A recent JupiterResearch survey found a surprisingly large number of small and medium businesses running a Mac productivity suite (I plan to publish the numbers later, so I won't reveal them now). Seeing as how Microsoft sells the only full-featured, native-Mac OS X productivity suite, its a fair bet the majority of these customers are Microsoft's. But they can't easily access Microsoft's small business site.

This wouldn't be the first time a Microsoft Website locked out other Web browsers. And I can understand why Microsoft wants to hook SMBs as tightly as possible into its technologies. There is some legitimate benefit to integration, particularly among SMBs, where three quarters don't have a full-time IT manager. Additionally, if Microsoft can lock SMBs in early, they will continue to buy the company's products as they expand. As explained in my report, SMB Market: Microsoft's Early Success Shows Way for Savvy Partners and Competitors," not a lot of smaller businesses have the kind of server software that would be a checklist item for enterprises. Upsell potential is huge for vendors with the right entry strategy.