Shared Spaces ... the Collaboration Advisor

To G5 or not to G5, Sep 29

After 15 years of being a dedicated Windows user, I took the plunge and embraced the world of Apple Mac last July. I purchased a G4 desktop, running a single 1 GHz processor, with 768 MB of RAM. It's served me well, but I'm wondering whether it's time to upgrade.

My day-to-day reality on the Mac involves running Apple Mail, Safari (with 30 open windows), iTunes (with Bach, Handel or Dvorak playing), iChat, Microsoft Word, and Lotus Notes. Very often during the day, the Mac takes 5-10 seconds to respond to a command, eg, open a new Safari window/tab, or click to close a window. It's gotten to the point where I'm now constantly aware of the computer, rather than working with it being an "invisible" enabler of my work.

I'm wondering about acquiring a G5 desktop, with dual 2GHz processors, and 2 GB of RAM. Will a G5 give me back the invisibility I crave? Will it open new windows and respond to commands instantly, or am I expecting too much? I'm interested in your feedback. Thanks.

Update (October 1): I'm going to stick with the G4 ... it's not worth the extra outlay just to resolve a 5-10 second delay. Volker suggested (a) reformatting the hard drive and re-installing my application stack, (b) using Firefox instead of Safari, and Glenn (see comment) suggested (c) putting more RAM into the box. I've done (b) and it is definitely faster, and will think about (a) and (c). Thanks for the ideas.

Shared Spaces Briefing, Sep 29

Today's highlights: AT&T Ogo; Genius Enterprise Project SMB Edition; PalmSource Cobalt 6.1; Intranets.com; Atempo Mailbox Manager for Exchange; RIM and PalmSource release Email API; RIM BlackBerry 7290; Agile Messenger 3.0;

• AT&T Wireless introduced the Ogo, a wireless email and wireless IM gadget aimed at younger non-corporate audiences. Developed inhouse at AT&T Wireless. Seattle Times



• Genius Inside released Genius Enterprise Project SMB Edition, a version of its project management solution for small and medium-sized businesses. Key features: web-based project planning, document management, team communication, resources management, and integration with MS Outlook, among others. The offering runs on a Domino Server, which is included in the price. MarketWire


• PalmSource announced Version 6.1 of Cobalt, the next version of the Palm OS. New capabilities focus on wireless connectivity, with support for both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. InfoWorld


• Intranets.com added new features to its web and audio conferencing solutions, including video conferencing, record-and-playback, and SSL encryption. Intranets.com claims to provide "all of the functionality of similar web conferencing offerings from WebEx and Microsoft LiveMeeting, but at a fraction of the price." Yahoo Business


• Atempo released Atempo Mailbox Manager for Microsoft Exchange, for automating the management, archiving and retrieval of email messages in an Exchange environment. Emails and attachments are migrated out the Exchange data store, and archived based on policies around retention, migration, and deletion. The solution eliminates the need for local PST files. Uses technology licensed from iLumin Software Services, Inc. Atempo


• RIM and PalmSource announced that the API (application programming interface) for enabling the PalmSource Mail client to connect Palm OS devices to BlackBerry servers, will be made available to third party developers in order to stimulate the creation of mobile data applications. RIM


• RIM introduced the BlackBerry 7290, a Java-based phone, wireless email, SMS, organizer, and web browsing device. Supports multiple variants of GSM, for seamless international roaming. New features: brighter backlight, new keyboard style, and more memory, among others. Available October. RIM and Cingular RIM and O2



• AgileMobile.com released Version 3.0 of Agile Messenger, its IM service for mobile devices. The client is available for multiple device platforms (Symbian, Windows Mobile, Smartphone, Palm, Java, BREW and WAP), and supports the public IM services (ICQ, AIM, Yahoo, MSN, QQ and Wireless Village). Available immediately. Yahoo Business

This Briefing was written by Michael Sampson, of Shared Spaces Research & Consulting Ltd. Email or IM Michael to discuss any of these items further.

