.html Before throwing away $100 you at least owe it to yourself to study up on the alternatives.

Review: Microsoft works consists of a second rated products of which three are useless. I wish microsoft would let you pick which programs out of there whole suite that you want and which to leave out. They already charge a killing for these programs and I don't have to want to pay for ones I am not going to use. In addition the whole XP activation thing sucks as well as microsoft auto update and being a pain the the but to remove windows messenger with their add remove utility. The only redeeming quality of windows products is compatability which I rate as being important. It's nice seamlessly use all the programs at once.

Review: Don't get it! If you are a student, and why not you get yourself a copy of AppleWorks 6.2 for Windows for $39 dollars. AppleWorks is an excellent intergrated suite. Why not you try it?

Review: This might not be as cheap (in price and quality) as OpenOffice or StarOffice, but it's all I would ever need. Does StarOffice include an encyclopedia? No. Does OpenOffice have advanced image editing and mapping software? Are you kidding? I didn't think so. Microsoft opinions aside, this is a great product. And I'm sure if Sun or Corel or someone else made it, everyone would be ooh'ing and aah'ing.

Review: For the money you spend on this suite you could very well go and purchase Sun's Star Office for less money and have far more bang for your buck. Granted you wont get the Money program or Mapping but who really needs a 2003 version of a 2002 version? To be totally honest this is just Microsoft's money making mission at it's finest. I'll have to admit I went out and purchased MS Office XP so I'm definitely not a MS hater!! Save your money folks and use your 2001 or 02 version of this Suite.

Review: yet again ms has put out another program desinged to rip you off. this is a striped down version of the already sparse suit but a 1/5 the price. which means you rgetting less and less

Review: How can anyone with any common sense not say this is the best buy for the money. Almost all the included apps have been consistantly rated highest in there field, you compare it to star office, please, have you no common sense at all? Star office gets blown away by Word alone... if you could only have one app on your computer you would be lying not to say it would have to be word, do you not know how to use it or its capapilites it can do almost anything. Rate the apps not the company.

Review: Works' original word processor is considerably more desireable than the cumbersome, bloated WORD. CHECK OUT EasyOFFICE, www.e-press.com IT'S FREE!!

Review: First of all folks, this is 6 programs. It's going to be a little large (1 GB, to be exact). Second, this isn't a "diet Office" ... this is a photo editor, encyclopedia, mapping software, Word processor, database, spreadsheet, calendar, financial management, and project software all bundled into one. Don't be fooled by the Microsoft haters. You won't find a better package for this kind of money!

Review: Best bang for your buck in an Office Suite?. Yeh right!!. Did they forget Open Office or StarOffice. Good old MS proved to the public again that their nothing but liars!. Sure for basic tasks it's ok, but by no means is this an Office Suite or the best "bang for your buck"!!. For the best bang for your buck download Open Office or buy StarOffice. StarOffice is a full and more powerful office suite which is still cheaper than this junk!. Buy this package if you never touched a computer in your whole life.

Review: Don't PPl just get fedup of MiCrOsOfT's rip offs and new versions releaced on nearly a yearly basis ... Cauz I cretanly do :P

Review: 1 GB MINIMUM hard drive space! Well there you have it folks, Microsoft has broken the GB barrier of garbage.

Review: It's actually too hard to work with. Just working with it gives me a headache, the programs try to jump out at me for attention giving me a hard time getting my work done. I hate it.

Review: Great product, super value. How could you pass this up? Microsoft's best kept secret ... six great programs (including Word!) for $100.

Review: Works Suite is the best value you will get out of Microsoft. Six full featured programs for a little over $100. You just can't beat that!