Microsoft COO goes on competitor-bashing spree

13.07.2011

He criticized Google for hidden fees in Google Docs, which Microsoft competes against with its own recently launched Office365. Turner claimed that Google's annual fee of $50 per user per year is "only the tip of the iceberg." Customers may incur additional fees, the nature of which Turner did not specify.

He also touted Office365, taking the time to quote , stating that "Office 365, frankly, is to Google Apps as XBOX 360 Live is to Pong."

"Office365, ladies and gentlemen, is nothing but a Google butt-kicker," he said, adding that Office365 had already gained 5 million licensed users. He also mocked Google Talk as an "inferior messaging system."

Discussing Cisco, Turner extolled the audience to go after that company's profitable teleconference business. "Think about all the years that Cisco has been milking those high margins -- 75, 80 percent margins -- on its unified communications product," he said, adding that Microsoft's partners could offer a lower-cost alternative through Microsoft's Lync unified communications offering.

Another target was IBM. Turner notes that Microsoft has migrated 4.5 million users off of IBM's Lotus Notes, and expects to migrate another 5 million this year, all in favor of Microsoft Exchange.