In another sign that the sale of software has gone online and Cloud\/SAAS is gaining prevalence Microsoft has ceased selling packaged software in China. Packaged software is CD or DVD-based software sold in packaging through a store. Microsoft is likely the largest vendor of retail software and this is yet another death knell for software packaging.<\/p>\n
To be careful, this announcement relates to Microsoft’s anti-piracy efforts and is directing customers to download software for on-premise use. Nonetheless, with Microsoft already having\u00a0a large Cloud\/SAAS\u00a0footprint via Hotmail, CRM, Office 365 et al how long will be before the software resides exclusively off the premise? Microsoft famously has not been on the vanguard of off-premise software hosting.<\/p>\n
With Microsoft not selling retail software the retail channel may not even be there for offline software sales.<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.chinaretailnews.com\/2012\/11\/09\/6337-no-more-offline-software-sales-as-microsoft-fights-piracy-in-china\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n *I do work on behalf of Microsoft<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In another sign that the sale of software has gone online and Cloud\/SAAS is gaining prevalence Microsoft has ceased selling packaged software in China. Packaged software is CD or DVD-based software sold in packaging through a store. Microsoft is likely the largest vendor of retail software and this is yet another death knell for software […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t