Microsoft (MSFT) is finally getting serious about connecting its Windows product to other software using the internet. Google (GOOG) has been doing this with its spreadsheet and document products for some time.

According to The New York Times: “Microsoft will try to outmaneuver its challengers by becoming the dominant digital curator of all a user’s information, whether it is stored on a PC, a mobile device or on the Internet, industry executives and analysts said.”

If Microsoft does this well, it may take the Google competitive threat and dispatch it fairly fast. MSFT has over one billion Windows users and 300 million customers for its Hotmail and Messenger products.

Google is not even in the league, so, if Microsoft wants to make sure that it keeps a huge lead, now is the time to exploit the advantages of server-side computing.

Douglas A. McIntyre