The Register: Wanted: ISPs to Flog StarOffice

“Sun Microsystems Inc is in talks with some of the major
internet service providers regarding possible tie-up agreements
through which the ISPs will distribute and offer services around
Sun’s StarOffice productivity office software suite.

“Sun’s business manager for SunONE Desktop Solutions, Mru Patel
said that Sun was in talks with ‘all the big ISPs’ to try to decide
if the market is ready for them to offer the StarOffice software
stack as a browser-based service. If the plans do go ahead, Patel
said, a supported service might cost around 30 pounds ($46.56) per
user per month, or as little as 2 pounds ($3.10) per user per
month, depending on the level of service and support required.

“The negotiations are one of many initiatives from the Santa
Clara, California-based company as it attempts to gain 10% of
Microsoft Corp’s Office market share by the end of 2004, according
to Patel. The company is also in talks with some of the major
retail chains to increase the availability of StarOffice, and is
gearing up for the release of its Linux-based desktop. It will also
relaunch its Sun Ray thin client device in January…”

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