Shared Spaces ... the Collaboration Advisor

Final Words, Apr 19

I said back on April 6 that I had A New Mountain to Climb, and that as of Monday this week I'd be working for a vendor of collaboration software. I can now stop being a tease and declare that I am henceforth the Global VP of Word-of-Mouth Marketing at Foldera. The press release that says as much will be out early tomorrow.

My two primary responsibilities (30,000 ft in David Allen lingo) are to:

1. Get the word out about Foldera, all over the world; and


2. Help make Foldera the best service in the world

As much as I'm jazzed about that, it does mean an end to Shared Spaces Research & Consulting Ltd. There's a degree of sadness in that, as I've met and communicated with many wonderful people in the last few years. I hope we can continue those conversations, although I will be wearing a different professional hat now. I have a small number of Shared Spaces projects to finish off, including coordination work for the forthcoming Collaborative Technology Conference 2006 in Boston in June. I will continue to wear my Shared Spaces hat for that.

Posting will cease here, and that includes Quick Links. Obviously I will keep doing that for myself and for others at Foldera, but those posts won't be published publicly. I encourage you to consider two other potential sources of your daily collaboration industry news fix: Ferris Research and CollaborationLoop's Industry News. The end to the posting here is also a signal that I failed what's I've long considered the Tris test of a true blogger ... making more than 1000 posts. This will be my 704th on this site, so I've fallen short. Tris actually didn't write it, but I read it on his site first.

Finally, I will be blogging elsewhere going forward, albeit with a different tone and focus.

• I will be a regular contributor to the Foldera Blog, which was officially launched earlier today; and


• As I have time, I will post to my own personal blog, that being www.michaelsampson.net. Note that I did say it was a "personal" site, not a professional one.

My new email address is msampson@foldera.com, and I'm msampsonFDRA on Skype.

Don't be a stranger!

Quick Links, Apr 11

Vendor Moves

• Traverse CallConnect with RIM and Treo ... Traverse Networks announced that its CallConnect offering is compatible with RIM BlackBerry and Palm Treo devices. CallConnect enables control over corporate voice and voice mail systems from cell phones and other devices. Traverse Networks


• Zimbra Support for Intel-based Macs ... Zimbra announced a version of its Zimbra Collaboration Suite for Intel-based Macs. The new universal version supports both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs in a single deliverable. Zimbra


• SealedMedia 5.0 ... SealedMedia released Version 5.0 of its enterprise digital rights management platform. New features: a new standard administration model, and a Web-based management console, along with features to make Version 5.0 easier to deploy in global organizations. Sealed Media

Other Industry Happenings

• Enterprise 2.0: The Dawn of Emergent Collaboration ... Andrew McAfee, a professor at Harvard Business School, published an article in the current edition of the MIT Sloan Management Review about emergent collaboration software in the enterprise, including blogs, wikis and group messaging software. Offers 4 ground rules for implementing new technologies. MIT Sloan Management Review

Quick Links, Apr 10

Vendor Moves

• From Kcentrix to PleaseTech ... Kcentrix Software changed name to PleaseTech Ltd. The PleaseTech name aligns with the branding Kcentrix had been using for its document and content collaboration services, such as PleaseReview. PleaseTech


• ... and Speaking of PleaseReview ... PleaseTech released a new highly secure version of its PleaseReview online revision service, featuring 128 bit SSL encryption. PleaseReview relies on a browser interface to enable distributed authors and editors to finalize material without requiring the emailing around of documents. PleaseTech


• ... and Still Speaking of PleaseReview ... The Think Tank (T3), an Austin TX based advertising agency, has selected PleaseReview to assist with online collaboration around advertising copy. This replaces the disaster that was "Microsoft Word distribution by email to 30 people". T3 is planning toward more extensive client usage. PleaseTech


• XTNDConnect PC for Novell ... iAnywhere released a new version of XTNDConnect PC, its mobile device-to-PC desktop synchronization software. Major new feature: support for Novell GroupWise 6.5 SP2 and 7.0. Available immediately. iAnywhere


