Truth In Marketing

Last week&'s Microsoft announcement on updated Domino/Notes migration tools truly was a piece of work.

First, please note that the tools are for migrating to Microsoft&'s “collaboration platform.” You have to drill down to find that this platform comprises a wealth of products—the Exchange Server workhorse, SharePoint Portal Server, Windows SharePoint Services. And, one might presume, the newly acquired Groove Virtual Office and underlying collaboration technology.

Interestingly, the two product management types designated to speak on these offerings had to be asked which product they manage (Exchange). Then, when asked where Microsoft&'s Groove technology will fit into the collaboration platform, they referred the question to another group at Microsoft.

Next question: Where does the realtime collaboration Live Communications Server stuff fit into this puzzle? Answer: Hmm. You&'ll have to talk to yet another group.

So tell me again about all this “integrated innovation” that is supposed to be so helpful to partners and users alike. When Microsoft, which is supposed to know a thing or two about marketing, starts peddling a platform but puts frontmen out there with no apparent clue about its component parts, that&'s a problem, folks.

Microsoft not coincidentally dropped this rather incremental migration tool release a week in advance of Lotusphere. There&'s nothing more fun than covering a good, old-fashioned food fight.

To be fair, Lotus/IBM Software, or the Portal, Workplace and Collaboration group (whatever they&'re called this week), has its own share of brand/platform confusion.

That group, which I call Lotus for the sake of simplicity (and spite) has its own issues brandishing Workplace/Domino/Notes/WebSphere. How is it that companies with so many product names show so little progress in actual technology?

Watch for Lotus this week to embrace Apple with updated client support for the beloved Mac OS X.4 release. Also, big-time support for upcoming Mac-Intel boxes. See you in Orlando!

Talk to me about your platform peeves. I&'m at (781) 839-1221 or send e-mail to [email protected].