Office applications suite

In computers, an office applications suite, sometimes called an office suite, offimatic suite or integrated offimatic program, is a computer program or set of programs intended to be used by typical clerical and knowledge workers. The components are generally distributed together and able to interact with each other on a higher level than the operating system would normally allow, with a consistent user interface between the components.

Most office application suites include at least a word processor and a spreadsheet element. In addition to these, the suite may contain a presentation program, a database management system and minor graphics and communications tools. Newer variations on the office applications suite include an e-mail client, a personal information manager (or groupware package) and/or a graphics application suite.

The currently dominant office suite is Microsoft Office, the proprietary file formats of which have become a de facto standard for mainstream business use, resulting in lock-in. As such, the ability to read and write Microsoft Office files in the formats is essential for any office suite seeking to displace Microsoft Office in the market.

Table of contents

1 Major office suites still available and in use 2 Historically important office suites 3 External links

Major office suites still available and in use

• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access etc.)
• OpenOffice.org, free open source office suite, main competitor for Microsoft Office
  • StarOffice, Sun's proprietary version of OpenOffice.org
• WordPerfect Office (WordPerfect, Quattro Pro etc.)
• Lotus SmartSuite (Word Pro, Lotus 1-2-3 etc.)
• KOffice, part of KDE
• GNOME Office, part of GNOME
• AppleWorks
• Microsoft Works

Historically important office suites

• Symphony
• Framework, one of the pioneers, from Aston Tate.

External links

• Microsoft Office home page
• OpenOffice.org home page