Description:
Microsoft Office 2001 builds on the excellence that Macintosh users enjoyed in Office 98. In this latest version, Microsoft revamps the form and function of the Office suite to make it feel more at home on the Mac than ever before. A curvy new interface, which echoes the elegance of the upcoming Mac OS X, reveals improvements in each component. Word's versatile editing tools now include instant access to Encarta dictionary definitions; and Excel now imports FileMaker databases, sorts and manages lists, and sports a new calculator that simplifies formula creation. PowerPoint's new Tri-Pane interface and text AutoFit feature make it easier to build presentations. Plus, the ability to save PowerPoint documents as QuickTime movies makes it easier to share them. The most significant addition to Office 2001 is the new personal information manager. Dubbed Entourage, it will handle your e-mail (AutoFormat and AutoCorrect features that are borrowed from Word nicely refine composition), address book, to-do list, and calendar. Entourage can filter your e-mail and tasks quickly with color-coded categories and custom views, and sync seamlessly with your Palm OS device, which helps to keep you organized. Entourage's presence is felt throughout Office 2001--every application will let you flag documents for follow-up and pass the reminder on to the calendar, and the address book is accessible at any time, which is invaluable if you use Word for mail-merge tasks. This integrated approach is key to Office 2001's appeal. A new Formatting Palette automatically shows tools that are relevant to the task at hand; the Office Clipboard palette keeps track of multiple items that have been copied from different Office applications; and the ubiquitous Office Assistant is always on hand with tips and how-to advice. Our advice? With features as wide-ranging as these, Office 2001 makes it easy for you to create, manage, and present your documents like a real pro. --Jack Gardiner
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