SANTA CLARA, Calif. May 30, 1995 Claris Corporation, a leading worldwide vendor of Windows and Macintosh software for business, education and home, today announced ClarisWorks 4.0, the smartest, all-in-one program for Windows and Macintosh.
The best-selling Macintosh application, with almost four million users worldwide, ClarisWorks combines a powerful, all-in-one design with expert assistance and time-saving automation features in a single, easy-to-use program. From powerful new word processing capabilities like sections and stylesheets to enhanced database reporting, ClarisWorks 4.0 has the most robust set of features among all other Works programs. And new time-saving automation features such as the ExpressStyle, FastReport, or ReadyArt Libraries, will make ClarisWorks 4.0 users more productive than ever.
"ClarisWorks 4.0 builds on its unsurpassed customer satisfaction, superior integration, and compact, high-performance design to offer customers the most complete combination of award-winning, ease-of-use and robust feature set in its category," said Guerrino de Luca, president of Claris. "With its enhanced, ready-to-use feature set, expert assistance, and time-saving automation tools, ClarisWorks 4.0 is the best software value for Windows and Macintosh users at work, in school, at home, or on the road."
The newest version of this full-featured word-processer, spreadsheet, database, graphics, and presentation, productivity tool adds over 100 new features while still providing excellent performance and retaining an exceptionally compact size (1MB application size, 14MB for full installation one fifth the size of Microsoft Office on a 68K Macintosh.) And it is the only Works program with 100 percent compatible Windows and Macintosh versions.
Powerful Word Processing Capabilities
To speed the formatting and layout of longer documents common in higher education and business settings, ClarisWorks 4.0 adds a host of new word processing capabilities. Leading these is the new ExpressStyle feature that introduces a unique, universal stylesheet metaphor that provides users with the ability to instantly format virtually anything - text, paragraphs, graphics, outlines, and table styles. The floating ExpressStyle palette can be used from within any of the environments so users can easily create and edit styles without navigating cumbersome dialogs or new modes. With the ExpressStyle feature users can choose from several pre-defined styles or create their own custom styles, even share them with other documents and users in an organization.
For formatting more complex documents like reports and theses, ClarisWorks 4.0 now includes section formatting options which allow users to divide a document into separate sections of any length. Users can specify a different number of columns as well as variable column formatting, page numbering and more in each section. Section support also lets users create multiple headers and footers in a document as well as specify whether they appear on left-or-right-facing pages, or both. A new End Notes command automatically places all footnotes at the end of a document, rather than only at the bottom of each page.
Other ClarisWorks 4.0 word processing enhancements include fully integrated outlining within word processing , so users can instantly create and format an outline of any length in a document no separate "mode" is required. The text ruler itself improves usability, with pop-up access to paragraph and outline styles. New font styles superior, inferior and double underline, and Shortcut buttons for uppercase and lowercase add even more options. And ClarisWorks 4.0 now includes a Mail Merge Preview that shows users how database information looks in a merged document before printing.
Beefed-Up Database Features
Major enhancements in the ClarisWorks database help users quickly create databases, view and organize information, and produce reports. The new FastReport feature speeds data navigation and reporting, allowing users to create and save custom searches, sorts, and reports, even printing them automatically. And new buttons in the database tool area provide instant access to all of the layouts, searches, sorts and reports already defined.
ClarisWorks 4.0 adds new power and accessibility to its database with a spreadsheet-like List View, so users can read data in a simple row and column format. List View also makes it easy to manipulate data with columns that can be expanded in size or moved wherever needed. New field types speed database definition and data entry including a smart name field (which allows entry of first and last name in a single field and automatically sorts by the first letter of the last name), as well as radio buttons, check boxes, pop-up menus, record information and pre-defined value fields.
Spreadsheet and graphics enhancements include a spreadsheet Fill Special feature, providing the ability to automatically fill out spreadsheet headings in sequences of month, day, year, and quarter, as well as the ability to create cell-shading by colors and patterns. ClarisWorks 4.0 also provides free rotation capability of any object by one degree increments.