Shared Spaces Briefing, Sep 28

Today's highlights: Parlano MindAlign 6.0; Roadmap for SharePoint; 18% of Fortune 500 have IM; New customer for NetIDEAS; New customer for Interwoven TeamSite; BlackBerry Connect for Palm OS; RIM BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4.0;

• Parlano released Version 6.0 of MindAlign, its presence and persistent messaging solution for enterprise customers. New features: presence and IM integration with Microsoft Office Live Communications Server, web client option, increased integration with Microsoft Active Directory, integration with policy systems for enforcing ethical walls, among others. Available October 2004. BusinessWire



• A Microsoft developer wants a roadmap for SharePoint, "I also hope that Microsoft finally decides to publish a clear roadmap for the next two years regarding SharePoint and CMS. I see a lot of companies diving into SharePoint customization and extending these days and yes, there is a lot of money involved here. Many of these companies have no idea what MS has as plans for SharePoint in the coming years and have a lot of questions regarding their current investments. Without a clear vision from MS, we risk of disappointing these companies and moving them away from these awesome products". Patrick Tisseghem


• Nucleus Research found that only 18% of Fortune 500 companies have deployed a corporate IM system. Biggest concern: employees will waste time with IM. InformationWeek and BusinessWire


• New customer for the hosted edition of PTC Windchill ProjectLink from NetIDEAS: Pitney Bowes. MarketWire


• New customer for Interwoven TeamSite, an enterprise and web content management solution: The Christchurch City Council here in New Zealand, where I used to live. Interwoven


• RIM is working with PalmSource to provide a version of the BlackBerry Connect client for older Palm OS devices, enabling customers with existing Palm OS devices to retrofit them for wireless access to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. RIM. Other coverage: mobilepipeline.com


• RIM announced that Version 4.0 of its BlackBerry Enterprise Server is available as a release candidate ("preview" or "beta"). Available to existing BlackBerry customers. New features: simplified deployment, enhanced handheld asset control, additional wireless security capabilities, and enhanced wireless experience, among others. Available widely in 4Q2004. RIM

This Briefing was written by Michael Sampson, of Shared Spaces Research & Consulting Ltd. Email or IM Michael to discuss any of these items further.

Shared Spaces Briefing, Sep 25

Today's highlights: 21Publish Blogging; Quality On-Line aims to replace Lotus Domino; Problems with Being an ISV for Outlook;

• 21Publish Inc. released its enterprise-focused blogging software, with the capability for enterprises to create private-label blogging communities. "21Publish provides a hosted application that enables organizations to easily set up a private-label blogging community, called a BlogPortal. A BlogPortal is a network of inter-connected blogs that operates under its own domain name and can be customized to reflect the look and feel of any organization. Additionally 21Publish's sophisticated access management system ensures access security and allows individual bloggers to decide if content is available to the public or to a selected audience only." 21Publish


• Quality On-Line released a new development and deployment environment for applications that are currently based on Lotus Notes and Domino. Quality On-Line claims its solution provides a "straightforward replacement option and one-step migration path" away from Domino applications. The offering is J2EE-based. Quality On-Line claims to overcome the well-documented shortcomings of the Domino architecture, and claims Royal Dutch Telecom and Syngenta amongst its customer base. Quality On-Line and primezone.com


• WindowsITPro.com considers some of problems faced by ISVs wanting to develop for Outlook: (1) lack of a document-centric or relational data model, (2) the Outlook object model is incomplete, (3) lots of undocumented 'gotchas', and (4) the testing burden is too large. WindowsITPro

This Briefing was written by Michael Sampson, of Shared Spaces Research & Consulting Ltd. Email or IM Michael to discuss any of these items further.

Shared Spaces Briefing, Sep 23

Today's highlights: OZ gets $27.3 million; Siemens Upgrades to Exchange 2003;

• OZ Communications, a Canadian-based provider of IM solutions for carriers, received $27.3 million in venture capital financing. canada.com


• Siemens AG is working with Quest Software to migrate 350,000 users in over 100 business units from Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2003. Completion date is expected to be fall 2005. Siemens currently has 2500 Exchange Servers, and in conjunction with reducing the number of "Exchange organizations", aims to reduce the server count to 700. ComputerWorld

This Briefing was written by Michael Sampson, of Shared Spaces Research & Consulting Ltd. Email or IM Michael to discuss any of these items further.

How Do People Choose a Mobile Device to Integrate with Messaging, Sep 22

What decision criteria did you use when purchasing a new wireless / mobile device to integrate with your corporate messaging system? Here's the short-list I've developed ... is there anything I've missed?

