There's often more to suites than meets the eye. Besides the standard word processor and spreadsheet, most suites offer a presentations package and a personal information manager, and some also offer a database product. Don't underestimate the value of these additional programs.
All suites are not created equal. With each new release, vendors try to differentiate their product from others by adding new functionality. Look out in particular for features that enhance your ability to work in groups, utilize your network and exploit the Internet.
If there is one rule of the suites, they don't get faster and smaller with each release. Evaluate what the computer press has to say about each suite's performance. Pay attention to the system requirements listed on the box--and know that what's listed is often the barely tolerable minimum configuration.
Most suites advertise backward compatibility with your old files. Be aware that the quality of the conversion differs for every product in each suite. Make sure the suite's word processor imports and exports to the file format you want, and be sure that the quality level of the export is high. Find a copy of the suite you're considering and import one of your files. Also, see if your old spreadsheets will open, recalculate correctly, and run your old macros flawlessly. Conversion is a critical consideration--if it doesn't work well, it's no help to you.
When the time comes to buy, ask lots of questions. Be sure the suite supports the operating systems you want. Consider the degree to which you can customize your products using macros or scripts. Check out prices--different vendors offer different deals. Especially find out about competitive upgrades. Make sure you get the newest releasecall the company to see if a new version is about to be released.
Copyright (c) 1996 CMP Media Inc.