We're currently in the process of trying to set up a Microsoft cloud environment. No, we're not giving up on Connections. We're straddling a couple of environments. The Microsoft experience hasn't been overwhelming so far but that's for another post. Right now, I want to talk about some of the fundamental differences between IBM and Microsoft’s attempts to conquer the social business market. ...and what better way to tell it than an allegorical tale? Two houses So let's assume that instead of cloud collaboration platforms, we're talking about “houses”. Both fulfill the same basic functions; being a "house" for your data and a place where the people that live there (and invited guests) can access that data. The real difference is in the way that the two companies have gone about preparing their homes. The Engineer's House One company, let's call them the engineers, have focused on infrastructure. They've added rooms, s