It does not mean direct sales, Houillon said in an interview later Monday, July11. "I don't know why we would want to sell direct," Houillon said. That approach makes little sense in the sale of midmarket financial software, he continued. What involvement does mean is that the growing use of online products inherently brings Sage into more contact with its end users as it provides such services as payment processing. It could also mean providing more services  such as backup, he said.

Beyond that, Sage, he said, needs to provide a consistent experience to its end users and to have a consistent method of delivery.

The other major subject of the keynote was Houillon's plan to brand products so that the Sage name is better recognized and will replace product names such as MAS, Accpac, Timberline and Peachtree that are far better known than the company's name.

He told the keynote audience that having a weak brand hampered sales and that having a strong Sage brand would bolster them.

In the interview, Houillon said he understood when a company changes a product's name; it is easy for those who have been involved with to feel betrayed. He said his own company in France had been purchased by Sage and the company and products were renamed.

"We will test the move to clients," he said. During the keynote, he said planned to accomplish the change by 2013. In the later interview, he said Sage needs 12 to 15 months to accomplish rebranding. "We don't want to put our clients, our partners or our employees in a difficult position," Houillon said.

It appears likely that new names will be brought to market as new versions of each product are released.