Microsoft Office 

 
 

Introduction: 

 
Microsoft Office​ is a family of client software, server software, and services
developed by Microsoft. It was first announced by Bill Gates on August 1, 1988, at
COMDEX in Las Vegas. The first version of Office contained Microsoft Word,
Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint.
Over the years, Office applications have grown substantially closer with shared
features such as a common spell checker, OLE data integration and Visual Basic
for Applications scripting language. On July 10, 2012, Softpedia reported that
Office is used by over a billion people worldwide.

Office is produced in several versions targeted towards different end-users and

computing environments. The original, and most widely used version, is the
desktop version, available for PCs running the Windows and macOS operating
systems. Office Online is a version of the software that runs within a web browser,
while Microsoft also maintains Office apps for Android and iOS.The recent
released desktop version of Microsoft Office is Office 2019, released on
September 14,2018.

Microsoft Office has a security feature that allows users to encrypt Office (Word,
Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Skype Business) documents with a user-provided
password. The password can contain up to 255 characters and uses AES 128-bit
advanced encryption by default.Passwords can also be used to restrict
modification of the entire document, worksheet or presentation. Due to lack of
document encryption, though, these passwords can be removed using a
third-party cracking software.

File format and metadata: 

Microsoft Office prior to Office 2007 used proprietary file formats based on the
OLE Compound File Binary Format. This forced users who share data to adopt
the same software platform. In 2008, Microsoft made the entire documentation for
the binary Office formats freely available for download and granted any possible
patents rights for use or implementations of those binary format for free under the
Open Specification Promise.

Starting with Office 2007, the default file format has been a version of Office Open
XML, though different than the one standardized and published by Ecma
International and by ISO/IEC. Microsoft has granted patent rights to the formats
technology under the Open Specification Promise and has made available free
downloadable converters for previous versions of Microsoft Office including Office
2003, Office XP, Office 2000 and Office 2004 for Mac OS X.

Microsoft provides the ability to remove metadata from Office documents. This
was in response to highly publicized incidents where sensitive data about a
document was leaked via its metadata.Metadata removal was first available in
2004, when Microsoft released a tool called ​Remove Hidden Data Add-in for
Office 2003/XP​ for this purpose.It was directly integrated into Office 2007 in a
feature called the ​Document Inspector.​

Platforms: 
Microsoft supports Office for the Windows and macOS platforms, as well as
mobile versions for Windows Phone, Android and iOS platforms. Beginning with
Mac Office 4.2, the macOS and Windows versions of Office share the same file
format, and are interoperable.
Microsoft tried in the mid-1990s to port Office to RISC processors such as
NEC/MIPS and IBM/PowerPC, but they met problems such as memory access
being hampered by data structure alignment requirements. Microsoft Word 97 and
Excel 97 however did ship for the DEC Alpha platform. Difficulties in porting Office
may have been a factor in discontinuing Windows NT on non-Intel platforms.

There are several components of Microsoft Office: 

1. Microsoft Word
2. Microsoft Excel
3. Microsoft PowerPoint
4. Microsoft Access
5. Microsoft Outlook
6. Microsoft OneNote
7. Microsoft Publisher
8. Microsoft Project
9. Microsoft Teams
10. Microsoft Visio  
 
 
 
 
Components 
  
 
1. ​Microsoft Word:  

 
A word processor included in Microsoft Office and some editions of the
now-discontinued Microsoft Works. The first version of Word, released in the autumn
of 1983, was for the MS-DOS operating system and introduced the Computer mouse
to more users. Word 1.0 could be purchased with a bundled mouse, though none was
required. Following the precedents of LisaWrite and MacWrite, Word for Macintosh
attempted to add closer WYSIWYG features into its package. Word for Mac was
released in 1985. Word for Mac was the first graphical version of Microsoft Word.
Initially, it implemented the proprietary .doc format as its primary format. Word 2007,
however, deprecated this format in favor of Office Open XML, which was later
standardized by Ecma International as an open format. Support for Portable
Document Format (PDF) and OpenDocument (ODF) was first introduced in Word for
Windows with Service Pack 2 for Word 2007.
 
2. ​Microsoft Excel: 

 
Microsoft Excel​ is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for Windows, macOS,
Android​ and ​iOS​. It features calculation, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro
programming language called Visual Basic for Applications. It has been a very widely
applied spreadsheet for these platforms, especially since version 5 in 1993, and it has
replaced Lotus 1-2-3 as the industry standard for spreadsheets. Excel forms part of
Microsoft Office.

