It’s almost impossible to believe now, but when Microsoft premiered its Windows Azure service back in October 2008, there was genuine speculation over whether the company would try to muscle its way into the cloud the way it did with Internet Explorer during the war with Netscape. What was the hook? What Windows service or feature would be so irresistible that would require Azure, that no other competitor would be able to gain a footing?
via Does Microsoft Remain a “Cloud Player” in 2012? – ReadWriteCloud.
