MSWord history and demographics

[Guest]

I'm writing a paper for a college class and need some general info on Word.
What year was it first released? How many current users worldwide?...
general stuff like that. If there is any articles you can email or direct me
to or give what demographics you can. The paper is a comparison of Word and
Adobe FrameMaker if you have any specific comments as well. Thanks

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

EllenMarie -

I would be willing to bet that there are lots of sites out there that have
the information you are looking for. I am going to politely suggest that you
learn to use Google or MSN Search or the like.

 

[Guest]

So, JoAnn, what you are telling me is: you would advise that my research on
the MicroSoft Co and MS products be conducted completely outside of the
company. You think that third party information is more relevant or reliable
than information obtained directly from the company I'm researching... Please
advise, as I would like to quote you as a representative of MicroSoft. If
you don't have any information on your history or products, that's OK, just
tell me that. Please don't patronize me.

EllenMarie -

I would be willing to bet that there are lots of sites out there that have
the information you are looking for. I am going to politely suggest that you
learn to use Google or MSN Search or the like.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I'm writing a paper for a college class and need some general info on
Word.
What year was it first released? How many current users worldwide?...
general stuff like that. If there is any articles you can email or direct
me
to or give what demographics you can. The paper is a comparison of Word
and
Adobe FrameMaker if you have any specific comments as well. Thanks

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

JoAnn is not a representative of Microsoft (the correct spelling). No one
here works for Microsoft. She advised you to do your own homework, using
Google or another search engine. Note that if the information you seek is
available on Microsoft's Web site, it will be indexed by Google and
certainly by MSN Search.

The purpose of this newsgroup (where we are all volunteers) is to help Word
users with problems they encounter in document management in Word, not to
provide the history and demographics of the product.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

So, JoAnn, what you are telling me is: you would advise that my research on
the MicroSoft Co and MS products be conducted completely outside of the
company. You think that third party information is more relevant or reliable
than information obtained directly from the company I'm researching... Please
advise, as I would like to quote you as a representative of MicroSoft. If
you don't have any information on your history or products, that's OK, just
tell me that. Please don't patronize me.

EllenMarie -

I would be willing to bet that there are lots of sites out there that have
the information you are looking for. I am going to politely suggest that you
learn to use Google or MSN Search or the like.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I'm writing a paper for a college class and need some general info on
Word.
What year was it first released? How many current users worldwide?...
general stuff like that. If there is any articles you can email or direct
me
to or give what demographics you can. The paper is a comparison of Word
and
Adobe FrameMaker if you have any specific comments as well. Thanks

 

[Jay Freedman]

No, Joanne didn't suggest that... but the people who post in these
newsgroups are *not* employees or representatives of the Microsoft
company. Please look at to find out
who and what the MVPs are.

If you want official information from Microsoft, then contact
Microsoft directly through
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=mscom.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

So, JoAnn, what you are telling me is: you would advise that my research on
the MicroSoft Co and MS products be conducted completely outside of the
company. You think that third party information is more relevant or reliable
than information obtained directly from the company I'm researching... Please
advise, as I would like to quote you as a representative of MicroSoft. If
you don't have any information on your history or products, that's OK, just
tell me that. Please don't patronize me.

EllenMarie -

I would be willing to bet that there are lots of sites out there that have
the information you are looking for. I am going to politely suggest that you
learn to use Google or MSN Search or the like.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I'm writing a paper for a college class and need some general info on
Word.
What year was it first released? How many current users worldwide?...
general stuff like that. If there is any articles you can email or direct
me
to or give what demographics you can. The paper is a comparison of Word
and
Adobe FrameMaker if you have any specific comments as well. Thanks

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

1. I never said you should base all of your research on outside companies.
Besides, MSN Search is Microsoft.

2. You are more than welcome to quote me however I should warn you that I am
not a Microsoft employee and am not privy to any inside information.

3. I'm sure that you don't believe everything that a specific vendor tells
you. If you do, you've got a rude awaking coming to you. Sometimes companies
stretch the truth or exaggerate just to sell their products. I know, you're
dumbfounded by this, aren't you? Oh well, it's better to learn this now
while you are still young.

4. Google will often give you links to Microsoft's site.

5. Your original question is outside of the scope of this newsgroup;
however, I still made a friendly attempt to point you in the correct
direction. You're the one who is feeling froggy, not me.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

So, JoAnn, what you are telling me is: you would advise that my research
on
the MicroSoft Co and MS products be conducted completely outside of the
company. You think that third party information is more relevant or
reliable
than information obtained directly from the company I'm researching...
Please
advise, as I would like to quote you as a representative of MicroSoft. If
you don't have any information on your history or products, that's OK,
just
tell me that. Please don't patronize me.

EllenMarie -

I would be willing to bet that there are lots of sites out there that
have
the information you are looking for. I am going to politely suggest that
you
learn to use Google or MSN Search or the like.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I'm writing a paper for a college class and need some general info on
Word.
What year was it first released? How many current users worldwide?...
general stuff like that. If there is any articles you can email or
direct
me
to or give what demographics you can. The paper is a comparison of Word
and
Adobe FrameMaker if you have any specific comments as well. Thanks

 

[Jay Freedman]

I'm writing a paper for a college class and need some general info on Word.
What year was it first released? How many current users worldwide?...
general stuff like that. If there is any articles you can email or direct me
to or give what demographics you can. The paper is a comparison of Word and
Adobe FrameMaker if you have any specific comments as well. Thanks

For a brief history, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Word.
Insider's views can be found at
http://blogs.msdn.com/chris_pratley/archive/2004/04/27/120944.aspx and
http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh/archive/category/10948.aspx.

I don't have an official count of the number of users, but
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/trivia/index.html notes that MS claims
300 million. I don't think that includes pirated copies. I'm sure
Microsoft knows a lot more about the demographics of the user base,
but it's proprietary (trade secret) information.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[Guest]

Thank you very much for the info, Jay. Chris Pratley's Blog was particularly
helpful and I cited Shauna Kelly as well. My paper turned out quite well with
your help but I don't think I'll be coming here for any further assistance.
I obviously don't understand the culture of chat. I had searched the
Microsoft site looking for any historical information as I really wanted to
cite something from the company. (Adobe had plenty available on their site.)
This seemed like the right place to pose such a query. Interesting that JoAnn
would assume that I was “young†in her condescending remarks; I may not know
how to use chat rooms but I do know better than to make assumptions. I am 51
and anything but naïve.