Microsoft Ships New Office Package for the Macintosh

Four Microsoft Applications Offered

May 28, 1991

Redmond, Wash. -- (Business Wire ) --Microsoft Corp. Tuesday announced shipment of The Microsoft Office version 1.5 for the Apple Macintosh.

The Microsoft Office version 1.5, which combines four business applications in a single, economical package, contains updates of two popular Macintosh applications.

The four applications in The Microsoft Office address the essential software needs of general business users. Version 1.5 includes new releases of Microsoft Excel version 3.0, the leading spreadsheet software for the Macintosh, and Microsoft Mail version 3.0 for AppleTalk networks, a full-featured electronic mail system. (Server software must be acquired separately.) In addition, the package contains Microsoft Word version 4.0, the overall best-selling Macintosh application, and Microsoft PowerPoint version 2.01, the leading presentation graphics program for the Macintosh.

``Each of the applications in The Microsoft Office is a leader in its category,'' said Mike Maples, vice president of applications at Microsoft, ``so it's a great value for users to purchase a package containing four of these top-rated programs at one low cost.''

Four Microsoft Applications In One Package

Microsoft Excel version 3.0 incorporates more than 100 new features, including important innovations in the user interface, greatly enhanced analytical power and output capability, and faster, easier operation. For example, the Toolbar lets users format cell contents or find the sum of a row or column with a single mouse click. Microsoft Excel 3.0 takes full advantage of Apple's System 7, including such features as Publish & Subscribe, Balloon Help, AppleEvents, virtual memory and TrueType scalable font technology. Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk Networks version 3.0 provides enterprise-wide connectivity across AppleTalk networks of any size. A new feature permits users to send multiple files through Microsoft Mail by attaching them to a mail message. Personal address books allow users to build a list of frequent correspondents, while personal groups allow users to create customized distribution lists. Address books and distribution lists are automatically updated when users are removed from or added to the network. The Microsoft Office contains only a client version of the software; at least one set of Microsoft Mail server software must be purchased separately and installed on a Macintosh workstation on the network.

Microsoft Word version 4.0 is designed for ease of use by novices and power users alike. Word version 4.0 has optional automatic repagination, editable WYSIWYG page view, a powerful table editor and the ability to flow text around prepositioned text or graphics on the page. Even with its many sophisticated features, Microsoft Word still requires only 512K of memory. It supports a wide variety of PC and Macintosh file formats, and provides automatic linking with Microsoft Excel and Mail.

Microsoft PowerPoint version 2.01, the first presentation graphics program for the Macintosh, is designed for easy creation and management of slide and overhead presentations by business users. The PowerPoint Slide Master feature allows fast changes to entire presentations, such as the last-minute addition of a company logo or the variation of a background color. Users can create handouts and notes pages, and select output to slides or overheads with a single mouse click. The PowerPoint program also includes a special driver and telecommunications software that enables users to produce high-quality slides directly at any of the 22 nationwide Genigraphics Service Centers.

System Requirements and Availability

The Microsoft Office contains disks and full documentation for each of the four products, and is available in hundreds of retail stores today. The Microsoft Office version 1.5 for the Macintosh has a suggested retail price of $849. If purchased separately at list price, the four applications would have a suggested retail price of $1,410. (All prices listed are U.S. suggested retail prices.)

The Microsoft Office is also available in a multiple Microsoft License Pak version, an economic solution for the business productivity needs of corporate accounts. Designed for companies that already have original manuals but need additional licensed copies of software, the License Pak is available for $679.

System requirements are as follows: a Macintosh Plus, Classic, LC, SE, II-family or portable with at least 1 MB of RAM (2 MB for MultiFinder or System 7), System 6.0.2 or higher (or Finder 6.1 or higher), and two 800K disk drives or one 800K disk drive and a hard disk drive or SuperDrive. Microsoft Mail is compatible with AppleShare and EtherTalk, and requires an AppleTalk or compatible local area network.

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) develops, markets and supports a wide range of microcomputer software for business and professional use, including operating systems, network products, languages and applications, as well as books, hardware and CD-ROM products for the microcomputer marketplace.

NOTE:

-- Microsoft, the Microsoft logo and PowerPoint are registered trademarks and Toolbar is a trademark of Microsoft Corp.

-- Apple, AppleTalk, AppleShare, EtherTalk, Macintosh and MultiFinder are registered trademarks and Finder, SuperDrive and TrueType are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc.

CONTACT: Microsoft Corp., Redmond Karen Meredith or Sarah Charf, 206/882-8080 For General Sales and Product Information, 800/426-9400 or Waggener Edstrom, Portland Gaby Adam or Connie Ballmer, 206/637-9097 12:18 ET