Microsoft revealed that it is testing a free, ad supported version of Works 9. A senior product manager at Microsoft said the ad-supported programs address concerns from PC makers about rising costs while giving customers free productivity software at the same time.

The ads, which Stern says are 'not intrusive,' will be targeted based on what Microsoft knows about Works users' demographics, and will relate to common tasks like household budgeting and vacation planning.  The display ads will appear in the lower corners of the screen while users work on spreadsheets, calendar appointments and other documents. The suite will come pre-loaded with ads, and new ones will download when users' computers connect to the Internet. Users of the free Works suite will be able to click from inside the program to upgrade to the $40, ad-free version of Works 9, or download a free trial version of Office 2007, which costs from $149 to $679.