Microsoft Office Faces Challenge From Free Google Tools

Microsoft Corp. has vanquished most competitors to its Office suite of software. But a new version of the popular program will be challenged by free or low-cost Web-based alternatives from Google Inc., which some businesses are adopting. Microsoft has added Web-friendly features to Office 2010, which will become available to businesses starting in May, that allow people to run over the Internet Word, Excel and other applications through Web browsers and to edit documents simultaneously with other users. The company will also offer a free, online version of Office 2010 that has advertising. The moves are Microsoft's most serious effort ...!