Microsoft Excel up until 2007 version used a proprietary binary file format called Excel
Binary File Format (.XLS) as its primary format. Excel 2007 uses Office Open XML as
its primary file format, an XML-based format that followed after a previous XML-based
format called "XML Spreadsheet" ("XMLSS"), first introduced in Excel 2002.

Although supporting and encouraging the use of new XML-based formats as

replacements, Excel 2007 remained backwards-compatible with the traditional, binary
formats. In addition, most versions of Microsoft Excel can read CSV, DBF, SYLK,
DIF, and other legacy formats. Support for some older file formats was removed in
Excel 2007. The file formats were mainly from DOS-based programs.  
 
3. ​Microsoft PowerPoint: 
 

Microsoft PowerPoint​ (or simply ​PowerPoint​) is a presentation program,​ ​created by

Robert Gaskins and Dennis Austin at a software company named Forethought, Inc.​ ​It
was released on April 20, 1987,​ ​initially for Macintosh computers only.​ ​Microsoft
acquired PowerPoint for $14 million three months after it appeared.​ ​This was
Microsoft's first significant acquisition, and Microsoft set up a new business unit for
PowerPoint in Silicon Valley where Forethought had been located.​ ​Microsoft
PowerPoint is one of many programs run by the company Microsoft and can be
identified by its trademark orange, and P initial on the logo.

PowerPoint became a component of the Microsoft Office suite, first offered in 1989
for Macintosh and in 1990 for Windows, which bundled several Microsoft apps.
Beginning with PowerPoint 4.0 (1994), PowerPoint was integrated into Microsoft
Office development, and adopted shared common components and a converged user
interface.

PowerPoint was originally designed to provide visuals for group presentations within
business organizations, but has come to be very widely used in many other
communication situations, both in business and beyond. The impact of this much
wider use of PowerPoint has been experienced as a powerful change throughout
society, with strong reactions including advice that it should be used less, should be
used differently, or should be used better.

 
4. ​Microsoft Access: 

 
 
Microsoft Access​ is a database management system (DBMS) from Microsoft
that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user
interface and software-development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft Office
suite of applications, included in the Professional and higher editions or sold
separately.
 Microsoft Access stores data in its own format based on the Access Jet Database
Engine. It can also import or link directly to data stored in other applications and
databases.
Software developers​, data architects and power users can use Microsoft Access
to develop application software. Like other Microsoft Office applications, Access is
supported by Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), an object-based programming
language that can reference a variety of objects including DAO (Data Access
Objects), ActiveX Data Objects, and many other ActiveX components.
​Microsoft Access also may be used as the 'front-end' of a program while other
products act as the 'back-end' tables, such as Microsoft SQL Server and
non-Microsoft products such as Oracle and Sybase. Multiple backend sources
can be used by a Microsoft Access Jet Database (ACCDB and MDB formats).
Similarly, some applications such as Visual Basic, ASP.NET, or Visual Studio
.NET will use the Microsoft Access database format for its tables and queries.
Microsoft Access may also be part of a more complex solution, where it may be
integrated with other technologies such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook,
Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint and ActiveX controls.

Users can create tables, queries, forms and reports, and connect them together
with macros. Advanced users can use VBA to write rich solutions with advanced
data manipulation and user control. Access also has report creation features that
can work with any data source that Access can access.
There is also the Jet Database format (MDB or ACCDB in Access 2007) which
can contain the application and data in one file. This makes it very convenient to
distribute the entire application to another user, who can run it in disconnected
environments.

 
 
 
 
 
5. ​Microsoft Outlook: 

Microsoft Outlook​ is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available

as a part of the Microsoft Office suite. Although often used mainly as an email
application, it also includes a calendar, task manager, contact manager, note
taking, journal, and web browsing.
It can be used as a stand-alone application, or can work with Microsoft Exchange
Server and Microsoft SharePoint Server for multiple users in an organization,
such as shared mailboxes and calendars, Exchange public folders, SharePoint
lists, and meeting schedules. Microsoft has also released mobile applications for
most mobile platforms, including iOS and Android.
Microsoft Outlook has replaced Microsoft's previous scheduling and mail
programs, Schedule+ and Exchange Client.

Microsoft also released several versions of Outlook for classic Mac OS, though it
was only for use with Exchange servers. It was not provided as a component of
Microsoft Office for Mac, but instead made available to users from administrators
or by download. The final version was Outlook for Mac 2001, which was fairly
similar to Outlook 2000 and 2002 apart from being exclusively for Exchange
users.

