As predicted almost a year ago, Microsoft has begun offering a free, advertising supported version of Microsoft Works, its office application suite for people too cheap to spring for Office. But it doesn't appear that there's any way to download and install Microsoft Works SE (Sponsored Edition) yourself just yet. Rather, computer makers are starting to install the software on new PCs. Basically the program works just as well (read that statement however you'd like) as the full version of MS Works, but users will see a small advertisement in the program window, whether they're editing a spreadsheet or text document.
The new version of Works is available to computer makers for free. Of course, OpenOffice.org is also available for free, but you don't see PC makers including that on computers that ship with Windows yet. Works SE isn't available everywhere yet. It's apparently showing up on selected computers in the US, Canada, and a handful of European countries.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-22-2008 @ 12:11PM
Victor Agreda, Jr. said...
Hot diggity! As we all know, Works is the de facto standard for... uh, nothing. MS's own products won't even open Works documents, and I can't describe the pain it is to explain to grandpa why his email attachment has to be pried open with a text editor and de-obfuscated by scanning past the wonky formatting codes... well, you get the idea. I can't believe they took this fugly bundle of code and actually slapped ads on it, giving it to customers when it used to come bundled on PC's anyway. Who is advertising on this thing? Viagra?
Yeesh, where do you want to go today MS?
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4-22-2008 @ 12:11PM
Hastin said...
While I don't see any use of this beyond new users, Works 9 natively saves in Office formats. So yes, it is compatible.
4-22-2008 @ 12:11PM
Victor Agreda, Jr. said...
Super, it only took them 9 versions to squeeze that in ;-)
Of course, it took Apple FIVE version of OS X (and 8 years) before they put a simple Resize option in their image-viewing app, so there's that.
4-22-2008 @ 5:34PM
Samuel Wat said...
Oh course computer makers wouldn't use Openoffice.org. Think back when Windows dominated almost every computer (long, long, time ago), and Compaq started to implement Netscape browser into it's computers running Windows. But, Windows threaten them to take away there Windows license if they didn't take away the Netscape browser and add Microsoft's own IE. This being a model , computer manufacturers don't want to get out of business any means necessary.
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4-23-2008 @ 6:43AM
Quikboy said...
Works is already so cheap compared to versions of Office. So why put ads on it? It won't make it any more cheaper. Wouldn't it be better to have a cheaper version of Office that did ads?
I love Office, but MS needs to reconsider what Works is and does, and make better choices for providing a cheaper office suite to users who don't want to spring cash for the real Office.
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