Shared Spaces ... the Collaboration Advisor

Shared Spaces Briefing, Dec 15

Today's highlights: @Road Workflow Manager; Forrester on Collaboration Suites; 01 Communique I'm InTouch; Calendaring and Scheduling Consortium; RIM Infringed NTP's Patents; Synchronica SyncML Gateway for Exchange; Intellisync goAnywhere;

• @Road and Research In Motion announced a partnership for the delivery of the @Road Workflow Manager, a solution for streamlining communication between field service staff and the mobile workforce supervisor, for the BlackBerry handheld device. Aim is to leverage location-based services to increase enhance the workflow and deliver productivity gains. @Road


• Forrester Research says that organizations will embrace 'strategic collaboration platforms' rather than 'point products' (Comment: Agree). Key trends predicted for 2005: Microsoft will emerge as an early platform leader with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services and Exchange Server (Comment: IT departments will make a big mistake if they embrace WSS at this point; the product is not ready), application vendors are adding team collaboration features into their product wares (Comment: Agreed. There will be some confusion about this for the next couple of years.), the standards outlook is murky, and interoperability issues are looming (Comment: Agreed, as I've already published in my Collaboration Software Clients Part I paper). SearchDomino


• Communique Laboratory released the I'm InTouch Messenger, a new addition to its remote access service. I'm InTouch Messenger provides secure wireless access to files on PCs and network drivers to users of a RIM BlackBerry handheld device. I'm InTouch is offered as a hosted remote access and control service. Price is US$10 per month. newswire.ca



• The Calendaring and Scheduling Consortium, a new industry group, unveiled plans to standardize calendaring and scheduling applications between different vendor's products. Vendors in the consortium include Oracle (interested due to Collaboration Suite, which includes the calendaring server acquired with the Steltor purchase), Novell, Meeting Maker, and others ... but not Microsoft or IBM Lotus. The consortium will build on work coming out of the IETF. Peter O'Kelly at The Burton Group adds some endorsement to the idea. Computerworld and calconnect.org


• The Federal Appeals court considering the RIM vs. NTP patent infringement case concluded that RIM did infringe on the patents, but sent the case back to the District Court for further review of damages. internetnews.com, InfoWorld. RIM said that the US Patent and Trademark Office is continuing with its re-examination of the NTP patents that underlie the infringement case. RIM


• Synchronica released its Synchronica SyncML Gateway for Microsoft Exchange Server, which provides over-the-synchronization of calendar, contacts, tasks, notes and email messages between Exchange and SyncML-compliant devices. Uses standard mobile Internet access services for synchronization, rather than add-on monthly services. Available immediately, starting at EUR1,205 for a 5 user version. eMediaWire


• Intellisync announced goAnywhere, a wireless email and remote file access solution for SyncML-based devices. Enables mobile carriers to offer enhanced wireless services to the consumer market. The new offering complements Intellisync's existing Mobile Suite, an enterprise-focused offering. Key features: on-demand and push-based email, supports SyncML and other device types (Windows Mobile, Smartphone, Palm OS, BREW, etc), and offers over-the-air provisioning (an important capability for mobile carriers wanting to provision consumer handhelds). Available 2005. IntelliSync, InfoWorld

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, Dec 14

Today's highlights: One Longhorn Server; Pragmatic Atrium 5.10; Convoq ASAP Pro 2.0; Captaris Workflow 5.0; Liquid Machines Document Control 3.0;

• Longhorn, the next version of Microsoft's Windows Server, will ship as one version but permit customers to install only certain software code needed to support specific roles. Longhorn Server, due in 2007, will not include the next-generation file system, called WinFS, and may not ship until 2010 or later. Computerworld, CNET News


• Pragmatic Software Company announced Version 5.10 of Atrium, its web-based project collaboration tool for the architectural and engineering industries. New features: project managers can request status updates from team members, tracking of contacts with outstanding action items or call back dates, and new reports (including trending of project tasks over time), among others. Available immediately. eMediaWire


• Convoq Inc. released Version 2.0 of ASAP Pro, its web conferencing service. The key new features is ASAP Links, which provides a fast way to invite someone to an ad-hoc meeting, or to allow someone external to the organization to request a meeting if that person is online and available. Available immediately. Convoq


• Captaris released Version 5.0 of Workflow, its workflow and document management system for Microsoft .NET. New features: integrates with Microsoft Office and Visual Studio .Net 2003 via Web services, a new integration with Windows SharePoint Services and SharePoint Portal Server 2003, and 10 new templates, among others. Available immediately. Captaris, eWeek


