Steve posted about the newly available (well soon and only if you're in the US) online versions of Exchange and SharePoint. It seems the Microsoft boffins have worked out that the change could see small businesses access a level of functionality recently only available to massive corporates (say oh ah please) like Coca Cola and Phillips. Steve recounted that;

In a nutshell, this is Microsoft offering to host Exchange and SharePoint in our datacenters for customers of all sizes. Previously available only to big businesses like Phillips, Coca Cola and others with many thousands of users, the door as now open for business (in the US at least) for all businesses.

As Ina Fried reports, Elop told the crowd that Microsoft estimates that companies can save at least 10% (and up to 50%) by letting Microsoft run their messaging and collaboration software for them.

Microsoft waxes poetic about the advantages saying that;

Some of the customers quoted today were Lotus Notes users who have chosen to move to Exchange using this Online option and for those scenarios there are potential big savings in the move from capital expenditure on hardware (CAPEX) to operating expenditure on software and services (OPEX). You don’t need to know much about the current economic climate to know that is music to the finance directors ears.

You don't say - haven't us SaaS evangelists been spouting OPEX vs CAPEX for years - all the time shouted down by the MS crew claiming that installed is the way of the past, present and future?

Anyway - enough sour grapes. I'll see your 10% ( yeah OK 10% and up to 50%) and raise you a little. It's called Google Applications Enterprise Edition and it costs $50 per user per year.

Worried that, contrary to its motto, Google is in fact evil? (And no - I don't concur with that view).

Cool - go Zoho (disclosure - Zoho sponsors CloudAve) the services comparable with the Microsoft offerings (Zoho docs/wiki/mail) are free for a sub 10 person company. Thereafter $50 a year per person sees you sorted.

Royal flush anyone?