• Appian Webinar ... Appian, a provider of business process management software, announced a forthcoming 60 minute webinar, entitled "Collaborative BPM: Connecting People to People", presented by Bruce Silver. It's on Thursday April 13 at 2pm EST. Registration required. Appian


• Google Talk Upgraded ... Google upgraded Google Talk, its instant messaging and presence service. Users can set pictures of themselves and their friends, and can choose themes for chat sessions. Google Talkabout

Quick Links, Apr 7

Positions

• Who Needs to Be On 24x7? ... Gundeep reflects on the "productivity" enhancements of having the RIM BlackBerry, and asks when enough is enough. 2 pages. CoolTechZone

Vendor Moves

• Zimbra Partner Program ... Zimbra announced a partner program for its Zimbra Collaboration Suite, covering both Hosted Service Providers (HSPs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Zimbra's initial HSP partners include ABLE Incorporated, Amicus, Contegix, Edgewood Associates, Maccius, MindCentric, RSAWeb, San Mateo Regional Networks, Senokian, Smedia, Voxel dot net, and ZiOffice. Zimbra


• ... and Raises $14.5 Million ... Zimbra also announced that it has raised another $14.5 million in venture funding, with a round led by Presidio STX. Red Herring


• Verizon Instant Messaging ... Verizon Business launched its Hosted Secure Instant Messaging Service, to enable real-time collaboration and communication in the workplace. Includes an enterprise edition, and a managed public IM service. The offerings are based on Microsoft Live Communications Server. Verizon


• Samsung BlackBerry Handheld ... Samsung showed a forthcoming BlackBerry handset, the T719. Includes a 5x4 key simulated QWERTY keyboard. InfoWorld

A New Mountain to Climb, Apr 6

I have a new adventure in front of me, a new opportunity to pursue, something very new to do. As of Monday April 17, I will be working for a vendor of collaboration software, in a product strategy and market communications role. I'm very, very excited / thrilled / delighted at the opportunity that has opened up to make a significant impact on people's lives through helping with the design and delivery of great collaboration software ... it will be perfect for driving toward some of the ideas and concepts that I've spoken freely about here at Shared Spaces.

Who will I be working for? All will become clear ... soon.

Quick Links, Apr 5

Vendor Moves

• Visto Research on Mobile Email ... Visto reported on research it contracted RONIN Corporation to do on mobile email. Key findings: 70% of professionals expect mobile email to deliver them greater control over their working day, and provide greater productivity for the boss. Visto, see also the worklife.freedom PDF (6 pages)


• Socialtext Miki ... Socialtext released Miki, a wiki platform optimized for mobile devices, such as the RIM BlackBerry. Comment: Very similar idea to the Parlano MindAlign Mobile idea of last week; this is a neat development by Socialtext. Kudos. Socialtext, with comments at CIO

Amicus Embraces Zimbra, Apr 5

Robert Matney from Amicus, which describes itself as "the leading application service provider (ASP) of outsourced messaging and compliance solutions to the financial services industry and firms across the business spectrum", recently left a comment on this site about Amicus's hosting of Zimbra. Robert commented that Amicus:

"[has] been thrilled with ZCS' ability to help us connect more effectively"

I followed up with Robert by email, and asked what he meant by that. Here's his response, quoted with permission:

By 'connect' here I simply mean collaborate. Using the ZCS group calendaring, our office manager knows when the CEO is available for appointments, we all know which Operations team member is on call, which engineering resources are available at any given point, and how our weekly team meetings are structured. The shared contacts give us team visibility and reduce the email chatter. And the self-integration within Zimbra of the email, calendaring and contact management helps our efficiency. In part because we are a multi-platform office environment (Linux, Mac OS, and Windows of various stripes), we had not previously achieved this level of electronic collaboration.

In summary, Zimbra has been very helpful in our effort to tilt at the windmill of info silos, and labor isolation. And we think that's groovy. So we are a hosting partner and are integrating our various tools and services to make Zimbra an even richer experience for our clients.

What a great testimonial from a customer-turned-business partner. What's been your experience with Zimbra at your place?

