Microsoft announces Windows Azure

Thrax

The Microsoft PDC 2008 is in full effect, and Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie just officially announced Windows Azure as a web-facing/cloud-facing operating system.

The new operating system will allow first and third-party development in jointly building the ground level for Microsoft's new cloud strategy. Permitting communal, professional and Microsoft-developed modules, the ... Continue reading

BuddyJ

You'd think they'd have a better name for it. Something that explained how it worked, perhaps?

Thrax

I'ma call it "Blue" from now on.

MiracleManS

Don't infringe on IBM now.

Leonardo

Thrax, have you considered marketing your nickname to Microsoft? I can see it now, "Thrax of Icrontic" offers the latest in...XML, ++--ABCDrazzledazzle...cloud/sunshine business hoopla.

OK, seriously, what's different about this latest cloud effort over previous offerings? Yeah, I read the article, but I still need some help. So it's an online operating system? Huh? So you use your OSX, Linux, or Windows OS on your computer to enable you to go online to share an online OS? huh?

Thrax

You use your local OS and local development tools like Visual Studio to write a program and then compile it to binary. You can then upload these binaries to Microsoft's cloud computing platform where the binary is published to a web address of your choice, and is accessible to anyone.

You can configure the accessibility, server power and application parameters just by editing a simple XML spreadsheet.

Microsoft intends to put all of their popular software into the cloud. This includes SQL server (cloud databasing) and things like ASP.NET.

All told, Microsoft intends to deliver the same experience people can get with a desktop application only through a browser. It has good potential, but we'll see how it pans out.