Telegraph turns the tide with Google Apps

The Telegraph’s decision to use Google Apps over standard Microsoft Office products is a sign of the times for the business computing industry. Though The Telegraph cited this move as a cost saving exercise it could encourage other large companies to rethink their DTP and business application provision.

Also, at a recent National Outsourcing Association, whom we work for, conference someone posed that open-source and web-delivered SaaS type applications are the biggest competitive force currently facing Microsoft. With the first high-profile endorsement of this type of application model by The Telegraph, this is highly likely to be true.

However, although it is obviously a worrying time for the computing giant, it could be a real opportunity if the company manages to change its mindset quickly enough. At this ‘turn of the tides’ for the industry, the old adage "If you can’t beat them, join them" is very important.

Microsoft has dominated business and indeed personal computing for such a long time its move towards open source and web delivery has not hugely apparent. The trouble is that 21st century isn’t about IP any more as its security simply can no longer be guaranteed. It’s also not about discrete, packaged software products that can be sold on DVD to captive audiences.

No, the new world is in open source technology, about being better than the rest and putting it out there for all the world to see, use and alter to their needs. The value of company-created software is in its quality, innovation and skill – something that Microsoft has in buckets.

My advice, for what it’s worth, is to take full advantage of open source and invest more time and money in this area, rather than try to compete with it. To do this Microsoft should first unleash those great minds it has stashed away in Silicon Valley and dive whole heartedly into open source. The rewards of doing this could be great, while the consequences of not doing so really don’t bear thinking about.