Till recently, the only way you could legally use Microsoft Office applications was to buy the software and install it on your desktop or laptop.
But that’s changing now, with the release of the new Office Web Aps — a free, online version of the Microsoft flagship titles.
Office Web, as it is called, includes online editions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
So how does one access the Office Web ? If you have a Windows Live or Hotmail account, you will notice a link to “Office” at the top of the screen after you log in.
Otherwise, sign up for an account. The files will live in a Web-based “SkyDrive” tied to the account.
Here’s how Office Web differ from the offline version of Microsoft Office.