As part of its ongoing battle with competitors, software and internet giant Microsoft will begin accepting applications from people who wish to test its Office software over the internet.According to reports in the Financial Times (FT), the company will accept such applications for its "beta" or test version of the new web-based Office features from today.
Microsoft recently made free software available that connects its Windows operating system to software delivered over the internet.
The strategy marked a notable development for the firm - which sells packaged software for customer use - and is part of its overall strategy to protect its customers from rival companies, such as Google, that already offer software applications over the internet.
Microsoft will not begin its tests until later this year, but its move to begin processing applications has clearly marked its intention to respond to competitors.
However, the new service will not represent a full online alternative to its desktop software package, only bringing "limited additional capabilities", the FT reports.
With the new web-based Office features, users will be able to upload their Office documents on to free personal websites, rather than saving them on to their hard drives.
They will then be able to access and edit those documents from computers and invite other people to do likewise.
Analyst at Gartner David Smith called the move "conservative" and said that Microsoft is "not going to push the envelope".
He added, however, that the development was "an important first step" in the company's bid to evolve in accordance with market trends.
