A friend of mine (who I didn’t realize was blog-stalking me until she admitted to doing it) recently sent me an email simply saying: “Really?! Just like that, you’re going to ditch Notes for Exchange – all because of the iPhone?!”
Not exactly.
I won’t go on and on again about how I feel that IBM/Lotus is totally missing the boat on the iPhone thing. Instead, let’s focus on the facts. Various statements (from IBM/Lotus employees) have offered the following options/statements regarding Notes-iPhone integration:
- A) DWA-uber-lite
- B) Call APPLE and complain
- C) A 3rd party solution (of which there are many – but all fall short of what was shown in the Apple/Exchange demo, which brings us to…
- D) Quickly pointing out that the Exchange product has only be demoed, not shipped
- E) All of the above
Now, as a senior executive in our organization, my job is to look at trends and plot the course of how our company will deal with emerging technologies and general business developments/directions. While, I can’t (easily) picture our company WITHOUT Lotus Notes, I also CAN (easily) see a wide-spread adoption of the iPhone. I’ve tested many (MANY!) phones and this is the first one to get so many things right and still be so easy to use.
… with one HUGE exception: its ability to integration with Notes.
Normally, that’s a show stopper. We’d exclude the device from consideration and move on to the next one. But in the case of the iPhone, I simply can’t. Its such a powerful device, easy to use and gives people the ability to have so many tools easily at their fingertips. Let’s also not forget: its fun! And that’s a big deal! In a world where we are all available 24/7 by emails, voicemails and text messages; we’re tied to this device anyway – so why not make it at least partially fun for us to carry! When I’m traveling, not only am I still completely in contact with the office, I’m also listening to music, watching videos or catching up on podcasts.
Back to trends and developments… another big one for us is a movement to web-based applications. They’re easier to access, often more powerful and quickly replacing a fleet of locally replicated databases that need to be updated each time we connect before we can start using them.
So… if I already have access to the internet everywhere; if my applications are web-based; if I’m carrying a single device that connects me to those applications and my email/calendar/contacts and, by the way, its fun to use – then why do I need my Notes client? The answer: only for databases we haven’t yet web-enabled.
In this model, Exchange can easily replace Domino for users who don’t require the Notes client for Notes-based applications. In our case, there are many groups or divisions where it wouldn’t be terribly difficult to make this jump; which makes it that much easier to consider when I try to find a way to integrate iPhones into the organization.
Hopefully that helps explain our situation. You can extend this even further by saying that other Lotus products (like Quickr – which we’re also evaluating) aren’t the natural “no brainer” they once might have been simply because we’re already a “Notes shop.” If that’s the case (and it is) then its my duty to more closely evaluate competitive products because the value-add of having tight Notes integration is less today than it was a few years ago.
At the end of the day, I don’t want to move anyone off Notes/Domino; certainly not for Exchange! Ugh! But… the iPhone is the single most important device to hit the market for a long time and its just getting started. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t see the potential there and look for ways to integrate this powerful (and now reasonably priced) tool into our organization.
July 1st, 2008 at 2:24 am
Nice one, just what i think.
Wait for Android.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:18 am
Have you also considered security implications? There ARE differences between exposing all your apps to the Internet and using something more advanced, such as Blackberry + BES.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:21 pm
@Joerg
I agree! Security is a big piece of the puzzle. Support of VPN technologies, RSA devices, etc. all play a critical role in designing your applications when you move to the web.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Mail integration is possible of course with an iPhone. Just perhaps not the way you would prefer it to work.
There is also calendar synch issues to, perhaps.
Now I don’t know what apps you run on a Notes client, or why you would want to read them on a tiny screen, but isn’t this an extreme way of viewing what will most likely be a temporary issue?
Security is an issue, how ar eyou going to secure that iPhone when it gets lost? You can’t wipe the data remotely right now.
You could use a VPN to connect to a desktop via browser if there is such a dire need to access some app from your phone that isnot web enabled.
I think you should investigate some other options before just giving up, what kind of executive are you anyway if that is your rationale?
If youare truly forward thinking then you would recognize that your data in a Lotus world will always be accessible, just as the data from 15 years ago in notes apps is today.
You can’t do that with most Microsoft products. Qualify this, you need to update, modify or configure the older data to be useful compared to native usage in Lotus.
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:52 am
@Keith
A few responses:
1. The execution of the mail integration with the iPhone is HUGE. The functionality bar has been set by companies like RIM/Blackberry and GOOD. Unless the solution (for the iPhone/Notes integration) works just as well as those – it falls short… by a lot.
