Home > Views > Blogs > Tech Observer > Microsoft To Rent Its Software -- Sort of
EMAIL
PRINT
RSS
SHARE
TEXT SIZE:
SHARE
Send a copy to me

Separate multiple email addresses (max 20) with commas.

0/1500

Main
To Recap: Ballmer + Yang = World's W...   Three VC-backed IPOs In Registration
Jul 2 2008 12:38PM EDT

Microsoft To Rent Its Software -- Sort of

Blaise Zerega waits with bated breath: Microsoft today announced that it will offer software on a subscription model. But is it WOW - all caps and exclamation mark?  Or is it wow-- a lowercase whimper? Likely it's a little of both.

In a press statement, Microsoft said that it will be begin offering a software bundle called Equipt, for an annual subscription of $70. Equipt consists of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 ( basically Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and  Windows Live OneCare, a security service. And, as part of the subscription price, users will automatically get version upgrades.

The WOW: That Microsoft would be wiling to experiment with new revenue models should be applauded. It's tough to call this cloud computing but it's definitely a step in that direction. Equipt was code-named Albany during its development.

The wow: That Microsoft is offering this only through Circuit City stores, shows that the company is still behaving like a traditional software company. If it is still selling software in a box, then it is not ready for  as Bill Gates put it, The Internet Tidal Wave (PDF).

The new software will be available from 700 Circuit City stores in mid-July.


See more in

Loading...

Add Your Comment

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*)
Add a comment

Archive

Previous
Dec
2008
Next


Also in Portfolio.com
Most Read
Most Emailed
Recently Commented