For years Microsoft has been fighting various antitrust lawsuits not only in the US but also in Europe among others. With open source solutions growing in popularity among the tech-savvy underground, Microsoft has adopted a new model. Today Billy Gates announced that Microsoft is building online versions of Windows and Office. With Windows Live and Office Live, they are making an attempt to allow competition while not losing their dominating market share. Both Windows Live and Office Live will be created with software APIs (application programming interfaces for nonprogrammers) that are readily available for all to use. The hope is that the antitrust bloodhounds will keep at bay.

Another benefit of this operation is the use of AJAX that will be necessary. With people constantly catching on to the tech buzz word of the year, Microsoft wants to be at the forefront of AJAX technology. They will be launching a revamped Hotmail next year to compete with Yahoo and Google who have both received high praise for their AJAX based web mail services.

I think with Microsoft throwing its substantial weight into things, Web 2.0 is in full swing now.