Cloud computing has already swelled into an estimated $36bn market in 2008, representing roughly 13 percent of global software sales. The big question now is whether it can turn into a technology tsunami that sweeps Microsoft and other software industry staples into obsolescence.
Yet for all the potential and hype surrounding cloud computing, breaking old habits won't be easy--particularly with business-software powerhouses Microsoft, IBM Corp., Oracle Corp. and SAP AG all maneuvering to protect their existing, lucrative software franchises while also setting up their own online services to compete with the industry upstarts.
Source: Yahoo! Tech