Microsoft launched Windows Azure

[babylon2233]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10055706-75.html

What do you think about this? Is this a real OS or just another web application platform?


Update:
I think it's a new MS service.

http://www.microsoft.com/azure/default.mspx

[Troy Martin]

First off, it's not "will release" it's "Steve Ballmer's hinting at".

I don't think it's a whole new OS, just another Microsoft attempt to be the leading innovators of the interweb and our computers again with a new app platform. Google will beat the flaming pants off of them.

Should we expect a monkey dance anytime soon?

[Combuster]

All good things from microsoft seem to have been nicked from somewhere else: Compare .NET with Java, Vista's UI with MacOS, what's next, Eclipse?

[jzgriffin]

All good things from microsoft seem to have been nicked from somewhere else: Compare .NET with Java, Vista's UI with MacOS, what's next, Eclipse?

A multimedia Smartphone with a single-touch (multi-touch is hard) interface. It will be called the LIVEphone.

And I haven't used Eclipse much, but Visual Studio seems pretty close to it.

[01000101]

So taking ideas formed somewhere else, improving, and redistributing it is wrong?

[PatrickV]

Windows Cloud! Ha i guess that's the code name. Far I now that windows 7 will be win cloud if i stand corrected. It is a new version to fix up the crap vista build which took a big loss of money when it first came out. I would wiki it "Windows 7" I hope that new version won't srew up like vista. I still don't touch vista my self. I am still using xp because it works on most my computers and it does the job for me

[pcmattman]

No, I believe it's "Windows Cloud" because it's Microsoft's entry into the "Cloud". That's just a buzzword. You can read about it at Wikipedia if you wish: Cloud Computing.

I imagine Windows Cloud would be Microsoft trying out a WebOS.

[Troy Martin]

Ahhh, WebOSes. The scourge of OS dev. Hell, the scourge of everything.

[Combuster]

So taking ideas formed somewhere else, improving, and redistributing it is wrong?

The usual problem with microsoft is, there is no improvement

[DeletedAccount]

Sorry to Say this

1) .Net vs Java --> There is a huge improvement in performance and ease of use ,at the cost of some portability (mainly because there is no real business need for supporting other platforms )
2) Ecclipse vs VS -> VS is much better , faster and easier to use than Ecclipse . Ecclipse is nowhere near VS
3) Vista Vs MacOS --- I do not like Vista , I myself hate it .. But i cannot afford a Mac , but can afford Vista happily . Waiting for the next release of Windows ...

[Combuster]

You totally missed the point:
1. Java is cross-platform. .NET is "claimed to be" crossplatform but is instead just to force everybody back to windows OSes, which is a regression. .NET doesn't even run on all windows machines.
3. MacOS Is more expensive because it is better.
2. I wasn't comparing Visual Studio to Eclipse. Even so, the comparison is based on personal preference and in my case Eclipse owns VS.NET for the same arguments.

[froggey]

Mac OS X is actually sort of cheaper than Windows:

OS X Leopard from the Apple Store: $129
Windows Vista Home Basic: $98
Windows Vista Home Premium: $109
Windows Vista Business: $278
Windows Vista Ultimate: $277
(Windows prices from Newegg)

OS X just seems more expensive because you usually have to buy a whole computer with it.
Just like Windows!

[JamesM]

(mainly because there is no real business need for supporting other platforms )

And by that you mean that by supporting other platforms Microsoft would be taking from its own business (by people migrating from Windows to something else), not that people wouldn't use it if it were made available.

[lollynoob]

Cloud computing is a dumb buzzword that would be terrible to actually put to use.
Progress is dumb.

[pcmattman]

Cloud computing is a dumb buzzword that would be terrible to actually put to use.

Agreed.