Microsoft Office comes to the cloud — and through your browser

Microsoft's aim to bring applications like its flagship Office suite to the cloud, making it — in one form or another — accessible through Web browsers and other interfaces is still too new (and not actually available) for anybody to see exactly what it means.

But to get a start on the new Microsoft push, start with this CNet package, Windows and the Cloud. Specifically, look here for Office and how Microsoft is trying to compete with Google's already established Docs offering.

From Ina Fried's Beyond Binary:

Microsoft will offer browser-based Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in two ways. For consumers, they will be offered via Microsoft's Office Live Web site, while businesses will be able to offer browser-based Office capabilities through Microsoft's SharePoint Server product.

The company has been pushed into this arena by Google, which has been offering its free Google Apps programs for some time. In competing with Google, Microsoft is touting the ability to use Microsoft's familiar user interface, as well as the fact that all of the document's characteristics are preserved.

...

Elop said that not all of the editing capabilities of the desktop products are in the browser versions. "The editing we are characterizing as lightweight editing," he said.

Although Google Apps has seen most of its popularity among consumers, it has started to attract attention from corporate customers. Google Apps got a strong look from Procter & Gamble, which only decided to stick with Office after a strong push from Microsoft.