Carl Tyler's Blog :: Not sure I'd agree with IBM's stance on this one...

« Best way to NJ (for me anyway) | Main| Microsoft plans to offer an XP Lite in asia »

Not sure I'd agree with IBM's stance on this one...

Category None

Interesting quote from IBM in the SearchDomino article Lotus, Microsoft IM strategies offer mixed messages

I disagree pretty strongly with Penny's opinion, and Penny knows me so she'll know there's nothing new in that. IM Interoperablity is important for companies, especially enterprises, IBM needs to be driving here rather than waiting for market forces to decide. My ear is pretty close to the ground with IM customers and it is a BIG issue.

Posted by Carl Tyler On 08/10/2004 | Permalink |

Comments

1 - Aside from the innacuracy in the article ("IBM's Lotus Workplace Messaging product, formerly known as SameTime") I agree with Carl... I work for a large Sametime shop (just short of 60,000 unique users per month log in and 110,000 seats owned) and our view is different from Penny's. And I'm not sure her view is really that of IBM either. IBM is sticking to its SIP/SIMPLE guns and I think this is overall the right approach. But I put in a question to our account manager at IBM two weeks ago asking for a formal response to the Microsoft announcement which I think makes big progress for LCS over Sametime. IBM needs to learn that the "moral high ground" (SIP/SIMPLE) will not protect them against the smarter pragmatic approach being adopted by MS.

Posted by Brett At 02:27:31 PM On 08/10/2004 | - Website - |

2 - You have got to wonder.

IBM's current agenda appears to be rewrite the product on J2EE, during this time they will have lost a 1 to 2 year lead in the market.

The J2EE product appears to have less functionality, and require more resources.

Posted by Adam Osborne At 07:19:12 PM On 08/10/2004 | - Website - |

3 - I don't know who Penny is but in the 80's "INTEROPERABILITY" was the buzz word at IBM. IBM's aim was to try and produce and deliver software that would work on any platform.
Anyone remember the introduction of "Software Engineering". ie develop software that could be bolted together - bit like mixing different manufacturers hardware together to make a PC. I thought the concept of "Software Engineering" was a fantastic idea - why does everyone keep writing software that produces the same end result. Why not be able to buy these 'lumps' of software and 'hook' them together

Posted by Dad At 12:49:36 PM On 08/11/2004 | - Website - |

4 - Well, the interoperability issue is going to be quite the Achilles heel, isn't it? First Sametime 6.5.1 drops AIM from the connect client, (without any clear reason) and now IBM is suggesting that the customers don't want access to public IM.

Okaaaay. IM is going through the roof at any place that I visit (and I won't even get started about my own teen age kids). So just who is IBM talking to that doesn't want public IM integration? Let me guess--it's the same huge numbers of busy professionals that want separate cell phones and PDAs as well as separate email and phone messaging.

I keep waiting to read the announcement that the SIP/SIMPLE Sametime gateway is being supported for public IM nets. I'm in line with your thinking, Carl, that IBM/Lotus will quickly squander their leadership dominance. What was it that Henry Ford said when asked to include customer's tastes for the Model A? "They can have any color they want, as long as it's black." His insular strategy was all his competitors needed to gain dominance.

Posted by Jack Dausman At 01:14:11 PM On 08/11/2004 | - Website - |

5 - I agree, Carl and Brett. A SIP/SIMPLE gateway is a moral high ground and is difficult at best to extend to multiple external customers, vendor, partners, etc. All IM product's clients inherently supporting SIP/SIMPLE and XMPP (since the two 'standards' seem to be catching on in different circles) would be the way to go IMHO.