Microsoft executives have recently been announcing nothing less than a complete rethink of both personal and enterprise computing. So that slapping noise you've been hearing the past month or so from your I.T. department is the collective sound of your systems people hitting their foreheads in shock as they realize that Microsoft is serious about taking some measure of control away from the climate-monitored back rooms guarded by your company's geeks. It's not that your company's I.T. staff fails to grasp the idea that replacing or enhancing software with off-site subscription services could be the most cost-effective solution. I.T. pros know that their companies cannot pump more money into local server infrastructure, not to mention create career paths for I.T. workers who do not represent their core businesses.
But it will be another thing to convince many of their skeptical C-level bosses that loss of local control of information is better for the company.
