The Notes Roadmap – IBM’s strategy is crystal clear (2005)

Yesterday at Lotusphere in Orlando, Florida, IBM executives spent a lot of time discussing the future of Notes/Domino and Workplace.  A demonstration was given of both the forthcoming Notes 7 client, and what is now officially known as Workplace Client Technology (WCT).  Unmodified Notes client applications were shown running inside of the Workplace Client.  A new component-based application development tool called Workplace Designer was unveiled, that promises to make it almost effortless for skilled Domino developers to create Workplace applications.

What does all this mean?

What I believe all this means is that IBM has cleared away the confusion and uncertainty that their installed base had been experiencing.  You can almost hear the sighs of relief among customers here.  It is now very clear that Notes technology (and most importantly millions of applications) will live on, effectively embedded in the new Workplace Client.

IBM has been consistent with the message that there will be no "forced march" to Workplace from Notes and Domino.  Now with their recent announcements and demonstrations they are going further by actively removing the obstacles in the path.  How quickly will customers want to move into the Workplace world based on the innovations it promises?  The answer to that question remains to be seen.  It depends in large part on whether the business value of that new platform can be demonstrated as clearly as its features and functions have been already this week.