6. ​Microsoft OneNote: 

Microsoft OneNote​ is a computer program for free-form information gathering

and multi-user collaboration. It gathers users' notes (handwritten or typed),
drawings, screen clippings and audio commentaries. Notes can be shared with
other OneNote users over the Internet or a network. OneNote was​ ​available as a
part of Microsoft Office; this version is abandoned and only a feature-reduced and
touch-optimized Windows 10 UWP-App is available. It is also available as a free
standalone application for macOS, Windows RT, Windows Phone, iOS and
Android. A web-based version of OneNote is provided as part of OneDrive or
Offic​e Online​; this version enables users to edit notes via a web browser.

In OneNote, users can create notes that can include text, tables, pictures, and
drawings. Unlike a word processor, OneNote features a virtually unbounded
document window, in which users can click anywhere on the canvas to create a
new text box at that location. Users do not need to explicitly save their work –
OneNote saves data automatically as the user works.
OneNote notebooks collect, organize, and share possibly unpublished materials –
as compared to word processors and wikis, which usually target publishing in
some way.
The difference shows in certain OneNote features and characteristics:
● Pages can be arbitrarily large
● Bitmap images can be inserted without loss of quality
● There is no enforced uniform page layout or structure
A OneNote notebook is stored as a folder with a separate data file for each
section. OneNote files have a ​.one​ filename extension.OneNote file format is
also supported by the Outline note-taking application for iPad and Mac. Outline
can open, edit and save notebooks in the OneNote file format.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. ​Microsoft Publisher: 

Microsoft Publisher​ is a desktop publishing application from Microsoft, differing

from Microsoft Word in that the emphasis is placed on page layout and design
rather than text composition and proofing.

Publisher is included in higher-end editions of Microsoft Office, reflecting

Microsoft's emphasis on the application as an easy-to-use and less expensive
alternative to the "heavyweights" with a focus on the small-business market,
where firms do not have dedicated design professionals available to make
marketing materials and other documents. However, it has a relatively small share
of the desktop publishing market, which is dominated by Adobe InDesign and
QuarkXPress.
While most Microsoft Office apps adopted ribbons for their user interface starting
with Microsoft Office 2007, Publisher retained its toolbars and did not adopt
ribbons until Microsoft Office 2010.

8. ​Skype for Business: 

 
Skype for Business​ is an instant messaging client (IM) used with Skype for
Business Server or with Skype for Business Online (available with Microsoft
Office 365). Skype for Business is enterprise software.
On 11 November 2014, Microsoft announced that Skype for Business would
replace Lync in 2015. The latest version of the communication software combines
features of Lync and of the consumer software Skype. There are two user
interfaces – organizations can switch their users from the default Skype for
Business interface to the Skype for Business interface.
In September 2017, Microsoft announced that Microsoft Teams would replace
Skype for Business eventually.
On May 20, 2018, Microsoft retired Skype for Business for Windows Phone.
The Basic features of Skype for Business include:
● Instant messaging (IM)
● Audio Call
● Video Call.
Advanced features relate to integration with other Microsoft software.
Lync uses a number of extensions to the SIP/SIMPLE instant-messaging protocol
for some features. As with most instant-messaging platforms, non-Microsoft
instant-messaging clients that have not implemented these publicly available
extensions may not work correctly or have complete functionality. Lync supports
federated presence and IM to other popular instant message services such as
AOL, Yahoo, MSN, and any service using the XMPP protocol.

9. ​Microsoft Project: 

Microsoft Project​ is a project management software product, developed and sold

by Microsoft. It is designed to assist a project manager in developing a plan,
assigning resources to tasks, tracking progress, managing the budget, and
analyzing workloads.
Microsoft Project was the company's third Microsoft Windows-based application.
Within a few years after its launch, it became the dominant PC-based project
management software.
It is part of the Microsoft Office family but has never been included in any of the
Office suites. It is available currently in two editions, Standard and Professional.
Microsoft Project's proprietary file format is ​.mpp.
Microsoft Project and Microsoft Project Server are the cornerstones of the
Microsoft Office enterprise project management (EPM) product.
Project creates budgets based on assignment work and resource rates. As
resources are assigned to tasks and assignment work estimated, the program
calculates the cost, equal to the work times the rate, which rolls up to the task
level and then to any summary tasks and finally to the project level. Resource
definitions (people, equipment and materials) can be shared between projects
using a shared resource pool.
The application creates critical path schedules, and critical chain and event chain
methodology third-party add-ons also are available. Schedules can be resource
leveled. Additionally, Microsoft Project can recognize different classes of users.
These different classes of users can have differing access levels to projects,
views, and other data.

