Empire strikes back: Microsoft v/s Google

The news of Google thinking about launching its new web based Operating System has had some dramatic effect on the technology giant Microsoft, with Microsoft hinting towards offering lightweight Office Suite Software on the web for free. Microsoft taking this step relays the fact that Microsoft is serious about Google’s foray into its Operating System sector.
Microsoft said it has plans to offer free versions of popular applications, including Word and Excel, to the people over the web. Matt Rosoff, a seniro analyst at Directions has said that it would have been very unlikely that Microsoft would have thought of offering web base Office Suite if Google had not launched its Google Docs services.
This move by Microsoft is being seen as a direct challenge to the operability of Goolge Docs and this shows that Microsoft wants people to know that Microsoft Office can give Google a run for its money even on the internet.
Microsoft has said that the trimmed-down version of Office which will be launched next year and will be available for free to its 400m Windows Live customers, but businesses will have to pay for licenses.
It appears that Microsoft is taking serious steps in this war for Internet Domination and its next step would be to counter the new Google operating system that Google plans on launching for small laptops or netbooks.
Whatever be the case this war would surely result in a win win sitaution for the customers who would seen some serious innovation taking place in the next couple of years.