Microsoft is making available free software via the internet that connects to its Windows OS.  This is referred to as Cloud Computing.  Microsoft is using this strategy to compete with internet giant Google.  Google has a commanding lead.  They have a friendly reputation and offer such highly praised services as Google mail with its generous storage, Google search, which is the Kleenex of search, and now they even have Google Documents and Spreadsheets, which is a superb and FREE, online word processor and spreadsheet program.  But there is more.  Google calendar can be shared among several colleagues, Google maps is very useful, uh, well, you get the idea. 

Microsoft can’t just buy them, Google is way too large.  That’s why Microsoft is spearheading a new strategy.  Microsoft doesn’t want to give away its core office products such as Excel and Word, but it does want to protect its business, and to that end it will offer to give away some services for free so that it may still control the data of many users.  The services will be bundled under the name Windows Live Services, will include Windows Live Writer blogging application, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Messenger, and Windows Live OneCare Family Safety.  These services avoid cannibalizing Microsoft Office.  Of course, they avoid offering much at all compared to Google.

“When you think storage, think Windows Live,” Bill Gates said in an interview this summer. Microsoft is moving to create an experience that will divorce a user’s information from the particular device the person is working with at any moment, he said.

Microsoft is really late to the Web 2.0 party.  Were they not invited?  Now they’re trying to make up for it with a few trinkets when the princess was already picked up by the Google limousine long ago, received beautiful gifts and was treated wonderfully.  Heck, its probably almost time for Web 3.0 and Microsoft is offering what?  Too little too late.  The margin for error decreases exponentially the more you charge for your Office Solution.

Read more at MobilitySite

[tags]microsoft, office, google, office, web 2.o, jamm, just another mobile monday[/tags]

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