Office 11 Shows Promise

Beta 1, which was unveiled last week, is the first test version of Office 11 preceding the planned release date in mid-2003.

It offers richer, more standards-based XML support and XML support in Word for the first time, as well as improved management and mobile support for Outlook and features for the Windows XP-based Tablet PC OS, Microsoft executives said.

The enhanced Outlook client is designed to give users better ways of reading, prioritizing, filing and tracking their e-mail via features such as e-mail

preview, color-coded flags for managing growing mail files, improved folder searches and better support for mobile devices.

However, the major selling point of Office 11 is its tighter integration of Word, Excel and Access via XML support and integration with other next-generation applications including SharePoint and XDocs technology.

Office 11 is also designed to offer tighter integration with the company's SharePoint Team Services solution and, when used with the company's XDocs, access to XML server and line-of-business applications. The new Document Workspace feature in Office 11 will enable users to edit documents simultaneously, receive realtime notices of new changes and connect to other team members via Windows Messenger, according to Microsoft.

Solution providers said Office 11 will allow them to craft solutions that enable Office to leverage more data stored across a company. Faster deployment stemming from Licensing 6.0 contracts may also come in handy, they said.

"Most [customers will be interested due to the ties it may have with XML and .Net,especially those that have Software Assurance for the licenses," said Rich Figer, vice president of sales at S.B. Stone, a systems integrator in Cleveland. "If they have the two-year agreement, I cannot imagine they would not take advantage of the new technology."

Observers say the tight integration is designed to add value and fend off aggressive Linux desktop strategies by Red Hat and Sun Microsystems.

"Microsoft's strategy is 'embrace and extend,' so it's not a big surprise," said Michael Silver, vice president and research director at Gartner. "[Microsoft wants to make sure [Office 11 is not a commodity, so customers can't rip [out certain elements and replace them with StarOffice."

However, Silver questions how well Microsoft will execute on XML support. "I'm worried the XML features won't turn out to be as compelling as promised, just like the HTML features of Office 2000," Silver said.