 
 
 
 
 
 
10. ​Microsoft Teams: 

Microsoft Teams is a platform that combines workplace chat, meetings, notes,

and attachments. The service integrates with the company's Office 365
subscription office productivity suite, including Microsoft Office and Skype, and
features extensions that can integrate with non-Microsoft products. ]​​ Microsoft
announced Teams at an event in New York, and launched the service worldwide
on 14 March 2017.
Microsoft Teams was created, and is currently led, by Brian MacDonald,
Corporate Vice President at Microsoft.
Teams allow communities, groups, or teams to join through a specific URL or
invitation sent by a team administrator or owner. Teams for Education allows
admins and teachers to set up specific teams for classes, professional learning
communities (PLCs), staff members and everyone.
Within a team, members can set up channels. Channels are topics of
conversation that allow team members to communicate without the use of email
or group SMS (texting). Users can reply to posts with images, GIF's and custom
made memes.
Meetings can be scheduled or created ad-hoc and users visiting the channel will
be able to see that a meeting is currently in progress. Teams also has a plugin for
Microsoft Outlook to invite others into a Teams meeting.

11. ​Microsoft Visio: 

Microsoft Visio​ (formerly ​Microsoft Office Visio​) is a diagramming and vector

graphics application and is part of the Microsoft Office family. The product was
first introduced in 1992, made by the Shapeware Corporation. It was acquired by
Microsoft in 2000.
Microsoft made Visio 2013 for Windows available in two editions: Standard and
Professional. The Standard and Professional editions share the same interface,
but the Professional edition has additional templates for more advanced diagrams
and layouts, as well as capabilities intended to make it easy for users to connect
their diagrams to data sources and to display their data graphically. The
Professional edition features three additional diagram types, as well as intelligent
rules, validation, and subprocess (diagram breakdown).
All of the previous versions of Visio used VSD, the proprietary binary-file format.
Visio 2010 added support for the VDX file format, which is a well-documented
XML Schema-based ("DatadiagramML") format, but still uses VSD by
default.While VSD files use LZW-like lossless compression, VDX is not
compressed. Hence, a VDX file typically takes up 3 to 5 times more
storage.VSDX and VSDM files use the same compression as Zip files.
Visio also supports saving files in SVG files, other diagramming files and images.
However, images cannot be opened.

Pricing model and editions: 

The Microsoft Office applications and suites are sold via retail channels, and
volume licensing for larger organizations (also including the "Home Use Program".
allowing users at participating organizations to buy low-cost licenses for use on
their personal devices as part of their employer's volume license agreement).

In 2010, Microsoft introduced a ​software as a service​ platform known as Office

365, to provide ​cloud​-hosted versions of Office's server software, including
Exchange e-mail and SharePoint, on a subscription basis (competing in particular
with Google Apps).​]​ Following the release of Office 2013, Microsoft began to offer
Office 365 plans for the consumer market, with access to Microsoft Office
software on multiple devices with free feature updates over the life of the
subscription, as well as other services such as OneDrive storage.

Microsoft Office is available in several editions, which regroup a given number of

applications for a specific price. Current retail editions are grouped by category:
● Home: Home, Personal, Home & Student.
● Business: Business, Business Premium, Business Essentials.
Versions of Microsoft Office: 
Microsoft Office for Windows​: release in October 1990 as a bundle of three
applications.
Microsoft Office 3.0​: also known as Microsoft Office 92 was released on 30
August 1992.
Microsoft Office 4.x​: was release in 1993 and Microsoft Office 4.2 for Windows
NT was released in 1994.

Microsoft Office 95 and 97: ​(Office 7.0)was released on 24 August 1995. It was
designed as a fully 32-bit version to suit Windows 95. Microsoft Office 97 (Office
8.0) was released on
19 November 1996.
Microsoft Office 2000 to 2003: ​Microsoft Office 2000 (Office 9.0) was initially
released on 7 June 1999.
Microsoft Office XP ( Office 10.0 or Microsoft Office 2002) was release on 31 May
2001 in conjunction with Windows XP.
Microsoft Office 2003 (Office 11.0) was initially released on 21 October 2003. It
featured new logo.
Microsoft Office 2007:​ (Office 12.0) was initially released on 30 January 2007,
the same respective release dates of Windows Vista.
Microsoft Office 2010: ​(Office 14.0) was initially released on 15 June 2010.
Microsoft Office 2013: ​(Office 15) was initially released on 29 January 2013. A
version of Office 13 comes included on Windows RT devices.
Microsoft Office 2016: ​(Office 16) was initially released on 22 September
2015.this is the last version of Microsoft Office compatible with Windows 7,
Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012,
Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2016.
Microsoft Office 2019: ​is the current version on Microsoft Office initially released
on 24 September 2018 in USA, 1 October 2018 in UK and 6 October 2018 in
India respectively.