PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE

Thomas Cormier

Bentley Class of 2014’

Information Technology 101

Usage

Microsoft is the most popular and widely used form of productivity software.

What is it?Productivity Software:

Word processors, spreadsheets, database management systems, schedulers and other software that are designed for individual use.

Productivity SuitesProductivity Suites:

A group of programs that are sold as a package to solve common problems. Most popular are “productivity suites”, they are a set of basic business programs designed with a uniform user interface and common functions such as spell checking.

Software Suit

Examples:Microsoft Office (Most Popular)

○ Sold in several versions depending on use.HomeProfessional MobileApps

*All include some or all of Microsoft’s productivity software.

(Mac editions available as well)

Microsoft Most known productivity software producer.

Founded 1975

Microsoft Word

•Word Processor

•First released in 1983 Originally named “Multi-tool Word” for Xenix

•1989 Renamed

•1997 Microsoft formed the Macintosh Business Unit

•Since the release of Microsoft Word there have been 13 Versions of the productivity software.

Excel

•Spreadsheet Application produced by Microsoft

•Features Calculations, graphing tools, and more.

•Vital financial part of nearly any business operation involving finances.

•Version 1.0 released in1985

•There have been 12 version released since version 1.0.

PowerPoint

•Original version of the program was created by Forethought Inc.

•Originally Designed for the Macintosh computer, initial release was called the “Presenter”. Renamed PowerPoint in 1987

•Within a year of its development Microsoft bought Forethought for 14 million.

•It became Microsoft's Graphics Business Unit which continued to develop the software.

OneNote

•Gathers users notes , drawings and audio commentaries and shares them with other users of Microsoft OneNote.

•Allows unbound clicking within the document virtually anywhere.

•Automatically saves everything.

•Easy organization of binders within the program.

Outlook

• Personal information manager

•Often used mainly for email though calendar, task manager, contact manager, note taking and journals are other features commonly overlooked.

•First stand alone version was released in January 1997.

•11 Versions released.

•Most commonly used email capable application among the business world.

Productivity software has also become known as “Business Software” due to its frequent usage in nearly every aspect of today's business related tasks.

Other Companies

Competitors to Microsoft include:

Corel WordPerfect OfficeIBM Lotus SmartSuiteApple iWorkSun Microsystems Star Office*OpenOffice.org (A free online productivity

suite)

Corel Corel office productivity software offers many of

the same benefits as Microsoft although they are a smaller company.

Much of the software is orientated around graphics and design as opposed to Microsoft’s more business like approach.

IBM Lotus SmartSuite

Lotus Word Pro – Word Processor

Lotus 1-2-3 – Spreadsheet

Lotus Freelance Graphics – Graphic Design

Lotus Approach – Rational Database

Continued

Lotus Organizer – Personal Manager

Lotus SmartCenter - Toolbar

Lotus FastSite –Web Design

Lotus ScreenCam – Recording of Screen Activity

Apple iWork

First Version of iWork was released in 2005

Since it release there have

been 6 Versions

Sun Microsystems Star Office Founded on February 24, 1982. Products include computer servers and

workstations along with productivity software.

Bought by Oracle on Jan. 27th 2010.

OpenOffice.org

Commonly known as Ooo. Open source suite whose main

component is word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, and databases.

Since its release OpenOffice has had nearly 30 Versions.

Limited capabilities due to need for online activity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, productivity software enables a much more diverse range of user capabilities.

Microsoft leads among this category of software though with the release of iWork and the sudden increase in Macintosh users there may be competition down the road.