This and That:  Basketful of Eggs
       by Elizabeth B. Wright    September 2005

An office suite is similar to a basket full of eggs. Lots of great software packaged together. Maybe more like a carton of eggs. So are all these eggs in one basket? Yes, but that is not the point of this article.

When most new users buy a computer, it usually comes loaded with some kind of office software. Probably more people end up with a Microsoft product such as Office than with some of the other, better software such as Sun’s Star Office or Smart Suite from Lotus. Word Perfect also has an office collection. With the professional versions of all of these, they contain high-powered word processing, spreadsheets, presentation programs, relational databases, and usually other utilities.

New users tend to put all these eggs into one section of the egg carton (one specific part of the suite) wanting it to perform the tasks better suited to the other components of the package.
Usually the first component learned is the word processor. When novices find out that the word processor can be forced to create spreadsheets, etc., they reach out for help with learning all the bells and whistles of the program. Some are actually brave enough to experiment on their own with menus, keystrokes, and much trial and error in order to discover the power of the chosen processor. However, without extensive training, most never harness the real power of the software. And for the most part their hard work is counter productive.

I don’t know why they do it. Why go through the trauma of making one part of an office suite do everything when there are so many other parts that can handle specific tasks better? Most suites have the capability of creating documents in one part of the suite and importing (or copying and pasting) them into other parts. For instance, create a spreadsheet and import or copy and paste it into the word processor. It takes less time to learn to do this than it does to learn how to create a spreadsheet within the word processor. There is very little difference in this routine than putting a graphic into a word processor document.

And guess what? Copying and pasting works between unrelated (by company) software. Look below:

A small spreadsheet created in Lotus 1-2-3 and copied and pasted directly into Microsoft Word. And, unless Microsoft decides to eliminate this functionality to force people to stay within their suite alone, it should be available in the long haul.

Here is the result.
 

See, I just did it. Lotus 1-2-3 into Microsoft Word. Hooboy!!!
It is the same technique as copying and pasting a graphic.

In spite of needing to use Word to communicate with all the people who do not know there is anything better, I would never trade my WordPerfect word processor for all the suites on the planet. And if I need spreadsheet capability, I defer to my true and loyal friend, Lotus 1-2-3. When it comes to a relational database, why not Paradox? Well, maybe there I will choose Access. For digital presentation programs, there are many that are at least as good as PowerPoint, and is it possible, maybe even better? And don’t forget, spruce up your graphics using good imaging software, then put them into another type of program such as genealogy, word processor, etc. Don’t rely on the limited and infinitely more difficult image handling inside programs not meant primarily for graphics manipulation.

Using relational databases is much more difficult, but is still better suited to creating and using address books than doing it inside a word processor.

I guess my point is that dedicated programs are better for specific tasks and documents can be combined in various ways to create what we want for our final output.

Elizabeth Wright is a member of the CCOKC and a regular writer for the eMonitor