Customer Reviews

Easy Office 2001

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Hi. My name is Howard and I am involved with E-Press Corp. ... in the design of EasyOffice 2001, so hence, this review is biased. But I would like to tell you a little bit about the design philosophy behind EasyOffice 2001 and its capabilities.

In designing EasyOffice 2001 we tried to accomplish the following goals:

1. Software should be really, really easy-to-learn and really, really easy-to-use. Users should not have to take training courses or need thick manuals (or any manuals for that matter)in order to use the software and use it well. A beginner user, someone who has barely used a PC, should in fact, be able to be using the software well in a couple of minutes.

2. The software should be powerful. 'Easy-to-learn' or 'Easy-to-use' is NOT a code word for weak or incomplete software. An experienced user should sit down, use EasyOffice 2001, and say, "Hey, I really like these features" or "Hey, I really like this interface".

3. The software should be compatible with industry-standards. That means that the word processor is compatible with Microsoft Word and with RTF, and that the spreadsheet is compatible with Microsoft Excel. Other programs should generate standard text or HTML files.

4. The software should be a complete office suite. There is a need for more than a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation program. Anyone or any company doing business needs an accounting system (not a personal financial organizer, but a true double-entry bookkeeping system producing standard accounting reports). Just about everyone needs a contact manager, and this should be integrated with the word processor to allow quick generation of correspondence. And many office environments, particularly those associated with retail or industrial, need to deal with bar codes.

5. The software should be integrated with the Internet. One should be able to send off an e-mail from the word processor or a worksheet from the spreadsheet with a click of a button. All programs should be able to generate HTML files. Program size should be kept small enough to allow easy downloading over the Internet if a registered user is at another computer and needs access to his/her programs.

6. The software should be affordable.

Keeping in mind the above design philosophy, the product we created was EasyOffice 2001. It contains:

EasyWord: Extremely easy-to-learn and easy-to-use word processor. Good compatibility with Microsoft Word. Produces files that are 100% compatible. Able to read most Microsoft Word files. Reads and writes files as: Microsoft Word (.doc), Rich Text Format (.rtf), Text (.txt) and Web Pages (.html) Easy Mode is well suited to inexperienced users as well as experienced users that want an enhanced user interface. Advanced Mode is very similar to standard word processors. Voice readback of spelling mistakes or entire documents. Selection of different voices. One-click 'Send Document as E-Mail' English Dictionary, Thesaurus and Grammar Checker French, Spanish, German, Italian, Legal and Medical Dictionaries also included. Built-in 'tape calculator' Built-in access and integration to Easy Contact Manager

EasySpreadsheet: Extremely easy-to-learn and easy-to-use spreadsheet. Good compatibility with Microsoft Excel. Can produce files that are 100% compatible. Able to read most Microsoft Excel files. Reads and writes files as: Microsoft Excel (.xls), Text (.txt) , Web Pages (.html), and EasySpreadsheet Format (.ess) Easy Mode is well suited to inexperienced users as well as experienced users that want an enhanced user interface. Advanced Mode is very similar to standard spreadsheets. Voice readback of entries. Many user enhancements over Microsoft Excel - eg, formula-less spreadsheets. Good integration with Internet - one button send document as e-mail; save files as HTML, etc.

EasyPresentation: Extremely easy-to-learn and easy-to-use presentation program. Good compatibility with industry-standard HTML files. Good integration with Internet - HTML files used; save files on Internet (eg, Xdrive); megabyte-range size allows rapid download if user is on another computer.

Easy Bar Coder: Extremely easy-to-learn and easy-to-use bar coding program. Includes almost all industry standard bar codes, including advanced 2-dimensional bar codes.

Easy Web Page Creator: Extremely easy-to-learn and easy-to-use web page creation program. Good compatibility with industry-standard HTML files. Good integration with Internet - HTML files used; save files on Internet (eg, Xdrive); megabyte-range size allows rapid download if user is on another computer.

Easy Contact Manager: Extremely easy-to-learn and easy-to-use contact manager. Integrated with Easy Word for rapid generation of correspondence to contacts. Create and manage contact lists. Hot lists. Personalized form letters. Personalized mass e-mailings. Contact histories and dates to follow-up contacts. Can import and export files to Microsoft Word or Text Files via EasyWord. Good integration with Internet - send e-mail form letters; save files on Internet (eg, Xdrive); megabyte-range size allows rapid download if user is on another computer.

