Comments on: Microsoft launches Windows Azure

The software maker hopes an operating system in the cloud, unveiled at its Professional Developers Conference, will add up to blue skies.

[bummerhan]

sadly MS has the single most complete computing stack (not counting gaming)
you have to look at Adobe+Sun+Google+Yahoo combined to match

MS Office vs OpenOffice
.Net vs Java EE
IE vs Chrome
Mobile6 vs Android
Silverlight vs Adobe Air
AdCentre vs Adsense vs Yahoo Ad
MSN vs gtalk vs yahoo messenger
...too many to name...

so now Azure vs App Engine?

the danger of owning the full stack from toe to head?
having the entanglement (bundling effect) can give microsoft unfair edges.
just the sum of simple things like default search bars -
can squish the competition without innovation

[cyclonica1980]

I doubt most of the Azure and Cloud related announcements have much to do with Macintosh. Microsoft cannot fire any shots back at OSX until they bring out Windows 7 or cut down on Vista hogging up all your computers memory. Even than Windows 7 will have to really be a break through in the PC world and fix most if not all of Vista's problems. Azure and Cloud is just an online storage, it is not Vista's replacement. For Mac users reading this. Mobile Me is awful and I honestly am sick of Macs, I am writing this article on one of the new Mac book Pros and I hate this thing, cannot wait to sell it. I hope they release Windows 7 by mid or late 2009.

[hresto]

What's next? A Microsoft appliance to access this service with a subscription. Kill all the PC manufacturers and Developers, ?

"Microsoft announces that effective January 1, 2010, the Microsoft Office Suite will only be available as a service on Azure. Microsoft will no longer distribute MS Office in any media form except as an Azure service. Microsoft Azure appliance version 1.0 beta can be ordered for free by calling 1 800 Microsoft"

[bakedpatato]

Aaaa! Cloud Computing!
DO NOT WANT!
I give them props for trying to keep up, I will admit that one day "the cloud" will be the way to go, in the conceivable future.

[allether]

Anyone note the last slide "Microsoft Federation Gateway"?

So, they want to be a "Federation". Would we all have to carry a Microsoft identity card next?

[Sumatra-Bosch]

Oh, this is perfect. Shabby operating system, buggy applications AND network latency - AND Microsoft can cut me off from my data anytime they want to raise cash? Yes, this will be the computing experience of everyone's dreams.

[Sumatra-Bosch]

Oh, this is perfect. Shabby operating system, buggy applications AND network latency - AND Microsoft can cut me off from my data anytime they want to raise cash? Yes, this will be the computing experience of everyone's dreams.

[rlzimmerman]

I don't like the sound of it. Right now if my isp goes down it's bad enough. Now put all my apps somewhere non-local and that just makes it even worse. Talk about bringing a company to it's knees; this is the *same* company that brought us the BSOD and now they want to host all your business?! I foresee a "cloudburst" in the near future.

[rlzimmerman]

Oh, and how does that old saying go; "Don't put your eggs all in one cloud..."

[iGenius2]

Ok, first of all when I first read that Azure was the next "OS", I noticed 1 major problem here with Azure.
If your one of those people with dial-up connection, 4GET ABOUT THIS !!!!! THERE IS NO WAY THAT YOU'LL HAVE A GREAT TIME SURFING THE NET AND CHECK OUT YOUR MAIL. HECK, UR YOUTUBE VIDS WILL NOT BE EVEN CLOSE TO BE SYNCED WITH THE SOUND!!!!!! (noticed how emphasized those sentences with caps) I MEAN, YOU DON'T EVEN NEED DIAL UP, YOU COULD HAVE THE FASTEST INTERNET CONNECTION AND STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WIRELESSLY ON UR WINDOWS AZURE LAPTOP!!!!! WELL, U COULD BUY A $250 ROUTER WITH THE FASTEST CONNECTION U CAN GET AND STILL BE WAITING FOR A PAGE TO LOAD!! WHY???!?!?!!?!?!!!!???!?!? WELL, YOU COULD HAVE YOUR INTERNET DOWN, HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE "OS". IMAGINE U SENDING CONFIDENTIAL OR PERSONAL INFO TO SOMEONE AND GOTTEN STOLEN OR EXPOSED BECAUSE OF AZURE. WINDOWS BETTER DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS AND SO FAR, I AM SOOOOOOOOO NOT BUYING ANY AZURE PC IN THE FUTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HECK, I COULD EVEN WRITE A WHOLE 6 PARAGRAPH ESSAY ON WHY AZURE AND WINDOWS SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (MAKE IT 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

[Llib Setag]

AZURE?
Definition of the word Azure is the color of blue as a cloudless sky.

MS CLOUD COMPUTING ...MS AZURE?

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Who was the MS marketing genius that came up with that one?
A cloudless blue "azure" sky for your "cloud" computing.
?????????????

[aliayman]

Microsoft simply wants to dominate

[pthomasrad]

This is the RSS feed you need to subscribe to in order to get the latest news about Windows azure: http://feedproxy.google.com/WindowsAzure. It is using many sources including yahoo, google, MS live news search, blog search (using google), technorati, icerokcet and many more, including Twitter. Check it out!

[Jerryrodriguez151]

I think a lot of people are failing to see the big picture here...

Wireless N standard and beyond is said to be the future of data transmission. For those of you that understand it, you know I'm talking about gbps transfer rates wirelessly and more. Why is this important?
Perhaps because Microsoft is partnering with Verizon to be the exclusive ISP for all Verizon networks...
Verizon is also VERY much tied to Wireless N.

When this happens, Microsoft will have access to the largest wireless network in North America, offering them a staging ground that will circumvent traditional forms of download... So let Comcast limit your bandwidth. Get a wireless N router, and you're going to be streaming faster than cable possibly can.

Sure, you become part of the Microsoft Monster, but in my eyes, it's no different than being one of those nasty MAC users who refuse to see the wonders of open source. :)