Steve Ballmer has a certain inimitable style (I use the term loosely.) This recapitulation of his famous “monkey dance”, delivered last week on a stage in Las Vegas, has Microsoft insiders squirming, but at least it makes a point. The software company now has its sights set on building a technology platform for Web developers, not just the software developers commemorated in Ballmer’s original 2001 outburst.

Google has a quieter way of doing these things, but make no mistake: there is a fight brewing here for hearts and minds. This battle will determine which vision wins out for the next stage in the internet’s evolution as a computing platform. Read more