Small business: Microsoft’s "cloud" wants you
Published 4:01 pm Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Here’s a word you’ll be hearing a lot, if you pay attention to technology aimed at small businesses: cloud.
And not the fluffy kind that sometimes look like bunnies. Don’t be silly.
Microsoft is launching its Office Web Apps today, a much-talked about “cloud” version of its traditional Office software.
This kind of cloud is much easier to photograph.
In essence, the new product stores user files and information in huge data centers instead of on individual machines. Think Google Docs.
The cloud version is included in the newest version of Office and SharePoint. A free version is due for release next month.
It’s a big step toward widespread cloud-computing in the workplace, mainly because Microsoft products have long been the standard software for businesses. The release is an attempt by the software giant to keep control of that marketplace — while keeping up with demands for “free” products that are easy to share and access from any computer or smartphone.
Companies looking to keep costs low — especially those that have dabbled with free Google products — will be likely targets for Microsoft marketing efforts, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Know a small business we should write about? Contact Herald writer Amy Rolph at arolph@heraldnet.com.
