I have just stumble on an article from LiveSide written by Kip Kniskern about a week ago. It is an interesting article as it highlights mixed messages found on this particular blog post on Windows Live blog about Windows Live SkyDrive.
As I read the Windows Live blog post, I hardly notice that there are other messages inside other than updating us on the state of cloud storage… until I read the last few paragraphs that tell us today’s limitations with regard to cloud storage.
Here is one particular paragraph that raises some questions…
We sometimes hear from customers who want to use SkyDrive in key scenarios but encounter limitations. Over the years, we have built products that have been too complex. Often, we’ve asked customers to play “system integrator” across numerous of our services and numerous other cloud services.
…and adding this Microsoft Careers post to the above…
SkyDrive is going head to head with the likes of Google Docs and Dropbox as well as partnering with some very recognizable global partners. We already are getting 50% of the Google Docs page views and as an organization, we live, eat and breathe competition.
Those quotes don’t sound so optimistic, don’t you think?
The Windows Live blog post explains the challenges and limitations in cloud storage with the help of a cloud computing infographic, yet in the Microsoft Careers post the SkyDrive team doesn’t appear to be optimistic about the future of cloud storage – what’s so great about getting 50% of Google Docs page views? Although that is actually a good achievement, but it is not something to brag about, especially for a big business like Microsoft, in my opinion.
LiveSide’s Kip Kniskern considers the two quotes as hints: Is SkyDrive admitting failure or getting ready for a new version? In the end, Kip said about the possibilities of a new version of SkyDrive, “Let’s hope so!”
Agreed. Fingers crossed. What do you think – will SKyDrive eventually fail to catch up with Google docs, DropBox and the rest?