Easy Bookkeeper: Extremely easy-to-learn and easy-to-use bookkeeping/accounting program. Performs classical double-entry bookkeeping and produces classical accounting statements (Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Aged Receivables, Aged Payables, Expense Reports). Includes tutorial on double-entry bookkeeping. Includes built-in intelligence which automatically helps user balance transactions as they are entered in real-time. Accounting statements are always available in real-time. No trial balance or other report generation steps are required.

Easy Speaker: Extremely easy-to-learn and easy-to-use English voice speaker. Will read out loud files from other programs as well as from Internet.

The system requirements for EasyOffice 2001 are:

Pentium or equivalent/ Microsoft Windows95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT (SP3+) or Windows 2000/ 16MB of RAM (32MB is recommended)/ 80MB of free hard disk space (the programs, clipart, etc take 60MB of space, but another 20MB of free temporary space will be required; if Microsoft Internet Explorer needs to be installed, additional hard disk space will be required)/ CD-ROM drive/ Windows-compatible sound (present in most PCs; useful but optional actually)/ Internet access (optional) for online components

We are very responsive to user feedback. If there is something you want added or changed, please send me an e-mail (howard@e-press.com), and we will do our best.

Thanks for reading this, and I hope you'll try our software.

Howard Schneider

I was given this as a gift from a friend for use on my home computer and for the kids to use in their school work. We have MS Office at work which I am very familiar with. This software is actually BETTER! While it doesn't have 100% of Microsoft's features, it has most of them, and then some that Microsoft doesn't have(like PDF file creation, a full zip program, a FAX program, and on and on).
In Advanced Mode it should be very easy for a Microsoft user to use, but in EasyMode it is unbelievably easy for a child or a new computer user to use. Even to do hard stuff like produce a spreadsheet!!
Ignore the price. Ignore the '2001' (programs seem to be 2002 edition actually in the box, and they give you 2 years of upgrades free). This software is some of the best I have ever used!

This office suite has everything you need except that inflated price tag that normally goes along with an office suite. I really enjoy the tape calculator feature in EasyWord as I could not stand having to use my tape calculator when I was working on my computer. As an accountant I really appreciate the voice playback feature in the software that allows me to balance my inputs.

Easy Office is one of the simplest yet sophisticated programs I have ever come across. As an avid Microsoft user, I was initially suspect as to just how versatile the Office programs were - I just figured this was a watered down version, and probably wouldn't have all the utilities I needed. What a pleasant surprise. Here is a very cheap, excellent alternative to other office suite products that allows quick and easy interface, and is incredibly user friendly. Try the spreadsheet, it's brilliant.

Love it! Love it! Bought my first computer 8 months ago and it came with every piece of software Microsoft makes. We have a small business and I hoped to use the Word and Office products to get me up and running. Bought Books--hired a tutor--still too much to cope with. Read the reviews on Easy Office and thought 'why not'. It comes in a box with just the CD--no book. It looked like big trouble ahead! Boy, was I wrong. The Tutorial comes right up before you start anything. You know what to look for in advance and the 'Help' really does just that--tells you what to do and how to do it in plain language. This product is the BEST!!!!!!!

Great Office Suite with options not available from MS. Extremely easy to use even for the computer illiterate. Works well with XP.

I'm pretty conservative about trying new software. I needed an office package but didn't want to shell out the big bucks. I came across EasyOffice and took a chance (the price is pretty low)-- and here are my two cents to say that the stuff really works.

I am a senior citizen and always had a very difficult time using microsoft word and excel etc. This was fantastic.Easy to follow and to use. I recommend it for all seniors.

It was nice to see a user friendly office suite at an affordzble price. I particularly liked the voice features and excellent help features for new users. The program loaded onto my computer without any gliches, which was a refreshing change. Also being somewhat familiar with microsoft office I particulary liked the screen appearances for advanced users.

Excellent

Incredible value for even more incredible money. I love it. This is truly 21 century software and all that an average person needs for their home office use. At least that is all I need. Very practical and useful, sophisticated yet very easy to use. That is all I wanted, I got it and I am very happy shopper. Highly recommended to all who are looking for an affordable Microsoft Software alternatives. Excellent review goes to Mr. Howard Schneider at e-press and many thanks for his kind of feedback and helpful information. Good Luck and Best New Year Wishes to the next "Bill Gates."