A Little Piece of Microsoft Aids Small Business - New York Times

David Pogue on old and new Microsoft modus operandi -- apparently he doesn't realize, in this instance, the new (Office Live Small Business) is built on the old (SharePoint -- not really so old in the grand scheme of things)...

Now, plenty of companies sell similar services individually: Web hosting, for example, or online marketing. But Microsoft claims to have no competition for Office Live’s concept. Nobody else offers a complete one-stop self-contained unified Internet toolkit for small businesses — especially not at these prices.

The result is exciting for two reasons. First, Office Live Small Business gives the nation’s 25 million small businesses a chance to use the same online tools as the big boys.

Second, Office Live Small Business has all the hallmarks of a start-up: innovative, focused, fast-moving, game-changing, quick to respond to customer feedback and nimble in recovering from mistakes. When was the last time anyone described Microsoft that way?

A Little Piece of Microsoft Aids Small Business - New York Times