Iria

Microsoft intends to expand its hosted software offerings by blurring the lines between the company’s server products and online Web properties, company chief software architect Bill Gates told CNET News.com.

In an interview at the company’s Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles, Gates said that the company will expand its "software as a service" offerings, particularly to businesses. The idea is that customers can choose to either purchase server software from Microsoft, such as mail or portal software, or get that service delivered over the Internet.

To get to that point, Microsoft needs to converge the capabilities of software packages Exchange, SharePoint portal and Active Directory (AD) with those of online services Hotmail, MSN Spaces and Passport.

"A lot of our services have started as very inexpensive but not feature-rich, and our servers are very feature-rich. As we bring AD and Passport together, Hotmail and Exchange together, and MSN Spaces and SharePoint together, we give you the richness but also the choice of having it as a server or a service," Gates said.
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Read More / Source: News.com