微软计划下周发布免费在线OFFICE

MICROSOFT OFFICE SET TO GO FREE ONLINE

微软计划下周发布免费在线OFFICE

Microsoft is set to launch a free online version of its widely used Office software next week, a watershed moment for one of its core businesses as it seeks to counter the rise of Google Docs and other online services.

微软(Microsoft)计划下周发布其得到广泛使用的Office软件的免费在线版本，这标志着该公司核心业务之一即将迎来重大转折时刻。微软此举旨在反击Google Docs及其它在线服务的崛起。

The move comes nearly five years after Ray Ozzie, chief software architect, warned that Microsoft needed to embrace the internet faster. In a landmark speech, Mr Ozzie predicted that a “services disruption” was about to up-end the company's traditional software business and urged all its developers to treat the move as a matter of urgency.

近5年前，该公司首席技术官雷•奥齐(Ray Ozzie)就警告称，微软需要加快拥抱互联网。在一次具有里程碑意义的演讲中，奥齐预测，“服务破坏”即将终结微软的传统软件业务，并督促公司所有开发人员把这一趋势当作紧急事项对待。

Since then, according to industry observers, the company has moved steadily to add services that complement its software products but has been happy to leave it to others to set the pace in the move towards “cloud computing”, or the handling of applications online.

行业观察人士表示，自此以后，微软一直不断增加服务，来补充它的软件产品，但迄今乐于让其它公司引领“云计算”（即在线处理应用程序）的发展步调。

“I wouldn't quite say they're dragging their feet, but they're definitely not moving fast,” said David Smith, an analyst at Gartner.

Gartner分析师大卫•史密斯(David Smith)表示：“我不会说他们行动缓慢，但他们显然行动得不是很快。”

He and others said that the pace reflected a calculated bet by Microsoft that it could extend the life of its current, highly profitable business model without losing out on future opportunities online.

他及其他人均表示，微软的行动速度反映了其精心算计的押注，即它既能延长其盈利丰厚的现有业务模式的寿命，也不会失去未来的在线机遇。

“They're just trying to preserve their existing business – it's a fine line to walk,” said Matt Rosoff, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft.

“他们只是在努力维护现有业务——他们要走一条很细的钢丝绳，”Directions on Microsoft分析师马特•罗塞夫(Matt Rosoff)表示。

With the free, advertising-supported version of Office, together with options that let companies buy some of its capabilities as online services, the latest release of the software “shows we're all-in, we're fully engaged with the cloud,” said Stephen Elop, head of the Microsoft Business Division, which gets most of its revenue from Office.

微软商业部门总裁斯蒂芬•埃洛普(Stephen Elop)表示，凭借广告支撑的免费Office版本、外加允许企业购买部分功能作为在线服务的选择，最新的软件发布“表明，我们已经全力投入，我们现在全面拥抱云计算。”该部门的大部分收入来自Office。

He denied that Microsoft was dragging its feet, but said it was moving at the pace of most of its customers who want to continue to use traditional software while starting to add more cloud applications.

埃洛普否认微软行动缓慢，但表示，公司是按照大多数客户的节奏行动。这些客户希望继续使用传统的软件，同时开始增加更多的云应用。

译者/何黎

本文转载自FT中文网