Question : Problem: Microsoft Office vs. Lotus Smart Suite

My wife and I are forming a small corporation and looking at office productivity software; am interested in the opinions of those who have used both Microsoft Office and Lotus Smartsuite and their impressions. Also evaluations of any other similar packages (Corel, etc.)

Answer : Problem: Microsoft Office vs. Lotus Smart Suite

This is a tradeoff issue.

MS Office has a higher learning curve in for example Access, Vs. Approach. Frankly, I think Approach is a better database, and eaiser to use.

However, I have found what much more important is the ablity to ask questions, such as at this site. Many more experienced users on Office.

 Further, because of the volume of Office users, you will find more books, ranging from IDG's Colorful (almost coloring book) Office how to books, to books that prepare a user to become a Microsoft Certified Product Specialist. Books for the other suites exist, but are 1)harder to find, 2)FAR fewer choices. So you either get something that insults your intelligence or you struggle along to get up to speed with the author.

Finally, when it comes to exchanging data documents, it will be MUCH eaiser to throw out a cup of Q2Forcast.xls or an Access Prospect.MDB to another user (your lawyer, bean counter, customer, or an Expert Exchange for help).

Living in Seattle, I'm not in love with MS. But it's much like buying a car and decieding which side I want the drivers wheel on. I could get a really cool English car, that has superior attributes and a lower price, for example. I can even legally drive down the road. But getting help to repair my car would be much more difficult. This is why every client I work with in Seattle, has given up on something like Word Perfect, and gone to Word. None of us here are worshiping Redmond, WA. Just finding it eaiser to get on with the business day with the defacto standard.