Michael Halvorson and Michael Young have teamed up since 1995 to provide Microsoft Office users with a reliable one-volume reference to the bestselling Office software suite. This 1300-page volume sold over 100,000 copies in 1999, and it was translated into numerous languages as the integrated software suite attracted a worldwide audience.

Office 2000 Professional includes Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Access, as well as a selection of ‘productivity apps’ that support collaboration.

Of historical interest in this title is the troubleshooting and support information written by Halvorson and Young about the so-called “Millennium bug” or “Y2K Problem” that made headlines in 1999 and 2000. (The problem was especially thought to wreak havoc with the financial software on mainframe and minicomputers.) Attempting to calm fears, Halvorson wrote the following in the Introduction to Running Office 2000:

“As you learn about the year 2000 problem, and prepare for its consequences, there are a number of points we’d like you to consider. First, despite dire predictions, there is probably no good reason to prepare for the new millennium by holding yourself up in a mine shaft with sizable stocks of water, grain, barter goods, and ammunition. The year 2000 will not disable most computer systems, and if your personal computer was manufactured after 1996, it’s likely that your hardware and systems software will require little updating or customizing.”

The “Y2K Problem” did not disrupt many PC-based systems at 12:00 A.M. on January 1, 2000. However, Halvorson and Young’s comprehensive guidebooks, published between 1995 and 2003, helped to establish the Office software platform.