• Liquid Machines announced Version 3.0 of Document Control, its digital rights management offering for Office, Visio and Acrobat documents. New features: improved server scalability and performance, control over information extracted from SQL Server into an Excel spreadsheet, graphical report and diagram protection, and new support for authentication via LDAP directory servers. Liquid Machines

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, Dec 9

Today's highlights: More on Oracle Tsunami; Omnipod Adds WebEx Meeting Capabilities; Groove Networks needs VARs to Succeed; Oracle Collaboration Suite 10g; Microsoft RTC Adoption; Akonix L7 Builder;

• Oracle's next version of Oracle Files, code named "Tsunami", will ship as part of the next version of Oracle Collaboration Suite in 1H2005. Aim: to solve enterprise document management problems by existing between file server technology and high-end DM systems. Key features: access control lists, check-in/check-out, policy-based retention and storage management, folder- and document-level security, workflow services, and policy-based versioning, among others. Roadmap: support via federation for enterprise DM products from other suppliers. eWeek, cmswire.com


• Omnipod announced a partnership with WebEx, which enables Omnipod IM users to launch secure WebEx meetings from the Omnipod Professional Online Desktop client. Qualified WebEx customers are being offered a 30 day free trial of Omnipod's IM offering. BusinessWire


• Groove Networks is preaching the importance of VARs and integrators. It realizes that it can't have direct access into every customer account, and Groove's success is predicated on support by VARs and integrators. Outlook otherwise: the product will languish. Groove


• Oracle announced Oracle Collaboration Suite 10g, the latest version of its messaging and collaboration platform. New features: new real-time tools (presence awareness, IM, and voice functionality added to Web conferencing capabilities), enterprise content / document management capabilities (see above re Oracle Files), integrated Web-based client, wireless support, and collaborative portlets, among others. Built on Oracle Database 10g and Application Server 10g. Yahoo Business, webpronews.com, itworld.com


• Microsoft talked up the success some of its customers are enjoying with its real-time communication offerings: Live Meeting (a web conferencing service), and Live Communications Server (IM and presence for the enterprise). prnewswire.com


• Akonix Systems released L7 Builder, a system for creating, managing and deploying enterprise IM applications, and integrating presence and IM into existing workflows and systems. Provides access to key building blocks: presence data, bots for interacting with applications, alerts and notifications, routing and transfer functions, and natural language support, among others. Akonix

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, Dec 7

Today's highlights: Instant Technologies Team Sessions 1.0; PopG Enables Palm Access to Groove; IMlogic and CipherTrust; Virtual Global TeamLeader; Raindance New Customers; Good GoodLink 4.0;

• Instant Technologies is putting the final touches on Team Sessions 1.0, a persistent group-based communications tool that works on top of IBM Lotus Instant Messaging and Web Conferencing. Team Sessions is similar in approach to Parlano MindAlign. Instant Tech and eWeek Comment: Carl Tyler, CTO at Instant Tech, gave me a demo of Team Sessions a month or so back. I've been impressed with MindAlign for a long time, and Instant Tech's approach ... especially how it builds on existing technology ... looked great. I wish them all the best for launch.


• PopG, a UK company that provides Web access to Groove Virtual Office shared spaces, announced that users of wireless-enabled Palm powered devices can gain access to the information in Groove spaces. Requires the Mobile-TS plug-in from DDH Software for live access, and HotSync will synchronize messages, addresses, calendars and tasks with Groove PopG and Outlook accounts. The Mobile-TS plug in is $39.99, and a subscription to PopG is $30 per month per user. Available immediately. PopG


• IMlogic announced a partnership with CipherTrust, for the protection of enterprise messaging applications (email and IM). "As of part of this partnership, IMlogic will be the charter member for Instant Messaging in the CipherTrust EMSA Alliance, enabling enterprise customers to manage, protect, and secure IM usage using best-of-breed solutions from IMlogic." IMlogic


• Virtual Global Technologies talked about the rise of virtual teams, and its TeamLeader collaborative workspace product. eMediaWire. TeamLeader offers a coordinated client software approach for project management, decision support, collaboration, and version control over documents, among others. The Enterprise Edition runs on SQL Server, and the Small Business Edition on Access. Virtual Global Key Features



• New customers for Raindance Meeting Edition, an audio-web-and-video conferencing solution: Bowne (financial printer, for new product and process demonstrations), Panasonic (for internal sales meetings and training sessions), and Ziff Davis (for communication within the sales team). Raindance


• Good Technology announced Version 4.0 of GoodLink, its wireless messaging platform. New features: over-the-air provisioning and updating to mobile devices, international support for CDMA and GPRS customers, additional product features (calendar week view, follow-up flag, etc), and support for additional devices, among others. Available 1Q2005. Good. Good also announced a distribution agreement with Ingram Micro, new sales and support operations in 7 additional countries, and a hosted offering of the Good product.

