Software behemoth Microsoft has announced plans to extend trials of applications hosted over the internet to small and mid sized businesses.
The plans unveiled today by chairman Bill Gates will include delivering a service over the internet which will allow small companies to collaborate more effectively on projects and documents.
Microsoft’s adoption of the software as a service model (SaaS) means that the online versions of email management software Exchange and collaboration tool SharePoint will be charged at a flat annual subscription rate per worker, rather than using the traditional licence fee model.
The software titan made the internet-based software available to enterprise-level customers last year. The beta period will now be extended to include the smaller companies that have traditionally formed the backbone of Microsoft’s client base.
The move also marks a brave response to Google’s attempts to play in the SaaS market after the search engine giant last year launched a set of online applications for businesses.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2008
