Lotus Lets Loose Four New Releases

Lotus, which is owned by IBM, is also shipping Sametime 3 and Quickplace 3, as well as a new module for its e-learning software Lotus LearningSpace, called Virtual Classroom. The launch marks the first big bang in some time for Lotus, which has undergone considerable changes in the last two years as it had been integrated more tightly with parent company IBM.

"We're laser-focused all the time on increasing human productivity," said Al Zollar, general manager of Lotus. "Most organizational information is trapped between the ears. How do you leverage that?"

Zollar said the new and improved versions of Notes and Domino, the formidable tag team flagship products for e-mail and messaging, will make exchanging information and communicating easier for enterprises. Lotus Notes and Domino 6 include new anti-spam features, increased security features, improved administration tools and more than 1,000 client improvements in all, according to the company. Domino 6 will also feature a limited use license for IBM WebSphere Application Server to enable Domino applications with much-needed Java support and allow the reuse of Domino objects in J2EE applications.

Sametime 3, Lotus' real-time collaboration software, will now feature support of the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateway will help allow users to communicate across supported IM communities. Sametime 3 will also support Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE) for community-to-community connectivity. Customers can also use Sametime's Web conferencing capabilities as a hosted service through IBM. The new version also has enhanced calendar integration with Notes, QuickPlace, and Microsoft Outlook. QuickPlace 3, another collaborative software tool, will enable users to see which of their users or co-workers are online and initiate collaborative projects, e-meetings, or chats through a feature known as "My Places."

Lotus LearningSpace'a Virtual Classroom is a new e-learning solution that enables real-time collaboration between instructors and learners. Built on Lotus' Sametime technology, the solution allows white-boarding and application with record and playback capabilities for Web conferencing.

Lotus said the overdue new offerings have been through rigid, lengthy beta testing with customers such as DaimlerChrysler, JPMorgan Chase, KEMET and Countrywide Insurance. Notes and Domino 6, Sametime 3, QuickPlace 3 and LearningSpace Virtual Classroom are all available now. The company will also move to a per-CPU pricing model in January. Currently, Domino Mail Server is $894 per server, and the Domino Application Server is $2,308 per server, and both require iNotes or Notes client access licenses (CALs) for users. The new Domino Utility Server is $11,750 per CPU but requires no CALs.

With the big announcements, there is speculation now on what new technology or developments might dominate Lotus' user conference in January, Lotusphere 2003. Company officials aren't saying but it's clear Lotus has awakened from its dormant period. Zollar was confident that the new advancements would make Lotus the undisputed leader in messaging and collaborative software solutions in the near future. "We're continuing to build on this 20-year track record," Zollar said during the press conference. "We are positioned to lead."