Microsoft Works SE (Sponsored Edition) Marketing Trials

  Microsoft is silently trying it's hand at ad-funded software with Microsoft Works SE (Sponsored Edition). The trials are being kept secretive, but United States, France, Canada, Poland and the United Kingdom are said to be involved. It is available only through select computer makers and Microsoft won't say which computer makers those are. Some searching has showed <Sony offering it in the U.S.> and <Packard Bell offering it to the U.K.>, both bundled with notebooks.

Microsoft Vice President Chris Capossela, on this and the some subscription based announcements: "These are all experiments."

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<CNET News - Microsoft quietly offering ad-funded Works> April 18, 2008