By james forsyth A decision by Microsoft to offer free, ad-supported desktop software would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

By JESSICA MINTZ SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. will test a free, advertising-supported version of Works, an already inexpensive package of word processing, spreadsheet and other programs, but would not say whether it is exploring a similar Web-based suite.

By Benjamin J. Romano, Seattle Times Aug. 2--Some versions of Microsoft Works, the stripped-down word-processor, calendar and spreadsheet software that comes with many new computers, will carry advertising as part of a test program, the company announced Wednesday.

By JOSEPH JONES Jones: Writer can save files in PDF format I got my first real computer more than 20 years ago, and it was the start of an enduring relationship. I say real because my first computer, a Commodore Vic 20, was considered more of a toy than anything else.

You might think the folks at Microsoft (MSFT) have bigger fish to fry than a tiny Bay Area startup named ThinkFree. The company, which offers Web-based word-processing and spreadsheet programs, counts about 60,000 active users, none of whom even pay for the service yet.