Microsoft_Works_2004_review

Many of us have often joined the criticizing of Microsoft for hyper forthcoming; don’t think about buying a competitor’s products, then sailing far past their promised shipping dates. We do however; think it would have been nice if Works Suite 2004 would have been pushed back a few months instead of shipping on schedule last fall.

This is because the two main components of Microsoft’s family friendly productivity and creativity bundle are Works 7.0 and Word 2002 – both are unchanged from Works Suite 2003, which came out over 15 months ago. The inclusion of Word 2002 seems to hint that consumers who don’t need the frills and features of Microsoft Office don’t deserve to have up to date software.

The Word processor hasn’t changed much beyond the simple addition of a pretty document browsing of Reading Layout view, although it doesn’t look good enough to make mom, dad, or the kids settle for leftovers.

With that being said, Works Suite 2004 still remains one of Microsoft’s best values, even before the $9 price cut, to $100 with a $15 mail in rebate coupon included in the box. In addition to Works, which combines a spreadsheet, database, appointment calendar, and task oriented launch pad interface, you get Encyclopedia Standard 2003, Streets and Trips 2002, Money 2003 Standard, and Picture It Photo Premium 9.

With a smoother installation routine and more polished Task Launcher screens, the most improved player on the Works Suite 2004 team is the Picture It Photo Premium 9 image editor. Even though it lacks some features of Microsoft’s $100 Digital Image Pro 9, it’s still a definite step up from last year’s Picture It Photo 8, with the usual cropping, contrast tweaking, and red eye reduction tools.

Money 2003 Standard is probably the benchwarmer of the squad, which holds users’ hands through checkbook balancing and budget or expense tracking jobs. Money 2003 Standard is somewhat skimpy when compared to its Money Deluxe and Premium siblings, which offer more help with investments, credit and tax management, and financial goal scenarios such as buying a home or retiring.

Found somewhere in between on the usefulness scale – especially for families with broadband rather than dial up access – are the Encarta Encyclopedia and Streets and Trips. The former program requires you to keep its data CD on hand, but then delivers smoother, must swifter access to informative articles and multimedia extras than the online version; the new version on the other hand offers more flexible routing and options for driving preferences and gas costs than other online map and driving directions related websites.

Finally, Microsoft Word 2002 is the ultimate word processor and almost full fledged desktop publishing program you are already familiar with. Since Works 7.0 contains a perfectly word processor, complete with columns, tables, headers, footers, and footnotes, most people wouldn’t agree with the decision to supplant it, or super size it with the relatively big and bloated Word.

The word processor in Works is strong enough to handle the overwhelming majority of shopping lists, flyers, and invitations that make up the Works Suite templates, and doesn’t bring the ponderous Product Activation baggage of Word 2002, which not only tells consumers they’re thieves who can’t be trusted, shutting down after 50 uses unless you activate the program.

The beginner friendly Works 7.0 is one of Microsoft’s best, least publicized products. We do wish however that the company would offer a step up suite that bundled it with Publisher instead of Word. Microsoft Works Suite 2004 is a still a good program, is surely worth a purchase if you don’t own the 2003 version.