Expert Assistance and Time-Saving Automation
In addition to the new ExpressStyle and FastReport capabilities, ClarisWorks 4.0 provides expert assistance, time-saving automation and enhanced usability. Eleven ClarisWorks Assistants (three new to version 4.0) offer step-by-step guidance and expert advice on layout, design and content or help with complex tasks. The new Mail Label Assistant allows users to select from more than 50 pre-defined Avery mailing label formats, choose exactly which information and in what order to include it on the label, and have the data automatically sized to fit the label. The new Home Finance Assistant calculates net worth or even the right size mortgage or car loan based on salary input and other variables such as interest rate. And the new Certificate Assistant steps users through the process of creating awards and recognition certificates with professional-looking graphic borders, suggested text, and a designated place for a seal.
The new ReadyArt Libraries allow users to store and organize hundreds of frequently-used clip art images, including the 500 pieces of clip art that are included with ClarisWorks 4.0. Users can easily add artwork to any document by simply dragging and dropping images from the library palette or create custom art such as business logos. The ReadyArt Libraries store art as well as text, such as company taglines, and users can easily sort items alphabetically, store different categories in separate libraries, or find an item by searching for it by name.
Other usability enhancements include Automatic Balloons identifying the function of each Shortcut, and a customizable Shortcut palette that can display the name or enlarge the size of buttons. Over 30 templates for home, school and business use are also included.
Internet Authoring with HTML Translator
ClarisWorks 4.0 offers users an easy way to create and read World Wide Web documents, with a built-in HTML (Hypertext mark-Up Language) translator. With ClarisWorks 4.0, authoring a home-page on the Web is easy: simply create the document in the ClarisWorks word processor, assign text styles or hypertext links with a single-click, and then save out as HTML using the built-in translator. The ClarisWorks-created document can be viewed on the Net using any popular web browser such as NetScape or NCSA Mosaic.
Unique Cross-Platform Compatibility
Alone among all-in-one packages, ClarisWorks 4.0 delivers cross-platform compatibility for Windows and Macintosh. With the delivery of version 4.0 for Windows this fall, ClarisWorks will provide the same interface and file format for each platform. ClarisWorks 4.0 for Windows is Windows 95 ready, a full 32-bit application with Windows 95 look and feel, status bar, long-format file naming, and right mouse button support.
Macintosh users will be able to take advantage of System 7.5 capabilities including AppleScript, AppleEvents, PowerTalk, and QuickTime. ClarisWorks 4.0 is also WorldScript ready, supporting Apple Language Kits, enabling customers to integrate 2-byte characters and therefore Chinese, Korean and Japanese text into their multi-lingual documents.
The Compact, Fast and Friendly Office Alternative
With its powerful new word processing and database features, superior usability, compact design and high performance, ClarisWorks 4.0 represents a real alternative to the Microsoft Office for many users in business, education and home settings. While adding over 100 new features, ClarisWorks 4.0 maintains its significant size and performance advantage over both Microsoft Works and Office, especially on the Macintosh. (See also Figure 1.)
ClarisWorks 4.0 MS Works 4.0 MS Office 4.0
Launch 7.5 sec 8.1 sec 13.9 sec (Word)
Create/Activate
Spreadsheet in
Word Processor < 1 sec 3.1 sec 26.2 sec
Text wrap around
graphic < 1 sec 1.9 sec 11.6 sec
Scrolling
(10 pg. document
with table,
chart, graphic) 6.2 sec 14.0 sec 56.2 sec
Document size
(1 pg. letter
with chart
& table) 33K 50K 66K
*All tests performed on a Macintosh Quadra 660AV with 8MB RAM.
System Requirements
ClarisWorks 4.0 for Macintosh requires a Macintosh or Power PC-compatible computer running System 7 or higher with a 68020 or higher processor, a hard disk drive and 4 MB of RAM. ClarisWorks 4.0 for Windows requires a compatible PC with a 386 or higher processor, a hard disk drive, and 8 MB of RAM, VGA or better video, and Microsoft Windows 95.
Pricing and Availability
ClarisWorks 4.0 for Macintosh and Power Macintosh will be available in June for a suggested retail price of $129. ClarisWorks 4.0 for Windows will be available this fall for a suggested retail price of $99. Current users of either ClarisWorks for Macintosh or Windows can upgrade for $49.