I cannot tell you how excited I am to see Microsoft Windows Azure. I have spoken of this platform for three years now, and finally the announcement is official.
The industry of it sourcing is changing rapidly, and what started as “browser” or “web browser” is about to change. We have marveled around the existence of the internet, and as we gave birth of ASP and later on Software-as-a-service (SaaS red.) we are seeing vendor like Microsoft and Google compete to the final release of a true SaaS oriented operation system.
So my point is that we started the era of ”surfing the web” with the browser. First we had Mozaic and later Netscape Navigation pushed the market. Microsoft released their Internet Explorer 1.0 to give people the benefit of ”exploring” the internet and browsing through dozens of dozens of pages and online articles. And this was the purpose of the browser.
The death of the “browser”
With the release of Internet Explorer 8.0, Microsoft Windows 7 and not at least the Microsoft Windows Azure platform, I see the time to change the definition. The browser has become a client to many people. SaaS applications are not something new, the most of us check our Webmail though the ”browser” and business ready system like OnDemand CRM are all dependent on a client to operate and work. Software + Services redefine this approach, as many SaaS applications will be extended with a smart client and a set of services. But yet to date, the most of all SaaS applications are delivered though the browser.
The Client
So – if the browser no longer is for entertainment only, what would be a plausible name? and would Microsoft, Google and Firefox pick up on this? What is the key driver to change the term? I see an opportunity to change and take ownership on the term of the “client to access information and applications” the next 10-15 years. The term “browser” has been around since the 1980s.
To browser is to get information on the net.
What is the next “to…” 😉
rasmus foged blog 