2. iPhone’s CAN be remotely disabled using the Exchange enterprise deployment tool — again, one of the features that is now critical when considering this type of a tool in the enterprise.
3. Please don’t assume that I haven’t considered A LOT of alternatives. Also, don’t assume that moving to Exchange is certainly the answer. As with many blogs, this entry is more of a point-in-time snapshot of what’s going on now – not an iron clad commitment that’s being publicly announced.
The truth is, my postings on this topic have provided me the opportunity to get LOTS of emails from people on the topic who don’t want to post here. I’ve had the opportunity to demo MANY existing 3rd party solutions; a few ones that aren’t released yet; lots of work-arounds; and even talked with Apple developers themselves about the topic. I assure you, there is no shortage of thought going into this ongoing evaluation.
4. I think there’s a BIG assumption in your last few paragraphs: that I intend to get rid of Notes completely. Not true!
Part of the power of Notes is exactly what you suggest… its ability to be backwards compatible beyond the average IT person’s expectations. Also, the natural security and, let’s not forget, tight integration with the core mail system are HUGE advantages for Notes.
All I’m saying is that the lack of instant commitment to the iPhone in a way that matches what we expect (from Blackberry, Good and now Exchange) opens the door a bit further to think critically about the product. The trend of migrating to the web for applications and the ubiquitousness of email make it easier to think more critically about Notes… again, not an instant rip-n-replace of Notes, but perhaps a reduction of your dependancy on it.
Two last thoughts:
1. This week, we’re also starting a pilot of Notes Traveler (more on that to come) for our existing smart phone base. I see a fit for that product in our environment for at least a period of time – and I’m hopeful that we can iron out some initial issues we’ve seen with it. — But my point is that we’re not at all running away from Notes… glancing in another direction, sure… but not a mad dash from the product. As you suggest, that would be a really bad move for any executive.
2. I want, hope and pray that Notes will announce an iPhone tool that blows away anything that’s out there today. I’ll settle for one that’s just as good. But I need one that comes closer than what they’ve announced thus far. That’s the reality of the situation based on an incredibly important device.
July 4th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Kevin,
Your last comment includes one intriguing bit…the bit about having “talked with Apple developers themselves”. In earlier postings, you chided me for suggesting this…but now that you have, I am curious what you have heard? Offline is fine if you prefer, but I think this is an important part of the discussion if you want to have it in public.
Oh and thanks for changing your comments approach…
July 5th, 2008 at 9:31 am
@Ed,
Fair point – I have talked with Apple directly (although the last conversation was before Apple’s WWDC event and the suggestions from various IBM/Lotus people to do so). I had an opportunity to talk with them (related to something else) and I took advantage of it. Its the whole “work both sides” thing.
I’ll summarize what they’ve been saying: Talk to IBM/Lotus.
Their perspective (again, take into account this is two particular people there that I’ve spoken with) is that they are very interested in working with IBM/Lotus on a number of items including the iPhone, better Notes client support and even a Domino server if that were to be of interest. However, there really seemed to be a disconnect between them and IBM, for whatever reason, that suggested to me that neither side is really taking full ownership of it.
Again… that statement is heavily my perception on the issue. But it sure feels like the same kind of moment we’ve all experienced when you’re working on a project and realize no one is truly the “champion” of it.
One specific item we did talk about was the licensing issues surrounding Exchange’s active sync technology. Its now clear that Apple’s interest in this is for support of the upcoming enterprise iPhone functionality (and, although they’re not saying it – probably something in the back-end of Mobile Me).
I’m going off memory here – but there was a discussion we had about a disagreement between Apple and IBM over the licensing aspect of that tool, or one similar that would be needed to provide “push” functionality on the Domino end. Again, no one knew (or at least said out loud) the specifics of that – but its obviously a component of the puzzle. The thing I don’t understand is that “push” seems to be somehow in (or added to) Domino to get Travler to work.
In the end, I simply don’t know what I don’t know (yep, you read that right) to be able to pull the pieces together on all this. But yes, I did go after Apple as much as I could.
Oh, and if someone needs to be the champion on this topic between Apple and IBM, I’m happy to do it. I just need to be employed by one of the two.
PS – Not a problem on the comments thing — I’m just glad I can make it easier for people to continue some of these discussions. As you know, Apple and Lotus users are incredibly passionate and these types of postings, discussions, etc. all are positive at the end of the day (even if they feel “heated” for brief moments).