Microsoft's primary desktop applications for Windows and Mac. Depending on the package, it includes some combination of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook along with various Internet and other utilities. The applications share common functions such as spell checking and graphing, and objects can be dragged and dropped between applications. Microsoft Office is the leading application suite on the market.
Microsoft Office 2007
The latest version of Office features the Ribbon user interface, a departure from previous versions. See Office 2007.
Microsoft Office 2003
Provides extensive support for XML and data collaboration. Office files can be saved as native XML for easier integration with other applications, and Microsoft's SharePoint portal turns Office into a groupware system administered on a Web server. Designed to be a front end to Microsoft's .NET initiative, Office 2003 applications run under XP and 2000 only. This version was billed as the Microsoft Office System, departing from the office suite nomenclature. Mainstream support ends in January 2009 with extended support to January 2014.
Office XP (2001)
Added document sharing over the Web, a significant document recovery feature and integrated Hotmail service. Mainstream support ended in 2006 with extended support to July 2011.
Office 2000
A major upgrade with numerous enhancements and changes. More integrated with the Web, it added collaboration features and support for opening and saving HTML documents, even doubling as an HTML editor. Extended support is available to July 2009.
Earlier Versions
Office 95 was the first 32-bit version of Office, followed by Office 97, which added Internet integration and Outlook. The formats in Excel 97, PowerPoint 97 and Word 97 were changed, but files could be saved in a dual 95/97 format for backward compatibility. Access 97 files were not backward compatible. The last 16-bit versions of Office were Office 4.x. See MSW abc's.
Microsoft Office 2007
The latest version of Office features the Ribbon user interface, a departure from previous versions. See Office 2007.
Microsoft Office 2003
Provides extensive support for XML and data collaboration. Office files can be saved as native XML for easier integration with other applications, and Microsoft's SharePoint portal turns Office into a groupware system administered on a Web server. Designed to be a front end to Microsoft's .NET initiative, Office 2003 applications run under XP and 2000 only. This version was billed as the Microsoft Office System, departing from the office suite nomenclature. Mainstream support ends in January 2009 with extended support to January 2014.
Office XP (2001)
Added document sharing over the Web, a significant document recovery feature and integrated Hotmail service. Mainstream support ended in 2006 with extended support to July 2011.
Office 2000
A major upgrade with numerous enhancements and changes. More integrated with the Web, it added collaboration features and support for opening and saving HTML documents, even doubling as an HTML editor. Extended support is available to July 2009.
Earlier Versions
Office 95 was the first 32-bit version of Office, followed by Office 97, which added Internet integration and Outlook. The formats in Excel 97, PowerPoint 97 and Word 97 were changed, but files could be saved in a dual 95/97 format for backward compatibility. Access 97 files were not backward compatible. The last 16-bit versions of Office were Office 4.x. See MSW abc's.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Patch Tuesday heads-up: Critical MS Office patches coming
- Office for Mac also affected...So where are the rants from Windows zealots who scream blue murder every time there's a patch for possible exploits of iTunes on Windows?Oh, that's right, faulty Microsoft software on OS X must be Apple's fault. Forgot that.Critical bulletins for Vista and Windows 7Vista/Server2008: 1 bulletinWindows...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-05
- Patch Tuesday heads-up: Critical MS Office patches coming
- Microsoft plans to release six security bulletins next week to fix at least 15 serious vulnerabilities that could expose Windows users to malicious hacker attacks. by Ryan Naraine
- Blog posts 2009-11-05
- Microsoft to add SharePoint access to Live@edu
- This is goodMy Organization rolled out Live@edu for it's students primarily as an email client so that kids can safely email their teachers and communicate safely without the risk of opening up general email. This allowed us to create accounts based off their ID number and now teachers can...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-05
- Microsoft to add SharePoint access to Live@edu
- Paving the way for its Office Web Apps rollout, Microsoft is adding SharePoint Online to the services it offers students and academics as part of its Live@edu offering. The SharePoint Online service should be available to Live@edu subscribers for no additional cost some time next year. by Mary Jo Foley
- Blog posts 2009-11-05
- Walmart unveils 15.6" HP Pavilion G60 laptop for $298
- hmmfor once, i agree with you. why are they still making the celeron...? shouldn't the atom replace that?Intel Celeron?is Inhel still making this 10 year old crap?surplus maybe? ntnti feel 298 is bad for celron processor..but still good option for ppl who r new to these creepy labtops..RE: Walmart unveils...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-04
- News to know: AT&T, Verizon; T-Mobile; Microsoft CRM; Win7; datacenters; Sony-Ericcson
- Here are today's notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily. For continuous updates see BNET's around-the-Web tech coverage.: Sam Diaz: AT&T sues Verizon Wireless, calls map ad "misleading" but doesn't dispute accuracy Matthew Miller: T-Mobile experiences...
