International Business Machines Corp., working to win users away from Microsoft Corp.'s Office programs, adapted its free word processing and document software for use with Apple Inc.'s Macintosh and the Linux operating system. IBM's Lotus Symphony program, released in May, is now available for the Mac and a version of Linux called Ubuntu, Armonk, New York-based IBM said today in a statement. The software can create documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

By offering the program for free, IBM aims to steal away paying customers from Microsoft, the world's biggest software maker. IBM would then make money on related technology and services. Today's expansion of the software lets IBM reach designers and other creative workers, who often rely on the Mac operating system.

Read the complete article in the Chicago Daily Herald.