Microsoft previews next version of Office

Reed Stevenson

LOS ANGELES: Microsoft Corp. previewed the next version of its Office collection of business programs on Tuesday, showing a redesigned interface and new capabilities that allow users to gather data from Web sites and networked server computers.

Although much of the attention at Microsoft's annual conference for software developers was focused on the new Windows operating system due out next year, it is Office that is undergoing fundamental changes that will be more immediately obvious to business users.

"The influx of e-mail, instant messages, information ... puts tremendous pressure (on users) to get things done," said Chris Capossela, vice president of product management at Microsoft's Information Worker division, which is responsible for Office products.

In a demonstration, Capossela showed how the next version of Office will do away with the common "File" and "Print" pull-down menus and instead offer graphical tabs and buttons at the top of the program that change automatically depending on what kind of data the user is working with.

Microsoft is planning to release the next version of Office, code-named "Office 12", in the second half of 2006, the same deadline it has set for Windows Vista, the next version of Windows that was formerly code-named Longhorn.

In Office 12, Microsoft is aiming to make the myriad of features in its family of programs, such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access and Outlook, more accessible to users with the new interface.

In fact, 15 percent of Office users ask for new features that are already included in the software, Capossela said.

"Our goal is to drive that number down," he said.

Driving new growth in Office is a key goal for Microsoft, since it -- along with Windows -- drives most of the Redmond, Washington software giant's revenue.

Microsoft is also opening up more of Office's basic functions to software developers in order to encourage them to write software specifically designed for Office, similar to how Windows serves as a platform for third-party software developers.

"That's one of the key reasons why we have such a big presence here compared to past years," Capossela said.

Microsoft is encouraging developers to build software that will link functions in Office with data stored in servers and databases. Those networked computers are used to manage and access the volumes of data that companies use to run their businesses.

In addition, Microsoft is promoting advancements in its own server line of products that will make it easier for users to collaborate and share documents and data.