IBM Connections is now positioned as the platform upon which the rest of the IBM social and collaboration suites rest.

To  that end, IBM is rebranding their collaboration social tools under the IBM Connections brand:
     IBM Notes (The product formerly known as Lotus Notes) is now IBM Connections Mail
    IBM Sametime is now IBM Connections Chat and Meetings.

So, we have IBM Connections Mail and the IBM Domino Application Platform.

[Update] A colleague informed me that there are two other name changes:
Lotus Notes Apps will be known as IBM Connections Domino apps, and
SmartCloud for Social Business will become IBM Connection in the Cloud

[Note: this is not the first time that IBM has changed product names. In fact, Sametime was changed to Lotus Messaging and then changed back.]

I have a 20+ year history with the Notes name so I will miss the name but not what it can do for me, I'm all for the branding consolidation if it leads to better unity and vision across the IBM portfolio.

There was no mention of the Notes client or the Domino server other than a brief mention that IBM will be hosting Domino Apps in the cloud.

Microsoft is sure to pronounce what they have been trying to get their customers to believe for years, that Notes is dead.  Notes is most certainly not dead, but it is evolving and I will be watching to see what roadmap IBM presents for the future.

Meanwhile, IBM showed off a new vision for the mail client - their Mail Next vision. While new and shiny, it looks like it will be quite distracting to actually use when you just want to get work done.  There no way to actually use this product (if it is yet a product) and it will likely be some time before we can try it first hand so time will tell on that front.

Speaking of new and shiny, it's going to take some work to sift through the marketing speak and shiny screen objects to find which new features flaunted at Connect 2014 will actually lead to a boost in worker productivity and which are, well, simply shiny...

[Update #2: Apparently, Jeff Schick said that there will be continuous support and ongoing development for the Rich Client formerly known as IBM Notes]

Discussion/Comments (7):

Adam Osborne (): 1/27/2014 7:47:15 PM
Brief observations from IBM Connect 2014 OGS

Thanks for the info Eric.


Eric Mack (www.ica.com): 1/27/2014 7:48:13 PM
re: Brief observations from IBM Connect 2014 OGS

You are most welcome Adam. The real importing thing in all of this is to understand the product roadmap and what IBM's commitment is to deliver on that. Lotus Knows what people want to see in a product, but how well does IBM? Time will tell.


Stephan H. Wissel (http://www.wissel.net/): 1/27/2014 8:50:55 PM
Brief observations from IBM Connect 2014 OGS

The UI shown for Mail-Next clearly was designed for tablet use. For mouse/keyboard densitiy ned to b higher. There will be adjustments


Eric Mack (www.ica.com): 1/27/2014 8:52:04 PM
re: Brief observations from IBM Connect 2014 OGS

I'm not surprised, particularly with Ed Brill's move to the mobile division. I expect to see and hear great things in the years to come...


Carl Tyler (http://www.iminstant.com): 1/27/2014 9:45:32 PM
Brief observations from IBM Connect 2014 OGS

"The UI shown for Mail-Next clearly was designed for tablet use. For mouse/keyboard densitiy ned to b higher. There will be adjustments"

I don't think that was clear at all Stephan.


Sean Cull (http://www.seancull.co.uk): 1/28/2014 1:15:50 AM
Brief observations from IBM Connect 2014 OGS

One of the main selling points of Notes ( in my opinion being a developer ) was that it was ALSO and integrated App development platform.

That was always hard to explain to non Notes users or for those who did not have apps.

In my experience those that still value Notes value it because their business processes are embedded in it along with their mail.

Positioning Notes and "Domino Apps" as different platforms will add to the confusion.


Mike McP (): 1/28/2014 5:40:47 AM
Brief observations from IBM Connect 2014 OGS

I think IBM has officially lost their minds. I don't have Connections installed, yet Notes is now "IBM Connections Mail"?

That's like calling my Xterra "Nissan Pathfinder Car". I guess it helps plant the seed for getting me into a Pathfinder eventually, but it's not exactly subtle. It actually seems more like a poor Japanese to English translation.



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