Why should an independent software vendor (ISV) care about cloud computing? The answer is simple: “Using the cloud has the potential to increase an ISV’s revenues and/or decrease its costs. Running code and storing data on computers in large Internet-accessible data centers owned by somebody else can offer compelling advantages. Anyone responsible for charting the course of an ISV ought to be thinking seriously about how cloud computing will affect their business.” That’s the intro to David Chappell’s latest paper on Windows Azure that was published today. It’s titled Windows Azure – A Guide For Decision Makers.