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The latest version of Corel's WordPerfect Office productivity software suite will debut in late April with deeper XML integration and other features.

In an announcement Wednesday, Ottawa-based Corel said that WordPerfect Office 11 will also include an option for users who are familiar and comfortable with the former WordPerfect 5.1 version to use the new Classic Mode. The Classic Mode will retain the familiar WordPerfect 5.1 appearance, with a blue screen interface and WordPerfect 5.1 keystrokes.

The new suite will continue to use the same file formats found in earlier Versions 6.1 through 10, so users can maintain file compatibility. WordPerfect Office 2002 is the most recent release.

Features, Pricing

The enhanced XML authoring capabilities built into the newest version will, for the first time, allow users to publish directly to XML from the suite's WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, or Presentations applications, according to Wendy Lowe, product manager for WordPerfect Office. Meanwhile, Microsoft is enhancing the XML capabilities of its Microsoft Office family, too.

Corel will market the suite in Standard and Professional versions, with the Standard version retailing for $300. The Professional version will include the Paradox database application. Existing users can upgrade to Version 11 for $150, and a special Academic Edition will be available to students and faculty for $100. The company did not release a price for the stand-alone Professional version of the suite.

Cutting Some Deals

Corel has been trying to increase its market share in the office productivity software segment, which Microsoft's Office suites currently dominate.

Last August, Corel signed up hardware vendors Hewlett-Packard and Dell to offer many of their desktop and laptop computers loaded with Corel WordPerfect 10 word processing and Quattro Pro spreadsheet programs as part of a WordPerfect Productivity Pack. Gateway is bundling the WordPerfect suite with some systems, too.

Lowe said that those earlier agreements have helped the company boost its market share, but she could not provide firm figures on the growth.

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