Microsoft announces details of Office 2007

Microsoft announces details of Office 2007

SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. announced the details of its forthcoming Microsoft Office 2007 products on Wednesday. The product line, which includes the new Office suite, applications and servers, is to be released by the end of the current year.

The product is basically aimed at simplifying content management and streamlining business processes besides improving collaboration. The Office 2007, which was code-named Microsoft Office 12, also includes Office Enterprise 2007.

Redmond is apparently planning multiple versions of this product, which constitutes more than half its revenue stream. Microsoft's main challenge will be to maintain its product domination in face of rumors that Google is getting ready to release its own version.

Parri Munsell, who is a group manager in the Information Worker licensing and pricing division at Microsoft said that this was the best product to come out of Redmond stables for quite some time, "We really think this is the most significant advance in Office in a decade," Munsell said.

Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 is designed for corporate customers and will include a new feature called as SharePoint. This feature includes a collaboration program and a Web portal and can work seamlessly over corporate networks as well as the Internet.

It also includes an instant messaging service called the Microsoft Office Communicator. Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007, on the other hand is equipped with a work-sharing technology courtesy Groove Networks Inc. This company was acquired by Microsoft last year. Redmond is also offering a consumer edition of Office called Microsoft Office Home and a product designed for students called Student 2007.