Microsoft is expected to launch "Istanbul" their next IM client for Live Communications Server (LCS) this week.
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I first saw it about 9 months ago, and have to admit it didn't blow me away. Comparing it the Sametime client is like comparing a 75 Chevy with an 8 track to a 2005 model with an MP3 player. In reality NotesBuddy would be the better Sametime client to compare it to, but as Istanbul will be the shipping client for LCS and Sametime Connect is the shipping client for IBM/Lotus Instant Messaging there the two that should be compared. Microsoft will start to deliver on some of the capabilities they have talked about with calendar integration and some fo the telephony integration they can offer with their partners.
For your average user I would expect they would need some training on how to use Istanbul effectively. This is no longer a simple click on a name and chat client.
In the same way that Sametime is missing simple functionality like emoticons and timestamps, Istanbul is still missing a key feature for corporate usage of Instant Messaging and that's public groups. You can't get awareness for people in Public Groups in LCS, so you have to add all the individuals you want to watch manually to private groups, in really large organizations where the IT group may have a couple of hundred people that just doesn't work well. Right now that is probably the biggest gating factor I hear from Sametime customers who are seriously considering the move to LCS, lets hope MS doesn't figure out how to fix it before Workplace IM is fully baked.
I first saw it about 9 months ago, and have to admit it didn't blow me away. Comparing it the Sametime client is like comparing a 75 Chevy with an 8 track to a 2005 model with an MP3 player. In reality NotesBuddy would be the better Sametime client to compare it to, but as Istanbul will be the shipping client for LCS and Sametime Connect is the shipping client for IBM/Lotus Instant Messaging there the two that should be compared. Microsoft will start to deliver on some of the capabilities they have talked about with calendar integration and some fo the telephony integration they can offer with their partners.
For your average user I would expect they would need some training on how to use Istanbul effectively. This is no longer a simple click on a name and chat client.
In the same way that Sametime is missing simple functionality like emoticons and timestamps, Istanbul is still missing a key feature for corporate usage of Instant Messaging and that's public groups. You can't get awareness for people in Public Groups in LCS, so you have to add all the individuals you want to watch manually to private groups, in really large organizations where the IT group may have a couple of hundred people that just doesn't work well. Right now that is probably the biggest gating factor I hear from Sametime customers who are seriously considering the move to LCS, lets hope MS doesn't figure out how to fix it before Workplace IM is fully baked.
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Comments
Posted by Alan Lepofsky At 08:47:52 AM On 03/07/2005 | - Website - |
A number of reasons, in no particular order:
They feel that Sametime does not have many resources dedicated to it within IBM and is not a focus as a product.
They are getting pressure from end users who feel that the connect client is old in appearance and functionality compared to the other IM clients out there.
They have interest in making use of the MSN, Yahoo and AOL integration partnerships that Microsoft has announced.
They are confused and do not know what the roadmap is for Sametime. Domino roadmap is now published, but most Sametime customers do not understand if Sametime is a dead product. They saw the Lotusphere slides and left under whelmed.
Partnerships, many customers have their own VoIP and PBX solutions, they feel Microsoft is doing a better job of partnering in this area
The Microsoft solution fits better within the rest of the company strategy which is Microsoft Desktop Apps, Active Directory, Exchange Server etc.
They feel Workplace is Rip and Replace for Sametime. New Server, new UI, new training requirements it's so different they might as well consider LCS.
Awareness, their end users see the TV ads, they use MSN Messenger they think they're already using it, and ask the IT group why they're using Sametime.
More as I collect my thoughts...hopefully some of your customers that are considering this move will also post their thoughts...
Posted by Carl At 09:44:42 AM On 03/07/2005 | - Website - |
[To some degree] They feel that Sametime does not have many resources dedicated to it within IBM and is not a focus as a product.
[Yes, more so on functionality] They are getting pressure from end users who feel that the connect client is old in appearance and functionality compared to the other IM clients out there.
[Not so much the partnership, but connecting to users on these networks because they are there already] They have interest in making use of the MSN, Yahoo and AOL integration partnerships that Microsoft has announced.
[Yes] They are confused and do not know what the roadmap is for Sametime. Domino roadmap is now published, but most Sametime customers do not understand if Sametime is a dead product. They saw the Lotusphere slides and left under whelmed.
[Yes, the IBM partnerships do not line up with our current vendors] Partnerships, many customers have their own VoIP and PBX solutions, they feel Microsoft is doing a better job of partnering in this area
[Not an issue for us] The Microsoft solution fits better within the rest of the company strategy which is Microsoft Desktop Apps, Active Directory, Exchange Server etc.
[Rip and replace, yes/consider LCS, no] They feel Workplace is Rip and Replace for Sametime. New Server, new UI, new training requirements it's so different they might as well consider LCS.
[No] Awareness, their end users see the TV ads, they use MSN Messenger they think they're already using it, and ask the IT group why they're using Sametime.
Posted by Tim Latta At 11:25:05 AM On 03/07/2005 | - Website - |
Posted by At 12:11:53 PM On 04/20/2005 | - Website - |