When we last came across a Microsoft Site Survey, it correctly gave us the new name for Morro - “Microsoft Security Essentials”, and we’re really beginning to like this new pipeline of information.  In a new survey, Microsoft asks about possible new names for a “suite of paid, web-based services… that will complement Microsoft Office”.  Microsoft “Office Web Applications”, lightweight versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote, were first demoed last October at PDC.  While the professional version will be a paid service, a consumer version is expected to be ad funded and free.

After listing a set of possible names and asking for reactions, the survey (conducted by a 3rd party marketing research firm for Microsoft) gets down to brass tacks:

Which of these names do you think does the best job describing a product that you would be more interested in trying than Google Apps, assuming both products have similar features and functionality?

Microsoft Ensemble

Microsoft Optro

Microsoft ArcLight

Microsoft Offsite

Microsoft Equipt

I am not aware of Google Apps

While the survey does not specify any availability dates, we came across the Microsoft Security Essentials survey about 6 weeks before it was announced, so we may not have to wait too long to see what we hope will be called Microsoft Ensemble out in the open.

Maybe this is why Microsoft is turning on those new data centers!