Shared Spaces ... the Collaboration Advisor

News for Today, Feb 28

A couple of items to close out February:

• Microsoft is working on some business-specific add-ons for its Office System 2003. ComputerWeek
• Microsoft is thinking about offering an interim release of the Windows client OS prior to Longhorn (a huge revamp of Windows, not due to see the light of day until 2006-2007). The current working name for these considerations is Windows XP Reloaded. ComputerWorld
• nVisionIT, a South African IT company, is delighted with the power of Microsoft's SharePoint Portal Server and associated collaboration products. itweb.co.za

News for Today, Feb 26-27

Two instalments in one today, as I was traveling and very busy yesterday:

• Pumatech is working on a new architecture for synchronizing personal handheld devices and desktop computers. Previously, the architecture relied on point-to-point solutions (eg, this Palm with this software on this desktop), but its new 'Personal SyncNet Architecture' will enable users to sync, manage, access and share digital information across a wide diversity of devices and applications. Comment: Brilliant move ... with people having more devices, it's time that all the mobile stuff worked with all the desktop stuff. This initially sounds similar to the great work Apple has done with iSync on the Mac ... but let's wait to see ...
• Pumatech has rebranded as "IntelliSync Corporation". IntelliSync. Comment: Good move. I always used to start with the name of its product ... IntelliSync ... and then try to remember the name of the company.
• Groove Networks announced that its team workspace desktop client, Groove Workspace, is a core component in the Department of Homeland Security's information sharing network. Groove Networks. Comment: Now let's only hope that all those Windows PC's don't get infected with viruses, worms, trojans or other nasties that prevent the Groove client from running.
• 9Star Research rolled out its RoloStar Real-Time Enterprise Collaboration Portal web service, to enable companies to share information more efficiently and effectively across organizational boundaries. The intention of the offering is to (a) provide real-time collaboration mechanisms for (b) people that find each other through the RoloStar 'business network'. 9Star Research
• Kana has added a live-help option to its Web collaboration platform. Kana hopes that its KANA Response Live module will help subscribers/users make better and more frequent use of the Kana tool suite. Kana
• The New Zealand Ministry of Health is rolling out Lotus Instant Messaging. 30 users already have the product, and a wider deployment will occur after an upgrade of Domino to Version 6.5. The CIO says it will "be a useful tool", and there is a hope that IM will reduce email volumes. ComputerWorld NZ
• InfoWorld interviewed Gytis Barzdukas, a lead player at Microsoft for Exchange Server and SharePoint Portal Server. InfoWorld. Main points: Office revenues are starting to pick up again, Office System as a development platform is starting to 'resonate' with customers, XML is key to Office going forward, one doesn't have to purchase the whole Microsoft collaboration suite to get value, integration with Longhorn is in early planning stages, team productivity is the key idea in Office System 2003, and everyone uses a 'different 20%' of Office's features, so a stripped down version wouldn't work. Comment: nothing much new here.

News for Today, Feb 25

A number of items of interest today:

• Microsoft announced plans to ship Microsoft Exchange Edge Services, an enhancement to its implementation of the SMTP relay. The Edge Services will help customers to better protect their email system from junk mail and viruses, and will improve the efficiency of handling and routing Internet email traffic. Requires Exchange Server 2003. Microsoft. Product details also available. Exchange Edge Services Overview. Update: Richi Jennings, long time competitor to Exchange (lead architect for HP OpenMail and then Samsung Contact), said "Exchange is simply not built with hardened code designed to be used at the boundary, it's not designed to withstand attacks". Ouch. InformationWeek
• Openwave Systems added support for Microsoft MSN Messenger and Microsoft Hotmail in its Version 7 of Phone Suite, its application software platform for GSM phones. Openwave. Review at InfoWorld
• FivePoints, an outsourced messaging service provider, introduced an outsourced messaging solution that is fully SEC compliant. The solution includes software and tools from Microsoft (Exchange), KVS (for archiving), EMC, IMlogic (for IM management), and Omniva (for secure email). FivePoints. Press release at Silicon Valley Biz Ink
• The soon-to-be-released anti-spam filter for Microsoft Exchange Server, the Intelligent Message Filter, will only be available to customers on Software Assurance. winnetmag.com
• Great review in BusinessWeek of using Linux on the desktop, and why the time is getting near to being right. The author recommends starting with Java Desktop from Sun. BusinessWeek
• ComputerWorld reported earlier in the month that some CIOs are not concerned about the ROI on mobile devices ... because they are "essential to global operations" and because "it's easier and less expensive to hook up transplanted employees via wireless links than by installing new Ethernet jacks". Interesting. ComputerWorld
• With IBM's push toward a J2EE framework in Lotus Workplace and WebSphere, what's a traditional Notes developer to do? " ... learn how to use WebSphere/J2EE to integrate ... applications and databases ... ". More at SearchDomino.com. Two of the three readers that left comments said the article was "inflammatory" or "wrong".