1. Device Operating System. The device needs to operate with the operating system I like, eg, Palm, Pocket PC, RIM, other.

2. Integrated QWERTY Keyboard. Since I'll be writing and responding to emails, I need a full thumb-operating keyboard.

3. Automatic Mail Clearing. The handheld should automatically receive or request new messages, without me having to manually intervene.

4. Device Size. I want to carry the device around with me, so it needs to be small and light. Ideally, it should fit in my pocket or purse.

5. Brand Name. In addition to having a favorite operating system, I like products from some companies better than others. Eg, I love Pocket PC devices from HP, and would never buy from anyone else.

6. Bright Color Screen. I want the device to have a bright color screen. It's much easier to use if so.

7. Price. It has to be reasonably priced, otherwise I won't be interested.

8. Options to Personalize the Device. While I'll be clearing my email on it, I still want the handheld to look stylish. There should be a ready supply of add-on accessories to make the device seem like "mine".

9. Integrated Camera. I know the device is primarily for email access, but I'd like it to contain a camera too.

10. Supports our Systems. The device needs to work directly with my desktop or laptop via a sync cradle, or with our server for wireless-based messaging and calendaring.

11. Prior IT Department Approval. Since email is a corporate asset, I'll need to ensure that the device I purchase will work with our IT systems.

12. Integrated IM Client. In addition to email, I'd like the device to offer an IM client for real-time interactions.

13. Wireless Network Support. The device works on wireless networks that I can access.

Please drop me an email (michael.sampson@shared-spaces.com) or leave a comment if you want to share your list.

Shared Spaces Briefing, Sep 22

Today's highlights: IMlogic and EMC; EMC Express Solution for E-Mail; What Does KM Mean?;

• IMlogic announced an integration between its IM Manager solution and EMC's Legato EmailXtender, an archiving solution. The integration enables fully formed IM conversations to be stored in EmailXtender. IMlogic


• EMC Corporation announced EMC Express Solution for E-Mail, a package of hardware, software and services for customers using Microsoft Exchange Server. The package enables customers to consolidate and manage all email messages across the enterprise into a single networked storage system. EMC claims that the TCO of Exchange declines by 30%. The offering eliminates PST files and mailbox size limitations. EMC


• KM has a variety of meanings ... and hence it is important to have a shared understanding of what problem or opportunity KM technology is addressing in your organization. Some meanings: sharing solutions to customer problems in a call center, helping groups or teams collaborate and share work, locate people with specific skills or create communities, and three others. CIO.com

This Briefing was written by Michael Sampson, of Shared Spaces Research & Consulting Ltd. Email or IM Michael to discuss any of these items further.

Shared Spaces Briefing, Sep 21

Today's highlights: eWeek on RSS Hype; HP iPAQ 6315 Review; Jabber's Extended Product Line-up; New Interwoven WorkSite customer; CommVault add-on for Microsoft SharePoint;

• RSS suffers from over-the-top expectations and hype. It is a useful technology, but it still has problems. eWeek


• CIO Today published a review of the iPAQ 6315 smartphone, combining an iPAQ PDA with a variety of wireless capabilities, including mobile telephony via GSM and WiFi. CIO Today


• Jabber announced an extended product line-up (Server, Jabber XCP to presence-enable applications, and options for developers, wireless integration, and other-IM network integration), and plans to release a plug-and-play IM appliance for the SMB market in 1Q2005. BusinessWire and BusinessWire (more indepth on features)


• New customer for Interwoven WorkSite 8: Cassels Brock, a Canadian law firm. WorkSite offers document management, collaborative capabilities, and email management functions for 'matter-centric collaboration'. It "represents a user-centric design, which, for the first time, enables lawyers and other professional services practitioners to manage matter-related content in the electronic world the way they have done for more than 100 years in the physical world. MCC creates the true electronic equivalent of a case file by consolidating documents, e-mails, billing, contacts, and all other relevant content for any given matter in a single integrated file that is accessible both internally and externally across departments and locations. prnewswire.com


• CommVault announced a much-needed add-on to Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) and SharePoint Portal Server 2003: backup and recovery software that enables the fast recovery of individual documents in WSS sites. Called CommVault Galaxy for SharePoint Products and Technologies, the solution "includes powerful point-in-tim browse and search capabilities, and enables fast, granular document recovery of individual documents". Available by November 2004. Yahoo Business

This Briefing was written by Michael Sampson, of Shared Spaces Research & Consulting Ltd. Email or IM Michael to discuss any of these items further.

