Skip to Content

Free TUAW iPhone app -- try it now!
AOL Tech

works posts

Filed under: Office, Microsoft, Commercial, Freeware

Microsoft Works Sponsored Edition launches

MS WorksAs 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.

Filed under: Windows, Office, Microsoft

Microsoft Works Converter makes your Works documents useable

Works 6-9 ConverterIt's happened to everyone at one time or another. You buy a shiny new computer, take it home, and realize that it doesn't have Microsoft Office installed. How are you going to write your term paper, letters, or other office documents?

So you fish around in the box and find a copy of Microsoft Works. The computer maker must have thrown it in there as a freebie. And hey, it's got a word processor and spreadsheet. What more could you need?

Well, for basic office tasks, Works does fine. But if and when you decide you need a bit more oomph, you'll find that many other office suites just don't know what to do with documents created in Works. Fortunately, Microsoft has updated its free Works Converter to support Works 6-9.

Now the real problems arise when you find old Works 2.0 documents lying around on a floppy disk. Sure, you can open those documents in Excel or Word. But where are you going to find a floppy disk drive?

[via ActiveWin]

Filed under: Business, Internet, Web services, Microsoft

Microsoft online applications in the works?

microsoft online applicationsIt looks like Microsoft could have finally realized that the future of software is all about online applications. Microsoft has said that they might be considering launching an online free, ad supported version of its software. The software it might be planning on integrating for online usage is Microsoft Works, which retails for $50 currently. Works has a calendar, spreadsheet, web browser, and email. It is currently a pretty basic home use software package, but at least Microsoft is stepping into the new software generation, and thinking about providing it for free online use.

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures
Microsoft Security Essentials
Chromium Pre-Alpha on CrunchBang Linux
Safari 4 Beta
10 Firefox themes that don't suck
IE8 RC1
Download Squad at the Crunchies After-Party
Download Squad at the Crunchies
WordPress 2.7
Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals
Windows 7 Hands On
Comodo Internet Security
Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store
Android First-look: Twitroid
Google Reader Android
Android Hands-On
Twine 1.0
Photoshop Express Beta
Mozilla Birthday Cake
Palm stuff
Adobe Lightroom 1.1

 


Follow us on Twitter!

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

More Tech Coverage

AOL Radio