Software Suites and Integrated Packages
Software suite is the popular general-purpose application software. That’s because the most widely used productivity packages come with bundle together as software suites such as Microsoft office, Lotus Smart Suite, Coral WordPerfect Office, and Sun’s StarOffice. Examining their components gives us an overview of the important software tools that can be used to increase productivity.
Notice that each suite integrates software packages for word processing, spreadsheets, presentation graphic, database management, and personal information management. Microsoft, Lotus, Corel, and Sun bundle several other programs for internet access, E-mail, Web publishing, desktop publishing, voice recognition, financial management, electronic encyclopedia, and so on.
Advantages of software suite
A software suite costs a lot less that the total cost of buying its individual packages separately. Another advantages is that all programs use is similar graphical user interface (GUI) of icons, tool, and status bars, menus, and so on, which give them the same look and feel, and makes them easier to learn and use. Software suite also share common tools, such as spell checkers and help wizards to increase their efficiency. Another big advantage of suites is that their programs are designed to work together seamlessly and import each other’s file easily; no matter which program is being using at the times. These capabilities make them more efficient and easier to use that using a variety of individual package version.
Disadvantages of software suite
Of course, putting so many programs and features together in one super-size package does have some disadvantages. Industry critics argue that many software suite features are never used by most end users. The suites take a lot of disk space, from over 100 megabytes to over 150 megabytes, depending on which version or functions installed. So such software is sometimes derisively called ‘bloatware’ by its critics. These drawbacks are one reason for the continued use of integrated packages like Microsoft Works, Lotus e-suite WorkPlace, AppleWorks, and so on. Integrated packages combine some of the function of several programs-word processing, spreadsheets, presentation graphics, database management, and so on into one software package.
Software Suites and Integrated Packages
