Microsoft Pilots Ad-Supported Version of Works

August 3rd, 2007

Microsoft is giving Google the works — Microsoft Works, that is. On Wednesday, Microsoft announced that a version of Works — the barebones alternative to Microsoft Office that offers a word processor, calendar, and spreadsheet — would be available as a free, ad-supported product. Microsoft Works SE 9 is expected to debut in a few months.Works currently retails for about $40, but often comes preinstalled on new PCs for free. The new program would also come preinstalled on PCs from yet-to-be-announced manufacturers, but would include ads.

That makes Works SE 9 different from Google Docs and Spreadsheets, which is delivered as an online solution through a browser. Microsoft will make use of the Internet, though, to refresh the cache of ads within Works when users are online.

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