Customer Reviews

SmartSuite Millenium Edition 9.7

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm a satisfied SmartSuite user.

At my workplace I am obligated to use software of another maker, but at home I can use whatever I please, so I have selected a product that I enjoy using, SmartSuite.

For over five years, I have been using Lotus SmartSuite, and I can say that this is a fine product and getting better. I have used all of the SmartSuite components and can't say anything bad about any of them. Unlike one other office suite, the default configurations are perfectly usable right out of the box. The user interface is also highly consistent among different applications, and more intuitive than another well-known word processor. The pop-up formatting boxes are easy to learn and very convenient.

Lotus Freelance has become one of my favorites recently. It is particularly useful for its ability to create simple web site slide shows. Lotus has a Freelance viewer downloadable for free on its website so users may exchange Freelance presentations with associates who don't have SmartSuite installed.

Late last year, I prepared a lengthy consulting report with numerous tables and footnotes. Using WordPro it was a snap to assemble the final document from the separate files in which I had written the various chapters. WordPro properly indexed cross-references and placed all endnotes where they belonged and in proper format.

One more thing: SmartSuite is highly stable, and it doesn't crash my system.

For the money, SmartSuite is also the smart buy.

I do not understand these people so completely bambooselled (is that a word, and is it spelled right? I'd know if I was in WordPro). Microsoft Office is a complete system hog, crashes your system if you don't run it the way it wants you to and the programs require a lot of going to this menu and that menu to customize a document.

In WordPro, for example, you click one button on the tool bar, a little menu appears with sections for type size, color, font, paragragh formatting and more. You can create as many styles as you want and apply them throughout the whole document and/or to sections as you go along. If you don't want the menu open, close it. When you click on that one, single button to reopen the menu again, all your styles are still there. Easy!!! In Word, this kind of thing is a nightmare.

Microsoft Office definitely has it's good points, it is just that they are not enough to make up for the simplistic power of the very stable SmartSuite package!

At first, being used to MS Office, I did not like Lotus SmartSuite when forced to use it at work. Keystroke commands and macro recording are different; In the version I use, WordPro and Notes do not correct for grammar (I sent out several form letters that informed customers that they would love the "many service we provide" before I caught the error; MS Word would have notified me immediately.); and, you do loose some stats tools in 1-2-3 available in Excel's Analysis Tool Pack add-in.

Shortcomings aside, however, now I love the programs, especially Approach. Building an Approach database is 100% easier than MS Access. In a week, I built a complex database. I loved the intuitive tab format for navigating between forms (I hate having to define subforms and macros to link data in Access). Further, OLE linking is much easier in SmartSuite than Office.

As for data analysis, the tools you really need for basic number crunching are available: basic distribution analysis, multiple regressions, etc. As to the grammar, I simply print and proofread more carefully!

In short, SmartSuite is a pleasure to use. It offers full functionality at a fraction of the price of Office Professional. Now I know why my company uses it: It makes sound financial sense without sacrificing functionality. You do, however, sacrifice MicroSoft's questionable business practices.

Not too great a sacrifice, needless to say.

I've been using components of Lotus Smartsuite since the demise of Visicalc (and THAT goes back a long way.) Compared to other software, Lotus is easier to use, crashes WAY less often (almost never, in fact), handles complicated formatting better, and is all-around easier to use.

Lotus 1-2-3 is, hands-down, the fastest spreadsheet program to use. Gone are the ridiculous required mouse movements that infest other programs. A simple /-command and I've reformatted, moved, copied, pasted entire columns, rows or sheets. I can keep my hands on the keys and finish my work, rather than figure out why some editing commands are under "edit" and others are under "font" and others are under "format" - ugh!

WordPro is far superior to other "Word" processors for many of the same reasons. I prepare an exhaustive audit and budget report each year with embedded charts and tables. I once mistakenly tried to migrate it to Word, but simply could not tolerate Word's eccentricities. Why did that graphic link to the page and not the paragraph? Why does inserting a line make this graphic move UP and the other graphics move DOWN? Where are the formatting commands - aAArgh! WordPro gives me none of that headache.

Given the choice, I would choose SmartSuite over any office suite out there. It helps me get more work done - period.

Lotus Smartsuite 9.7 is a nice upgrade for the Lotus users.
It has powerfull utilities that make the intagration of files from other programs a snap.
The installation process and compatablity with Windows 2000, XP and ME not a problem.
4 stars from me

SmartSuite is by far the best suite available because of the compatibility it has with other suites as well as the good price. I've been a Lotus user since the Lotus 123 Ver 2 days of DOS. Its easy to learn and use and for someone who start using spreadsheets and wordprocessing the learning curve is very small. Keep up the good work Lotus/IBM!!!!!!

I've been using the wordprocessor component of this suite, wordpro, since it first came out as Ami pro... it was the very first wordprocessor written from the ground up for windows 3, the first pc gui word processor. It's still the best.

The whole suite beats the others in every way... I've used them all, and this one remains my favorite

A very intuitive program compared to others...very easy to learn. I use an IBM with this preloaded for home use along with Windows/2K. Approach database is much friendlier and does great meaningful searches, HTML is rendered in a much more efficient realistic code(It works with Frontpage). Tired of the yearly exponential "improvements" of the others which very few ever make use of. Let's face it..if you don't use a feature regularly...it's gone! I've read that the newest version does a better job with e-mail and was happy also to read that IBM/Domino is backing this product up...I've used Lotus since the 123 dos spreadsheet days...always a Great price and takes minimal HDD space...I am forced to use Microsoft at work..and feel more at home and less frustrated...at home with Lotus.

IBM, since you bought Lotus, you guys have been milking this wonderful suite. Times are changing though and I'm getting nervious seeing Microsoft taking over with something that is getting better and better while Lotus Smartsuite starts to smell like old cheese. Approach is a great program, 1.2.3 is even better, but it needs some considerable upgrading, before I buy the next upgrade. No Smartsuite Millenium 9.8, we need something like XP or MX. Please guys, I don't want to see myself forced to learn something completely new, Lotus Smartsuite have helped me a lot doing my job, and if it is up to me I will stick to my horses, but we need better OBDC and Web integration!

Faster, Cheaper and more intuitive to use than the largest seller. There are differences in how tasks are accomplished from one suite to the next but that would be case with any different office suite. Just about any task is less difficult to achieve with Smart Suite. From picking the right font to Creating a data base. Try Lotus Smart Suite for a month and you'll never go back.