microsoft encarta encyclopedia deluxe 2004

But this year's model does have four new programs: Encarta Encyclopedia Standard 2004, Streets & Trips 2004, Money Standard 2004, and Picture It Photo Premium 9.0. After all, its cornerstone applications, Works 7.0 and Word 2002, are carryovers from Suite 2003. It's easy to view Microsoft Works Suite 2004 as nothing more than yesterday's code with a fresh coat of paint. Works Suite 2004 includes the Encarta Standard encyclopedia, a useful research tool for younger students. Despite this quibble, however, Works' interface is a winner.

For instance, when you click the Address Finder tool in Task Launcher, Works launches the Web browser and goes to the MSN Maps Web site-even though you have a copy of Streets & Trips right there on your hard drive.

We'd like to see better integration among Works Suite 2004 programs, however. If you select Plan A Vacation, for instance, Works loads the spreadsheet module with a ready-made travel budget template. The My Projects screen features dozens of templates for vacation planning, party preparation, and other home-oriented endeavors. The Task Launcher makes it easy to launch one of six Works programs by selecting it from a right-hand column. (Word 2002 handles word-processing chores.) Works' strength is its graphical interface. Like Microsoft Works Suite 2003, version 2004's centerpiece is Works 7.0, a slick, home-oriented productivity program with integrated modules for spreadsheets, calendars, and more. If you have a cavernous hard disk with plenty of free space, you can load the entire contents of Encarta and Streets & Trips on the drive, thereby avoiding the disk swapping that these applications require to access certain information. Be prepared to swap plenty of CDs-five, to be exact-during the lengthy 30-minute setup.

A full install of Works Suite 2004 requires a whopping 1.4GB of disk space, but thankfully, you can install individual components-say, Streets & Trips but not Encarta. To install Microsoft Works Suite 2004, set aside plenty of time and disk space. Works Suite 2004 features personal productivity software Works 7.0, with a handy Task Launcher that accesses Web content and other programs and templates within Works Suite.

Microsoft encarta encyclopedia deluxe 2004