Microsoft Office 2010 will come in a diet version when it launches next year.

Called Office Starter, it will be preloaded on new PCs and include a basic version of Word and Excel that can be used to create, edit and view documents. The company gave the details on its Office blog.

It's not clear how the Office Starter version will compare to Office Web Applications, Microsoft's free online version that will compete with Google Docs.

The Office blog announced some other details on the software.

If you buy a new PC, you can purchase a key card at a retailer instead of a boxed copy of a software DVD. Just to be clear, the key card is not an actual key card you would use to open a hotel room. It has a number printed on it that you enter to unlock the Office software on your computer. The company said on its Office blog that the key card requires less packaging and is more eco-friendly.

If you want Office on an existing PC, Office will be available through online download.