Microsoft unveils ‘cloud computing’ product Tech giant joins rivals in introduction of Web-based computing system

Microsoft Corp. is taking another step into the world of Web-based computing with a new system it’s calling Windows Azure.

Microsoft says it’s joining Amazon.com Inc. and other rivals in selling information storage space and computing power “in the cloud,” distributed across massive data centers worldwide. That will let companies build Web-based programs without having to manage their own data centers.

Microsoft’s chief software architect, Ray Ozzie, described Azure to software developers at a conference Monday in Los Angeles. Ozzie said that managing Microsoft’s own Web sites and Web-based programs has made the company adept at anticipating Web traffic spikes and knowing when to ramp up some computers and dial down others.

“It’s a transformation of our software. It’s a transformation of our strategy,” Ozzie said at the Professional Developer’s Conference, Microsoft’s annual gathering of third-party engineers to detail the company’s future plans.

Ozzie, who replaced Bill Gates as Microsoft’s top software guru in 2006, is spearheading the company’s push into “cloud computing,” a trend that taps into computing power in distant data centers and delivers applications over the Internet.

Traditionally, software has run on a single computer’s hard drive, but as Internet connections became faster and more reliable, companies started to deliver software as an online service by using the computing power of the “cloud,” a network of powerful computer servers accessed over the Web.

The success of Web-based companies such as Google Inc and Salesforce.com Inc in creating online applications competitive with Microsoft has forced the company to embrace a new way of delivering and supporting software.

‘Transformation’
“We are in the early days of a transformation to services across the industry,” said Ozzie at the conference.

Microsoft has worked to add online services elements to most of its traditional software, which required the company to invest billions in building massive data centers with thousands of computers servers and data storage systems.

Now, Microsoft wants to let other companies rent out its computing power so third-party developers can run applications over the Internet without the need for hefty investments in data centers. It also allows companies the flexibility to increase or decrease computing needs according to demand.

Similar to how its Windows operating system became the main platform for programs on personal computers, Microsoft aims to be the platform of choice for Web applications.

Amazon.com Inc and Salesforce is already in the market with computing services for Web developers, but Microsoft has a few advantages. It has deeper pockets, longer relationships with third-party developers and more expertise in building a software platform.

“I’d like to tip my hat to Jeff Bezos and Amazon,” said Ozzie, referring to Amazon’s chief executive. “All of us across the industry will stand on their shoulders.”

Developers can write applications on Windows Azure using the tools and programing languages necessary to write software to run on top of the current Windows operating system.

Unusual Anomoly On WordPress

Very Strange – I blog on a few computers – the one at my office tells me my wordpress account has been suspended and won’t allow me to log in, the one at home lets me log in and do everything – anyone got the same issue?

Amateur [Ham] Radio Operators At Their Worst

Ham Operators Devoting Power to Rudeness

I’ve been an Amateur Radio Operator since the mid-90s, and it’s true that I don’t devote much time to the hobby as of late. I’ve just too many things to do that I can do without being harassed by a snobbish ham operator. I entered into the ham radio ranks as a Technician in 96 and discovered that the older hams hate the younger hams. The Morse Code Requirement was abolished from the rules so the older hams who learned the code way back when believe that we younger hams that didn’t learn the code are not good enough to be on the air. I ran into this multiple times when talking on the worldwide bands, where the younger hams have been kept from unless they learn the code. So, I get it, they’re mad. BUT if they want Amateur Radio to survive, it needs new blood. If they don’t use it, they’re going to lose it.

Now I’m a Power Seller on Ebay and I’ve sold some radios over my career and just about every time I deal with a Ham Operator I get the impression that they hate everyone’s guts. Now of course there are hams that are not like this, it’s just a shame that I just happen to run into all the mad ones.

I’ve always been proud of my callsign and proud just to be a ham. Hams do a lot of good in the world and this article is not anti-ham. I think the hams should be just a little friendly, especially now when kids don’t need a ham radio to talk all over the world. A computer will do all that. The world of ham radio is more than just that. It’s the only failsafe communications backup system if our mains go down.

Dirty Rotten Ads Do Strike Fear Into Reluctant Republicans

I just planted my Obama For President sign in my front yard, then I heard Daybreak by Barry Manilow and thought “That would be a great song to play on Nov 5th when Obama is President-Elect,” I was feeling quite optimistic about the election. Then I talked to my mother. My mother is a reluctant republican who considers McCain to be the lesser of two evils. She began by telling me about all the ads that say Obama isn’t half-black, he’s half Arabic – That Obama will raise everyone’s taxes, that allowing him to be elected will be handing the country over to the Arabs- you know, all the lies that the republicans are spewing out in desperation.  My mother’s no dummy. She’s a career woman and she’s in her 70s. She’s paying attention to it and she’d be scared to vote any other way.  Obama is great and I think he could make things a lot better for all of us, but the sad reality is that most of his supporters may not even bother to vote when the day comes.  I can guarantee you that the older folks will vote, rain or shine, snow or hail. If they’re like my mother, whom I love more than life itself, we just might lose this battle. As Democrats we’d like to think that all these dirty lies being spewed out won’t be believed by the uncertain, reluctant republicans out there, but the truth is, they are buying it, unfortunately. The proof is my mother’s warning to me about backing Obama. She’s a Baptist, I’m an Athiest, She’s voting for McCain, I’m voting for Barack Hussein Obama, and I’m not going to judge him for a name he had no say in receiving. I think even if he were Barry Obamason the same lies would be coming up to stop an African-American from making it. I’m a white man, and I say that we’ve let this President Club run amok with white men who have not done so well – time to let someone else try their hand – could he really make it any worse? I hope he gets the chance – SO – TALK TO YOUR GRANDPARENTS IN FLORIDA – CONVINCE THEM TO VOTE FOR OBAMA!!!!!!!