Microsoft Corp. began distributing a half-million copies of the beta 2 version of the new Microsoft Office System to customers and partners worldwide. Seven Office System products are provided in the beta evaluation kit, including beta 2 versions of the new Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Access), the two new Office System additions, Microsoft Office InfoPath, Microsoft Office OneNote, as well as Microsoft Office FrontPage, Microsoft Office Publisher, Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services and Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server “2.0,”. The products were developed with four key design goals in mind: information intelligence, process management, effective teaming, and personal impact. The release of the Microsoft Office System to beta 2 testing enables Microsoft business partners to build information worker solutions that incorporate collaboration and portal capabilities and improved desktop tools. Business partners also can begin testing the new information and research services they will be able to offer as Web services. Microsoft Office System products are scheduled for release in mid-2003. Pricing and availability are unavailable. www.microsoft.com