- Blog posts 2009-11-04
- Signature995 9.0 (Windows)
- Signature995 allows you to securely transmit and digitally sign PDFs, Office documents and zip archives quickly, affordably, and easily. It uses native PDF 128 bit RC4 encryption to restrict users from printing, copying text and images and modifying PDF files. Signature995 uses Microsoft Cryptographic technologies to provide 128-bit DES encryption,...
- Software downloads 2009-11-04
- PdfEdit995 9.5 (Windows)
- Create PDF files from any application by simply selecting the print command. Preview documents, combine files, change page orientation, add "Confidential" stamps, create PDF stationery, adjust image resolution, summarize documents, convert PDFs to several image file formats, create batch print jobs from Microsoft Office applications, and choose from several file-naming...
- Software downloads 2009-11-04
- All2Txt 2.8 (Windows)
- All2TXT can extract simple-text from .pdf, .doc, .ppt, .xls, .docx, .pptx, .xlsx, .rtf, .htm, and .hlp files, it does not need Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Office software. It processes at very high speed and you can convert a lot of files once time.
- Software downloads 2009-11-04
- Tracks Eraser Pro 8.0 (Windows)
- Tracks Eraser Pro is designed to protect you by cleaning up all the tracks of Internet activities on your computer. With only one click, Tracks Eraser allows you to erase the cache, cookies, history, typed URLs, autocomplete memory, index.dat from your browser and temp folder, run history, search history, open/save...
- Software downloads 2009-11-04
- Microsoft to show Office Mobile 2010 at TechEd Europe
- Microsoft officials have shared details about two of the three different versions of Office 2010 that are in development: The Office 2010 client and the Office Web Apps. Next week, at the TechEd Europe conference in Berlin, they finally are slated to show and tell more about the third: Office...
- Blog posts 2009-11-03
- Microsoft to raise prices, add more high-end editions with SQL Server 2008 R2
- More likely to ship with Visual Studio 2010?Is it not more likley that SQL 2008 R2 will ship with Visual Studio 2010 as it has done with previous releases? I understand VS2010 is likely to be available in March (Mix 2010?). In this way, SQL is likely to be...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-03
- Product Key Explorer 2.2.9 (Windows)
- Product Key Explorer displays product key for Windows, MS Office, SQL Server and over 800 other software products installed on your local or remote network computers. In order to install or reinstall Microsoft Office, Windows, or other commercial software, you must have access to a product serial key CD Key...
- Software downloads 2009-11-03
- Microsoft doesn't believe Google Apps numbers
- Google Apps has been picking up some steam recently -- announcing a huge deal with the city of Los Angeles, and revealing numbers that suggest over 20 million users and over 2 million companies using the service. Microsoft, on the other hand, doesn't believe the...
- Blog posts 2009-11-02
- 5 quick Microsoft Entourage keyboard shortcuts
- Mac users: If you're used to managing your schedule and contacts with Outlook, switching to Microsoft Entourage isn't familiar. Your mail and calendar software should be quick and simple to use. Here are some quick tips that should save you some time and frustration: ...
- Blog posts 2009-11-02
- Google defines its focus in Apps in 2010
- Chrostopher: the need for detailed formatting as we know it is going away.Actually, the detailed formatting is moving to making it look like you want on computer screens, NOT on paper, which is quite different.All of those baroque features for printing on 8.5x11 paper are looking more stupid every day.Interesting...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-02
- News to know: Microsoft store; Domain names; Blackberry Storm2; VoIP; Android
- Here are today's notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily. For continuous updates see BNET's around-the-Web tech coverage.: Robin Harris: A visit to Microsoft's first store Zack Whittaker: Web addresses to extend to non-English languages...
- Blog posts 2009-11-02
- Microsoft Excel 2010 introduces some solid enhancements
- Like the other Office 2010 apps, Excel doesn't offer any radical changes. But you'll find welcome improvements to existing features and a few cool new tools.This download is also available as an entry in our Microsoft Office blog.
- Download resources 2009-11-02
- OpenOffice.org Portable 3.1.1 (Windows)
- OpenOffice.org Portable (formerly Portable OpenOffice.org) is the complete OpenOffice.org office suite, including a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation tool, drawing package, and database - packaged as a portable app, so you can take all your documents and everything you need to work with them wherever you go. This full-featured office suite...
- Software downloads 2009-11-02
- Medical Office One 3.7.1 (Windows)
- EMR - Appointment Scheduling - Medical Billing Software for Windows Vista and XP. Medical Office One is a HIPAA - NPI Compliant and feature-rich application for medical office - practice administration. Fast and easy-to-use, it allows creation of the new 08/05 version of the CMS 1500 form, full customization, excellent...
- Software downloads 2009-11-02
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