End of an Era for Microsoft?

Microsoft's announcement last week of its intention to expose SaaS versions of its Office products (under the moniker "Office Live") can be interpreted in numerous ways. Some see it as not much more than a kneejerk response to Google Docs. Others have characterized it as a kind of belated attempt by Microsoft to tap the promise of cloud computing. (Microsoft is no stranger to cloud computing, however, as any Xbox owner knows.)Microsoft, on the other hand, sees this as a fundamental strategy shift for the company. Office Live is just the latest addition to a large and growing confederation of technologies known as the Azure Services Platform. Soon, with the help of .Net and the Live Mesh infrastructure, you'll be able to access (or build, if you're a developer) applications from any device, anywhere (or so we're told).

According to Chris Capossela, Senior Vice President, Microsoft Business Division: "We are on a path to deliver all our technology as software-plus-services." (Emphasis added.) Note well, this isn't just about hosted versions of Office products. It's about all of Microsoft's technology.

Historically, this could be the end of an era for Redmond, the ultimate capitulation; the realization that the Web is the new OS. For an operating system company, that's Big.Microsoft's announcement last week that it will expose SaaS versions of its Office products can be interpreted in numerous ways. Some see it as a kneejerk response to Google Docs. Others characterize it as a kind of belated attempt to tap the promise of cloud computing... Historically, this could be the end of an era for Redmond