Shared Spaces Briefing, Sep 20

Today's highlights: Oracle Tsunami; Cordsy Inc.; Alcatel Acquired eDial; Equant, SGS and Microsoft Exchange; Vodafone BlackBerry 7100v; BlackBerry in Australia; Tejari Project Collaboration; New customer for Oracle OCS;

• Oracle is working on Tsunami, the code name for an update to its Oracle Collaboration Suite, which delivers enterprise content management capabilities. Points of note: (a) Tsunami is focused on the unstructured data management (the management of emails, spreadsheets, audio and video clips, etc., rather than normalized data); (b) an Ovum analyst thinks that Tsunami is a reaction to Microsoft SharePoint; (c) Oracle considered purchasing Documentum, but EMC got there first; (d) the pricing for Tsunami could be in the $100 per seat range, a *huge* reduction on current pricing structures. Due 4Q2004. InternetNews ZDNet vnunet.com


• The founder of Baan has launched a new company, Cordys Inc., to develop collaboration and integration software to enable companies to create composite application frameworks. Its Web services-based platform enables the extraction of functionality from applications based on a specific business process for integration into a separate, standalone application. Cordys will compete with SAP NetWeaver. eWeek


• Alcatel acquired eDial, a provider of conferencing and collaboration solutions for enterprises and service providers. "eDial's product portfolio includes an open, SIP software-based platform and applications for conferencing for voice, data and video. eDial also provides a solution for real time collaboration that integrates instant messaging, application sharing and presence capabilities." Alcatel will use eDial's software within its OmniTouch Unified Communication conferencing application, and in other products. Yahoo Business


• SGS, a provider of verification, testing and certification services, signed a three year contract with Equant for the provision of an outsourced hosted and managed messaging system based on Microsoft Exchange 2003. The solution will be used by 15,000 of SGS's 37,000 employees. BusinessWire


• Vodafone released the BlackBerry 7100v, a version of the new BlackBerry 7100. Available October 2004 in Europe and Australasia. RIM RCRNews.com InfoWorld



• Telstra, the incumbent telephony provider in Australia, claims more than 10,000 BlackBerry users across more than 350 corporate customers. Telstra began offering BlackBerry in 2002, initially with an exclusive right to sell in the Australian market, although that right expired in July 2004, which led to the quick market entry of Vodafone and Optus. AustralianIT


• Tejari Project Collaboration is being used by PCFC Civil Engineering, for use with construction projects. "By using Tejari Project Collaboration, PCFC officials anticipate a reduction in construction costs as well as a faster time to market by reducing the amount of paper and administration required in PCFC 's tendering and construction efforts. Tejari Project Collaboration is an online solution that has been developed by Tejari in conjunction with PCFC Civil Engineering Department to cater to the specific needs of the region's burgeoning building and construction industry. It enables different parties involved in the construction process to collaborate in real time, and to view blueprints, share documents, and even 'meet' online to speed the construction process through improved communication. The deployment of online collaboration tools, such as Tejari Project Collaboration, has shown a saving of up to 10% on construction costs when used on construction projects in US and Europe." Tejari is offered as an outsourced hosted service. ameinfo.com


• New customer for Oracle Collaboration Suite: Refrigeration Industries and Storage Co., in Kuwait. OCS was acquired as part of a wider implementation of Oracle E-Business Suite. cpilive.net

This Briefing was written by Michael Sampson, of Shared Spaces Research & Consulting Ltd. Email or IM Michael to discuss any of these items further.

Re-negotiating on Part II, Sep 16

Last month I released Part I of an argument about Collaboration Software Clients, and announced a self-imposed deadline of "toward the end of September" for the publication of Part II. It's not going to happen. I have experienced a significant up-tick in new clients and in new client projects in the past couple of weeks, and my planned writing escapes have not panned out. At this time, I'm aiming for a publication date of "toward the end of October", but I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for your interest and support.