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5 Questions From Microsoft That CIO's Could Ask Of Google

Well, how childish but let's check out Ron Markezich's (Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Online) Top 5 Questions to Ask Google - I'll give my answer from knowing Google a little (and I mean a little!)

1. Do you have a proven track record?
Yes, they have been offering Google Apps for Business (as it is now called) since August 2006 (source: Wikipedia) - anyone else got a 5 year track record in cloud services ... Microsoft?

2. How much will it cost to get my people productive?
Such a wooly open ended question ... for instance define "productive".

However, in my experience this comes in 3 phases:
  1. Instant productivity gained through access to mail & calendar anytime particularly"off-site"
  2. Dumping of old "document" habits and open up to the true collaborative nature of Docs
    (see Google Docs ... so what - the ONE reason why you should care)
  3. Change in  business process/culture that truly takes on board the 'open' nature of working in the cloud takes much time and work

3. What are your privacy policies?
Well, they provide a link to Google's privacy policy so ... well, read it.

Microsoft's aren't linked but here they are, Microsoft Online Services Privacy Statement

4. What is your long term roadmap?
Wouldn't you like to know ;-)

We (WaveAdept) take prospective and current clients through the Google Enterprise roadmap as required. We also re-iterate Google's stated approach of constant iteration as they learn what services, functionality work and what doesn't. Is this using clients "as a lab for our latest experiment", no it's learning from actual use and improving.

BTW, can we see the Microsoft Office365 Roadmap please - when will it be released and what functionality will it include through 2012 ... no?, oh, ok.

5. Can you support all of my people with what they need?
No. Can anyone FFS



Having read this you'll probably also smile at my September 2007 post, Microsoft questions your decision to move to Google Apps

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