News for Today, Feb 24

Lots on today:

• Avaya introduced a range of integrated multimedia communications capabilities in its new Avaya Converged Communications Server, a standards-based platform for deploying SIP and presence-enabled applications. Functions include IM, IM-based voice conferencing, voice mail, and click-to-dial capabilities. The new server enables users with the Avaya IP Softphone R5 with Instant Messaging to see the online + phone status of colleagues, and initiate a text chat, voice conference, or voice call. Avaya. Comment: Very cool!.
• Intranets.com added Web conferencing capabilities to its hosted collaboration service offering. Priced at a flat fee of $100 per month for up to 25 simultaneous users. Intranets.com. Review at CNET News
• IMlogic was awarded the DEMOgod People's Choice award from DEMO 2004, for its IM Linkage Preview Edition. IMlogic. Comment: I told IMlogic during my pre-briefing session that it would win the prize. Way to go team!.

• IMlogic released Version 6.0 of IM Manager, its IM management platform for corporate environments. New features: real-time line of business policy enforcement, role-based provisioning and authentication, mission-critical systems management, among others. IMlogic
• IMlogic offered a free detector for corporate environments, to aid with the detection of unauthorized IM client use on the network. IMlogic IM Detector will discover and report on IM traffic within an organization. IMlogic. Comment: IMlogic's a bit late with this offering. Akonix has offered a similar product for ages, and I'm pretty sure that FaceTime has too.
• The Financial Services Instant Messaging Association (FIMA) announced additional organizational support, meaning that it now has 21 member firms. The objective of FIMA is to promote IETF IM standards and protocols within the financial services community. FIMA (Word format). Comment: The genesis of FIMA some years back was huge dissatisfaction with the slow adoption of IM standards for cross-network interoperability from IM vendors and service providers. Regardless, and this could be a reflection on my lack of knowledge about what's going on behind closed doors, but FIMA doesn't appear to have been much of a success to date.
• Visto announced Visto Mobile Personal Edition, a set of applications and services that enable wireless operators to offer real-time, secure, remote access to corporate and personal email, contacts, notes, appointments, and other files from mobile and wireless devices. Visto. Comment: I hope this version works better than previous attempts by Visto. I've installed its offerings a couple of times, and always failed to get it to work.
• RIM and Sony Ericsson announced plans to embed BlackBerry connectivity capabilities within Sony Ericsson phones. The first phone to feature BlackBerry capabilities is the P900 Symbian OS smartphone ... with support due later in 2004. RIM
• Telstra is planning to market the RIM BlackBerry device and service to its consumer customers, a group that RIM has traditionally labeled 'prosumers'. news.com.au

News for Today, Feb 23

A couple of interesting items:

• Reuters reports that Nokia and IBM are about to release an updated version of the Nokia Communicator -- the original smartphone -- this time called the Communicator 9500. Key features: tri-band GSM support, integration with IBM Lotus Notes/Domino and Microsoft Exchange, and support for access to enterprise applications. Due 3Q2004. nzherald.co.nz. Comment: There is no reference to this product on the Nokia.com site, so perhaps it will show up once Feb 23 hits in Finland.. Feb 24: The details are online at Nokia, as well as the press release. The IBM software on the device includes WebSphere Everyplace Access Client, WebSphere Everyplace Connection Manager Client, WebSphere Micro Environment, IBM Tivoli and Lotus Sametime Instant Messaging Client for the Nokia Communicator.
• space2go announced a push-based wireless email access solution for Microsoft Exchange Server called syncml2go. Enables Exchange users to synchronize SyncML-based devices with their Exchange calendar, contacts and tasks. space2go.de. Review at msmobiles.com
• Mark Evans from ComputerWorld NZ reviews Lotusphere 2004, and Lotus' role in IBM going forward. ComputerWorld NZ
• A lecturer at the National University of Singapore experienced 'email hell' when he mis-addressed a note to all of the University's students, instead of his superiors. Oops. TheStraitsTimes. Comment: This is hardly an irregular occurrence with email ... perhaps email systems need a bit more intelligence when someone is about to send an email to a large group of people they don't normally send to ... a pop-up or something to ask them whether they're sure they want to proceed.
• Microsoft NZ has rolled out its new Customer Relationship Management, with initial deployments at Glover Foods, Premium Power, and the Airways Corporation. The product includes two components: Sales (for lead and opportunity management), and Service (tasks, contracts, and case management). stuff.co.nz

News for Today, Feb 20

Lots of things to cover today:

• John Durant, a Microsoft employee, tries to "sort out" Microsoft's collaboration technologies. Microsoft MSDN
• Good Technology finally announced 'beyond-the-US' release of its wireless messaging and collaboration solution, GoodLink 3.0 for palmOne Treo 600 and PocketPC customers in Europe. No details were disclosed as to the telecoms partner. Good Technology. Review at TechWorld.com.
• A column by Frank Bajak on the benefits of presence (arising out of the DEMO 2004 conference this week) featured in a couple of 'common' (ie, non-tech) newspapers. kansascity.com and newsobserver.com. Comment: It is great to see presence and availability as distinct technology and human interaction tools getting a hearing in everyday publications.

