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Microsoft to Give Away New Web-Based Office

Goes head-to-head with Google's online apps

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 13, 2009 11:19 AM CDT

(Newser) – Microsoft, the “king of paid software,” is going free with an online version of Office next year, Fortune reports. “The sleeping giant in Redmond has clearly woken up to the Internet threat,” writes Jon Fortt. Microsoft is risking “cannibalizing its own Office business,” but it sees the online version’s market as “tightwads who weren’t going to buy Office anyway,” and now won’t go to Google’s rival applications, Fortt notes.   

Google released its online productivity software 3 years ago, Reuters notes. “Microsoft is in a tough spot. Their competition isn't just undercutting them. They are giving away the competitive product.” The ad-supported Office will encourage users to buy the standard version of Office 2010: the purchased program will make the online applications “work better,” writes Fortt, making sharing documents easier, for instance.

Steve Ballmer, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation, is seen during a speech in Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, June 24, 2009.
Steve Ballmer, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation, is seen during a speech in Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, June 24, 2009.   (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
In this Jan. 8, 2009 file photo, Microsoft's Windows 7 is demonstrated at the Microsoft booth at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
In this Jan. 8, 2009 file photo, Microsoft's Windows 7 is demonstrated at the Microsoft booth at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.   (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
In this Jan. 10, 2009 file photo, the Microsoft logo is seen at the company's exhibit at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
In this Jan. 10, 2009 file photo, the Microsoft logo is seen at the company's exhibit at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.   (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
2-bits
Jul 13, 2009 7:41 AM CDT
loptout: Wouldn't ad-block or some such be far less invasive? I meant what do you do when you want to watch a movie?
BeatBlaster
Jul 13, 2009 6:06 AM CDT
Well said Reader :)
kokuaguy
Jul 13, 2009 5:55 AM CDT
Beware when the sleeping giant awakes !!!

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