Since the early 1990s, Microsoft has been providing office productivity products like Word, Excel and PowerPoint to businesses, students and home users. As the use of personal computers increased, the need for word processing, tabular data and presentation design for various situations—including home and professional use—became apparent. Over the years, Microsoft has added more and more applications to their suite of productivity solutions, called Microsoft Office, which is still evolving today.
In Microsoft Office’s early days, the number of applications offered was limited. Most of the early editions only contained Word, Excel and PowerPoint. In the late 1990s, Exchange and Access were added. The applications offered, however, were often not consistent with more modern suites, and offered primitive versions of mail applications and other tools.
Over time, applications offerings became more consistent. Microsoft began offering unique packages to suit types of users. Versions like Home and Business came jam packed with a full range of features & applications, while other versions, like home and student were more for basic needs. This created several different price points, each with their own respective advantages. Businesses and students alike were now able to access a full range of applications, while only paying for the features they need.
In 2016, OneNote for Office 365 was released and made Microsoft Office versions even more diverse. Office 2016 was offered in several different trim levels, including Home and Student, Home and Business and Professional. 2011 edition for Macs completely left out both Access and Publisher—but they were added back in the 2013 edition in the Professional bundle.
By creating production solutions for a variety of business challenges in a way that’s accessible to all people, Microsoft has revolutionized productivity for home users, students and businesses. By offering tailored versions of each edition, anyone can buy a version of Microsoft Office that’s perfect for their needs.
Although the same applications are offered in (almost) every edition of Microsoft Office, the version names vary in each release. Therefore, it’s sometimes confusing to figure out which version contains which applications. It’s important to choose the right edition and version of Microsoft Office in order to get exactly what you need. For questions or licensing information on Microsoft Products, contact our experts at Royal Discount – the best place for buying cheap software online.