Microsoft Corp. began selling its latest version of Office for Apple Computer Inc.'s Macintosh on Wednesday, one of the main products sold for its rival's line of personal computers.
Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, dominates the PC industry with its Windows operating system software but also develops applications for the Macintosh.
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Microsoft's Office 2004 for Mac, the latest version, is the second release of the word-processing, e-mail, spreadsheet and productivity suite of software for Apple's current operating system, called OS X (ten).
The Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft has promised to continue development of Office for Mac, which counts more than 7 million users, although the world's largest software maker has already said it will phase out another Mac program that it makes, Internet Explorer for the Mac.
Apple is working on its own Web browser, called Safari.
Although Microsoft delivered Office for Mac well within its projected launch date, one edition of the product marketed at businesses, the Professional version, was delayed because one of its components was delayed.
Virtual PC for Mac Version 7, the latest version of the software that allows users to run Windows and Windows-based programs on a Macintosh, which will be included in Office 2004 Professional, was delayed to the second half of 2004, Microsoft said.
Office 2004 for Mac will sell at a listed retail price of $400, or $150 for academic buyers and $500 for the Professional edition.