There is not a single home office anywhere that would survive without software. With all the choices for applications available nowadays, how can you choose which one is right for you? It’s all a matter of determining what you need as opposed to what you just want. This is usually the biggest hurdle for most people.
The needs can be compared to wants with this example. A person can say that his dream ride would be some type of mean machine – a sports car or a big bike perhaps? This is what he WANTS. Then give that person a reality check – and ask him what he really NEEDS. Everything else falls into place if he takes into account his family, his children and his business needs. Most likely he will change his answer to a bigger and safer type of vehicle, like a trusty SUV.
You can apply the same principle to choosing your home office software. Sure, everyone wants the most up to date version of Microsoft Office, but there’s nothing wrong with opting for one of the new Open Source office packages or just the basic Microsoft Works; as long as the software can handle the demands of your business, then the simplest kind would be more than fine.
You might want to consider Microsoft’s most basic Office product, Microsoft Works. It has a database product, a Spreadsheet and the might of a Word processor. It has both a Suite and a standalone version, and has about 90% of what most offices need.
For more powerful features, you can check out Microsoft Office, which has dominated the market in a matter of years. It has Excel, Word, Access, Outlook, Publisher, Frontpage and Powerpoint. This is the total package, but honestly speaking most businesses use just half of the features in their daily operations.
Open Office is a fairly new technology in the world of free office software. Some of the components of its suite are the Calc (spreadsheet), Writer (word processor), Draw and Impress (for presentations). Open Office still does not have the calibre of Word, as it is still in the process of being continuously updated. The great thing about it is that it’s free of charge – that’s a wonderful package in my opinion.
Most people want to have the freedom of dabbling with their computer’s Photoshop and Paintshop applications, as well as others that deal with graphics. Although this will “soup up” your computer, they are features that are more than a standard home office needs. Something more basic, like GIMP would work just as well without sacrificing the need to tinker with graphics applications.
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