• Avanade, a key Microsoft partner in its collaboration business, is using classic Microsoft FUD re IBM, Notes and WebSphere. A global solution manager at Avanade said that Notes users are shifting to Exchange to "avoid the migration leap to WebSphere", to get a "secure product roadmap", and to prevent a "forced leap to WebSphere". ComputerWorld Australia. Comment: Wow, that's an independent perspective for you, no doubt. Not. As if Microsoft has a more secure product roadmap, when considering its architectural machinations of the last few years in collaboration, and its current plethora of products.
• Comverse releasd a new version of its Mobile IM solution for wireless operators. Capabilities: a graphical PC-like user experience, multi-handset client support, and standards compliance, among others. Comverse
• WebEx Communications announced that Europe's BT will launch BT Meeting Centre, a new Web conferencing service powered by WebEx. Customers will be able to access the new Meeting Centre from within current BT conferencing services, including BT MeetMe and BT's reservation-based teleconference service. WebEx. Comment: Huh? I thought these two companies had already sorted this out, at least that's what WebEx's September 4, 2002 press release says. Didn't it work last time?. Review at InfoWorld.

News for Today, Feb 19

Key happenings:

• BusinessGroupware, a start-up, introduced a new Internet/Intranet collaboration service/server for the SME market. Key features: browser-based, online team workspace style organization and interaction, and multiple tools for users to work together. Available in a hosted configuration, for for onsite deployment. Two trials are available: 7-days access to the online version, or 30 days for the downloaded version (you have to register, and then they tell you how to get it ... you can't download it directly from the Web site). BusinessGroupware
• Microsoft canned its plan to integrate its commerce, content management and business process integration servers into a single suite. Customers, apparently, didn't see the need. NetworkWorldFusion
• Premiere Conferencing, a business unit of Ptek Holdings, released ReadyConference Plus, a data and Web collaboration service. Key features: the ability to share presentations across the Internet, the ability to share control over slides between meeting attendees, among others. It is an outsourced service. Startup Page for ReadyConference Plus Ptek Holdings
• Are you using or considering using Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server or Windows SharePoint Services? Sharepointknowledge.com offers information, resources and training opportunities around SharePoint.

News for Today, Feb 18

News for today:

• Xpherix announced Remo for Business, a secure wireless email and personal information manager application for business users. Works with BREW-enabled phones to provide access to data stored in Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express and Palm Desktop software. Target market is SME, and the below-the-executive levels in enterprise customers. Xpherix
• Cordant released Version 5.0 of IMScribe, its archiving and monitoring system for Microsoft Exchange 2000 Instant Messaging. Cordant says that this functionality will enable organizations to take advantage of Windows Server 2003 along with Exchange Server 2000, but without having to invest in Live Communications Server 2003 (the new Microsoft offering for IM and presence). Comment: And why are they pushing that line? Simply because IMlogic, its archrival in this area, has a licensing agreement with Microsoft whereby the IMlogic archiving technology is embedded in Live Communications Server. I thought this company was dead. Cordant
• Web Crossing shipped Version 3.0 of Team Crossing, a workgroup collaboration team workspace product. New features: support for multiple Team Crossing areas on the same site, a new plug-in architecture for adding new features, and better handling of shared files. Available for on-premises deployment, or as a hosted service. WebCrossing
• Defywire released Version 2.0 of Defywire Mobility Suite, a standards-based wireless middleware platform. Provides wireless access to business systems. Defywire

News for Today, Feb 17

Interesting news of recent days:

• IMlogic unveiled a Preview Edition of IM Linkage, a system for developing enterprise-class IM applications that work across multiple IM networks. Key components: (a) enables developers to embed presence and IM capabilities into enterprise systems, (b) enables applications to initiate IM conversations with users based on the users' presence, and (c) provides for filtering, monitoring and modification of IM conversations. Pivot's IMTrader application, discussed below, will use IM Linkage for multi-network connectivity. IMlogic. Trade press coverage: eWeek, CRN, and IMPlanet
• Convoq released Convoq ASAP, a presence-enabled web and video conferencing hosted service. Convoq
• Pivot Solutions is a new independent company, having been spun out of Eze Castle Integration. Its first product is IMTrader, a securities trading platform that combines electronic trading and multi-network instant messaging. Pivot Systems
• The Trilog Group's FlowBuilder 3.0 rapid application development (RAD) toolkit enables Notes developers to produce J2EE code without knowing the Java language. Trilog thinks that Notes developers are "closer to the business user [than traditional developers]" due to the Notes RAD environment. SD Times

News for Today, Feb 13

Current happenings:

• Microsoft is working on new versions of its Microsoft Office Live Communications Server. In 4Q2004, "Vienna" offers federation between servers at multiple sites. The 2005 release, "Kiev" will deliver full integration between LCS and Live Meeting, Microsoft's web conferencing service. TechWeb
• Linktivity released Version 3.1 of WebDemo International, a premise-based Web collaboration software offering. Features multi-language support, where each participant can choose the language interface of choice in a conference. Linktivity
• Sun introduced a Reference Architecture and Solution for enterprise messaging and collaboration. Sun says the offering will reduce messaging TCO by 50% over a Microsoft Exchange Server infrastructure, in part due to server consolidation. Sun Microsystems