Microsoft Works
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Microsoft Works | |
|---|---|
| Image:Msworks.png Microsoft Works Task Launcher Version 8.5 | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Latest release | 9.0 |
| OS | Microsoft Windows |
| Genre | Office suite |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | Microsoft Works |
Microsoft Works is an office suite ("Home Productivity Suite") available from the Microsoft Corporation. Smaller and less expensive than the Microsoft Office suite, its core functionality includes a Word Processor, a spreadsheet and a database. Newer versions have a calendar application while older releases included a Terminal emulator. The Works Calendar supports importing and exporting iCalendar (.ICS) files and autosyncing them and the contacts in the Windows Address Book with a portable device. It does not however support subscribing to iCalendar files. Moreover, in Works 9.0, the autosync capability has been removed. [1]
Contents |
[edit] History
Through version 4.5a, Works used a monolithic program architecture whereby the Word Processor and Spreadsheet/Database documents ran in windows of the same program interface, similar to AppleWorks. This resulted in a small memory and disk footprint, which enabled it to run on a 386DX PC with 8 MB of RAM and ~10 MB free space on the hard drive. Works 5.0 switched to a modular architecture which opens each document as a separate instance and uses the print engine from Internet Explorer. In 2006, Microsoft discontinued altogether the proprietary "wps" Works word processor document format in favor of the proprietary "doc" format native to Microsoft Word.[2] More recently, "Works Suite" versions bundle personal productivity and entertainment software such as Microsoft Money, Encarta, Streets & Trips and Digital Image. These "Works Suite" versions also bundle a copy of Microsoft Word, although sometimes a version older than the most recent one supplied in the latest Microsoft Office suite. (Works Suite 2000 and 2001 included Word 2000. Works Suite 2002 through 2006 have included Word 2002).
[edit] Features
Microsoft Works has built-in compatibility for Microsoft Office documents, including, but not limited to, the ability of the Word Processor to open Microsoft Word documents and the ability of the Spreadsheet to open Microsoft Excel workbooks. Newer versions do not include significantly updated features. The most recent version (Version 9.0) is available in two editions, an advertisement-free paid version, available in retail and OEM versions and an ad-supported free version which is available only to OEMs for preinstalling on new computers. [3]
While Works' proprietary native WKS (spreadsheet), WDB (database) and WPS (word processor) formats limit its utility for larger organizations, the simplicity and ease of integrating database/spreadsheet data into word-processor documents (e.g., mail merge) allow it to still remain an option for some small and home-based business owners. Version 4.5a is particularly noted in this respect. The database, while a "flat file", i.e. non-relational, allows the novice user to perform complex transformations through formulas (which use standard algebraic syntax and can be self-referential) and user-defined reports which can be copied as text to the clipboard.
Due to its low cost ($50 retail, $10 OEMs) companies such as HP, Compaq, Gateway, eMachines, Toshiba, Dell and Medion frequently pre-install Works on their consumer grade machines. Microsoft provides a converter to migrate word-processor documents between platforms.
[edit] Support in free software
A general C++ library, which in 2006 was still being developed and has been experimentally published as wps_test[4], works for reading many different Microsoft Works versions. It was later published as [libwps]. As of December 2007, no mainstream versions of OpenOffice.org, Abiword, or KWord have included it for various reasons. OpenOffice.org has not included it because of [restrictions with the JCA], but OpenOffice.org variants such as Go-OOo.org, NeoOffice, and Ubuntu have included libwps.
[edit] Version history
[edit] Works for MS-DOS
- Microsoft Works 1.12
- Microsoft Works 2.0 and 2.0a
- Microsoft Works 3.0, 3.0a and 3.0b
[edit] Works for Mac OS
- Microsoft Works 1.0
- Microsoft Works 2.0
- Microsoft Works 3.0
- Microsoft Works 4.0
[edit] Works for Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Works 2.0 and 2.0a (Windows 3.x)
- Microsoft Works 3.0, 3.0a and 3.0b (Windows 3.x)
- Microsoft Works 4.0, 4.0a, 4.5 and 4.5a (Windows 95)
- Microsoft Works 2000 (v.5) (Microsoft Works Suite 2000)
- Microsoft Works 6.0 (Microsoft Works Suite 2001 and 2002)
- Microsoft Works 7.0 (Microsoft Works Suite 2003 and 2004)
- Microsoft Works 8.0 (Microsoft Works Suite 2005)
- Microsoft Works 8.5 (Free update for 8.0 and Microsoft Works Suite 2006)
- Microsoft Works 9.0
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Works 9 does not support synchronizing the Works Calendar and the Address Book together with portable devices
- ^ WPS File Extension. FileInfo.net. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
- ^ Ad-funded Microsoft Works pilot starting soon - Mary Jo Foley: All about Microsoft blog
- ^ Ziem, Andrew (19 August 2006). wps_test. wps_test. Usenet. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
[edit] External links
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