Many Mac users are still using Office 4.2 and the highly regarded Word 5.1, and to convince them to upgrade to Office 98, Microsoft is promising a more Mac-like interface.

In the Mac Office Web survey, the No. 1 characteristic listed by users in defining a great Mac application was that it “integrates well with other Mac applications and the system” (cited by 56 percent of respondents). Office 98 takes major steps forward in integration, making it easier for users to share information between applications for the Macintosh. The following are just a few examples of the rich integration in Office 98, not only between applications in the suite but also with third-party products. • Macintosh drag-and-drop functionality.

By supporting this technology, Office 98 makes it easier to share information across applications. For example, users can drag an entire Microsoft Excel 98 spreadsheet — or just a portion — to their desktop, then drag it into another application such as the PowerPoint 98 presentation graphics program. Users can also drag Word text to another program that supports drag and drop, such as Adobe PageMaker. • E-mail integration. Office 98 applications include a File/ Send To/ Mail Recipient menu command that will launch an e-mail client and automatically attach the active document. This functionality makes sharing Office files easy and supports the most common e-mail clients: Outlook Express, Exchange Client, Outlook for Mac, Eudora Pro and Light, Claris Emailer, Microsoft Mail, StarNine Mail and Quarterdeck Mail.

• Web browser integration. When a user clicks a Web hyperlink in an Office document, the default browser is automatically launched (via Internet Config). This setup makes it very easy for users to link directly to the Internet or intranet information they need. • Graphic formats. Torrent kickass. Office 98 supports a variety of graphics formats, enabling users to work with a wider range of graphics types in their Office documents. Supported formats include BMP, EPS, GIF, JPEG, PICT, PNG, TIFF and EMF/WMF.

Easier to Install and Manage Individual and business users told Microsoft that Office must be easy to install and manage. This was the No. 1 issue expressed in all customer meetings conducted by the Office team. Furthermore, “easy and flexible installation” was one of the top four “like the Macintosh” characteristics listed by individual users in the Web survey.

This finding was incorporated into Office 98 and redefined ease of installation for the Mac OS. Office 98 returns to the way that applications for the Mac used to be installed — no installation program, no questions to answer. Just drag a folder, and start using the program. And because Mac users frequently explore their systems and move or delete files, Office 98 introduces revolutionary new technologies that make it easier for users to manage the applications. • Drag-and-drop install.

Users simply drag and drop the Microsoft Office 98 folder to the hard drive, and the software installs. This installation also makes it easy for companies to use Custom Installer and provide a customized Microsoft Office 98 folder for users to drag to their hard drives.

Also, it seems that there is no Quick Parts concept in excel, as there is in Word (which is quite a shame, cause that stuff truly makes me feel like a superuser. So, any suggestions? I haven't looked in to creating a macro that solves my problem since i'm not that much of a super-user, but would be willing to dip my toes in the that pool if that is the way to go.