>>As scalable cloud computing becomes more mature, its price will become so attractive that unless you are purposefully taking a stand against it, there will be no business case not to use cloud computing. And that is the factor Microsoft and other entities are relying upon.
??
MS's online services division lost USD8.1 billion last year. Last month they reported 9% greater revenue for a loss of only USD372 million for the quarter. But still they're selling their services under cost to attract market share and we all know what to expect once market share is established and it's too difficult for eager newcomers to disrupt.
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1