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OneNote Available for Free for 60 Days

Microsoft is making the complete version of its new notetaking application, OneNote 2003, available as a free, 60-day evaluation edition in an effort to promote one of the newest members of the Office program family.

With the Office System 2003 launch this week, Microsoft is trying to move the focus beyond the tapped out market for traditional office productivity programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Instead, Microsoft wants customers to concentrate on new collaboration and business integration capabilities enabled by purchasing the latest versions of the desktop productivity programs along with an associated stack of Microsoft servers and services.

But Microsoft is selling one new Office program that fits the traditional Office Suite mold. OneNote is designed to increase user productivity even when used by itself.

The biggest benefits from OneNote 2003 come when it's used on a Tablet PC because a user can use handwriting in the application, but Microsoft claims the program gives a productivity boost to laptop and desktop users as well.

The evaluation edition is available for free as an 80-MB download or for $7.95 by mail. After the 60-day usage period expires, users will be able to view and print their notes, but will not be able to alter them or create new ones.

The download page is here.

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

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