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, Dec 6

Today's highlights: MSN Spaces; Thunderbird 1.0 Release Candidate; SEVEN and NTT DoCoMo; AOL AIM and WebEx for Consumers; Compoze Software and Vignette;

• Microsoft MSN released a beta of a weblog service, called MSN Spaces. Key capabilities: creation and publication of an online journal, multiple levels of reader access, layout customization, and remote updating capabilities via email or mobile phone, among others. Offers some integration with MSN Hotmail and MSN Messenger (setup, change notification). Computerworld NZ, Seattlepi.com, Forrester


• The Mozilla Foundation released a pre-1.0 version of Thunderbird, an email client. Key features: saved search folders, RSS integration, and some integration with Microsoft Exchange, among others. Available as V1.0 on December 7. CNET News


• SEVEN announced that its wireless email platform will be used to power NTT DoCoMo's Business mopera Access Simple, for wireless remote access to email, calendar, contacts and documents via i-mode phones. Works with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, and IMAP servers. Available immediately. SEVEN


• AOL and WebEx are considering how they could adapt the AIM Business services that WebEx powers (voice over IP, online presentations, multiparty video conferencing) for the consumer market. Current intention is to release something to the consumer market in 1Q2005. PC World


• Compoze Software joined the Vignette partner program, to enable integration between Lotus Domino and the Vignette Application Portal. The Vignette Edition of Compoze Portlets brings mail, appointments, contacts and tasks from Domino R5 and R6 into Vignette Application Portal. Free 30 day evaluation available of both products. Compoze

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, Dec 2

Today's highlights: Linux for Email; Interwoven and Eisner LLP webinar;

• Osterman Research publishes a report about Linux as a platform for email. Key findings: over 50% of respondents would seriously consider switching to email on Linux servers over the next 2 years assuming nil disruption to end users. 20% of respondents plan to migrate to another vendor's messaging platform over the next 2 years. vnunet.com


• Interwoven and Eisner LLP announced a forthcoming joint webcast on the use of document management systems for managing work papers. Eisner, a certified public accounting and advisory firm, uses Interwoven's WorkSite document collaboration solution. The webinar is on December 14. Registration required. Interwoven

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, Dec 1

Today's highlights: Telstra and RIM on IT Managers; BT Offering Hosted Exchange to SMB; Cordant IMConsole 2003 for Microsoft LCS 2003; Digilink Revelation; Extended Systems Supports Java-based BlackBerry; BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4.0 Ships;

• Telstra and RIM are telling Australian IT managers that they don't count when it comes to making enterprise mobility purchasing decisions. Comment: Perhaps they have robust data to back up that ascertion, but me thinks it is a bad idea to make an enemy of IT.


• BT and Microsoft announced plans to offer a hosted variant of Microsoft Exchange Server (email, calendar and contacts) to small and medium sized businesses. mysans.de


• Cordant upgraded IMConsole 2003, its IM monitoring, compliance, and administration offering for Microsoft Live Communications Server 2003. New capabilities: a realtime dashboard with statistics on presence and IM usage, support for the .NET framework, and optimization of the index for searching. "IMConsole 2003 Release 2.0 enables any LCS 2003 IM installation to monitor IM activity regardless of need to archive IM contents. This provides enterprises with a means to increase ROI on their IM investments," said Cordant's Director of Sales, Eric Rembold. "We now allow message content to be deleted while retaining the data to provide a rich set of reports and statistics in real-time which further enhances the appeal of Microsoft Live Communications Server 2003." Cordant is also developing IMConsole 2005 offering similar functionality for Live Communications Server 2005 recently released by Microsoft. tmcnet.com


• Digilink Limited released Digi-Link Revelation, a software program that synchronizes files from Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Windows SharePoint Services with a laptop or desktop for offline usage. "Revelation users can drag and drop files into SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and automatically keep those files in sync, even when changes have been made to their own data or to the main library." Digilink joins iOra and Groove Networks in offering this functionality. newratings.com and Product Page


• Extended Systems announced a new module for OneBridge Mobile, its wireless email platform. The new module adds support for the Mobile Data Service in BlackBerry Enterprise Server, thus adding support for the newer Java-based BlackBerry devices, and enabling access to business applications that are wirelessly enabled via OneBridge. Availability date not disclosed. Extended Systems


• RIM released Version 4.0 of its wireless email and data server, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. It offers a variety of new features, and works with Exchange and Domino. 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.