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Here we are a stone's throw away from Microsoft rolling out its browser-based Office apps and Microsoft - in another attempt to run Google and its ilk off the reservation - came out Wednesday with a free Facebook-integrated version of the stuff called pointedly Docs.com.

It was announced by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the company f8 developer conference. A good use of Microsoft's $240 million investment in Facebook, eh, what?

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The stuff is in limited public beta so only a certain number of Facebook's myriad users will get to play with it right now but they should be able to create, view, collaboratively edit and share Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint pictures with their Facebook friends.

They'll also be able upload such files created on the more sophisticated Office programs on their PCs or Office-running Macs to Docs.com.

The shared files will show up in people's inboxes and Facebook news feeds. The sharing part is an opt-in, not a requirement.

Microsoft claims that in contrast to, oh, say, Google, its stuff supports the "complete document lifecycle" and simplifies the sharing bit.

It's unclear when they'll emerge from beta.

The widgetry is the product of Microsoft's Future Social Experience Labs (FUSE) created by Ray Ozzie late last year.