The company acknowledged that its customers wanted all their systems to work together, regardless of operating system, and for information to be easily portable among systems. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said, "Microsoft's long-term success depends on our ability to deliver a software and services platform that is open, flexible and presents customers and developers with choice."
The move should mean that businesses will be more able to mix and match software based on how well it supports their needs, without having to worry as much about compatibility.Associated Press via SiliconValley.com and Wired News, Yahoo News