Microsoft announced on Monday that it is expanding the range of business software it makes available as a service on the Internet. The move comes as people increasingly use writing, accounting, email and other programs online instead of buying packaged software and installing it on their own machines.
Microsoft's packaged software has long been the foundation of the US firm's product line but is threatened by a "software as a service" (SaaS) trend being capitalised on by Google, Oracle, and SalesForce.com.
The Microsoft Online Services suite announcement made by Chairman Bill Gates was touted as a "significant step" toward expanding the company's "software plus services" strategy.
"The combination of software plus services gives customers advanced choice and flexibility in how they access and manage software," Gates said in a written release.
"In the future, customers and partners should expect to see this kind of choice and flexibility for all of Microsoft's software and server products."
Businesses of all sizes will be able to subscribe to use software online or combine SaaS with Microsoft programs installed on their computers, according to Gates. Microsoft invites US firms to register online at www.mosbeta.com to be part of a beta test of the new services, which it expects to make available publically in the second half of this year.
New online services being tested include Exchange Server and Office SharePoint Server software handling tasks such as email, schedule calendars, online conferencing.
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