Are you still under the impression that cloud computing refers to protecting your computer from the rain? If so, you're in luck because on October 27th, 2011 at 11:30AM NSK Inc., in conjunction with Axcient and the Boston Business Journal, will be present a free lunch and learn that will teach the basics of cloud computing solutions. 

Last month I wrote a comparison of Microsoft’s Office 365 and Google Apps.  Microsoft 365 had just been released from a beta version and I expected there to be a lot of buzz about the new service.  Office can be considered the “golden boy” of Microsoft’s software line and is trusted by many and with 365 being a cloud based service I could only expect a lot of speculation.  But my intuition failed me.  It seems as if Office 365 has come and gone without much buzz, which made me even more curious about the product.  Was it not living up to expectation?

As I check my email every morning I am spammed with what seems like every online discount deal known to man.  After immediately deleting the morning round of the email blasts I always ask myself, “how did it get this bad?”  Well, it all began with one.  I originally joined Gilt Group, which is an online service that features great discounts on designer brands.  Soon after, I found a similar service, then another.  Then I discovered Groupon, then Living Social.  Soon I was a member on ten different discount sites that all offered me the same thing: cheaper clothes, food and travel.  It took a company like Gilt only one year to go from expanding its range beyond clothes but to travel, local discounts and as an online meat retailer as well.  Thus becoming an almost identical service to the rest.

Microsoft Office 365 was released only a week ago, but it already is getting mixed reviews. As an online based version of Microsoft Office, it initiates the company's plunge into software as a service (SaaS.)