Quick Links, Apr 4

Positions

• Isaac on The Good in Email ... Isaac over at Central Desktop has been thinking long and hard about what's good in email, and what collaboration vendors need to do as a result. Central Desktop Blog

Vendor Moves

• Interwoven for Microsoft ... Interwoven updated the world on the progress it is seeing due to its relationship with Microsoft. Progress includes integration between SharePoint and Interwoven, co-marketing and co-sales work, and alignment around the technology roadmap. Interwoven


• Interwoven on "Customer Experience Management" ... Interwoven introduced the Interwoven Customer Experience Solution, for automating the processes dealing with content creation, approval and publishing for customer-facing places. "Customer Experience Management" is a new label for a collection of established product categories, eg, document management, digital asset management, and more. Interwoven, with a discussion at Intelligent Enterprise


• IBM WebSphere Portal 6.0 ... IBM announced Version 6.0 of WebSphere Portal, its corporate portal platform. Enhanced features: greater ability to create and work with composite applications (for assembling applications and process components to address business needs), workflow builder, and new content management capabilities, among others. Available 3Q2006. IBM


• FaceTime Enterprise Edition with IMAuditor 7.0 ... FaceTime announced Version 7.0 of Enterprise Edition with IMAuditor, its enterprise IM management platform. New features: Skype 2.0 support, support for logging and archiving of chat sessions within WebEx meetings, revised UI, and enhanced reporting, among others. Available immediately. FaceTime


• Intermedia.NET Offers $20 Bounty ... Intermedia.NET, a provider of hosted Microsoft Exchange, is offering $20 to any Lotus Notes and Domino shop that migrates to its hosted Exchange service. The CEO calls it a "symbolic offer" in light of IBM's significant offer. PRWeb

Other Industry Happenings

• Mobile Business Expo 2006 ... The Mobile Business Expo is on in Chicago from October 31-November 3, 2006. The conference organizers are calling for papers. MobileBusinessExpo.com

Quick Links, Apr 3

Vendor Moves

• Colligo for SharePoint ... Colligo Networks released two new offline tools for SharePoint: Colligo Reader for SharePoint, and Colligo Contributor for SharePoint. Reader provides one-way synchronization of SharePoint sites for offline reading, and Contributor enables users to modify SharePoint content when offline for automatic upload when a network connection is next established. Available immediately; Reader is free, and Contributor is $99 per user. Colligo Networks, Product Information (see whitepaper), Colligo's Offline SharePoint Blog



• XMLAW WorkSite Search Module ... XMLAW released a search tool that enables SharePoint searches to include documents, folders and workspaces stored in Interwoven WorkSite. The WorkSite Search Module can index attributes on WorkSite documents, folders and workspaces. PRWeb


• Coveo Enterprise Search 4.0 ... Coveo Solutions released Version 4.0 of Coveo Enterprise Search and Coveo Enterprise Search for SharePoint. Both permit seamless searching across multiple enterprise content repositories, scalability and load-balancing, and international language support. The SharePoint search product is tightly integrated with SharePoint. Available immediately. Coveo


• New Versions of Scalix ... Scalix released three new editions of its email and calendaring software: Scalix Small Business Edition ($995 for 50 users, support for Novell Evolution client, and more), Scalix Appliance (plug-n-play, available from Scalix resellers), and Scalix Community Edition Raw (free, but is easier to make customization to). An Enterprise Edition is also available. Scalix, see more at Community Edition Raw press release, and the Scalix Appliance press release.


• Symantec IM Manager 8.0 ... Symantec released Version 8.0 of Symantec IM Manager, the first release of a Symantec-branded edition of IMlogic IM Manager after the acquisition. Protects organizations from the hazards associated with instant messaging. Includes out-of-the-box integration with Symantec Enterprise Vault for IM transcript archiving. Available in North America later in April. Symantec

Vocality 2(1) Distributed, Apr 2

The March 2006 edition of Vocality, the free monthly newsletter from Shared Spaces, has just gone out. If you haven't signed up, please do so, and if you did sign up but haven't received your copy, please let me know.