In anticipation of a regulatory change that will make it easier for consumers to switch Web browsers, Google has taken the unusual step of using real-world advertising to promote its Chrome web browser in Europe.

By Victoria Shannon Losing its appeal of the European antitrust ruling on Monday was just the first piece of bad news for Microsoft this week. On Tuesday, IBM put a selection of office-suite programs up on the Web for free.

By Jordan Robertson, Associated Press SAN JOSE -- Two years after announcing a somewhat vague software- distribution partnership, Google Inc. and Sun Microsystems Inc. have clarified their tactics for jointly attacking Microsoft Corp. and its ubiquitous Office software.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced that its award-winning office productivity software, StarOffice(TM) (http://www.sun.com/staroffice), is now available through the Google Pack software download service.

Two years after announcing a somewhat vague software-distribution partnership, Google Inc. and Sun Microsystems Inc. have clarified their tactics for jointly attacking Microsoft Corp. and its ubiquitous Office software.