IT Incendiary

Time for a Kinder, Gentler Application War? 

There are a lot of hard feelings when it comes to the subject of Lotus Notes/Domino in the tech world.  This conflict seems to be centered upon the advantages and disadvantages of the Lotus Notes client software, and the personal preferences of tech users, and particularly the interface of the Notes client.  The negative energy usually comes from Outlook users who have neither the technical knowledge nor the inclination to look beyond Outlook's pretty PIM face. For them Outlook and Exchange is what collaboration is really about.

The most recent eruption of this prejudice sounded after a Lotus announcement -- originally rumored at LotusSphere -- was delayed. Would IBM Lotus enable an interface between the Apple iPhone and the Lotus Notes email database?   According to reports, the announcement was delayed for reasons best understood by IBM's Quality Assurance team.

Meanwhile, one "unwashed" analyst by the name of Kevin McIsaac at IBRS made news about the delay. He said

I can't really imagine someone who's really hip and cool -- like an iPhone user -- wanting to use Lotus Notes. 

Kevin McIsaac, IBRS 

Come again?   

Despite this anti-hype against Lotus' devoted users, it's clear to me that Mr. McIsaac's experience with Lotus products is limited and that he's sadly misinformed about those who use the product set. According to industry statistics, McIssac just dissed one of the largest group of email users on the planet.  One can only guess that -- from that narrow perspective -- Apple's iPhone isn't something that attracts Lotus users.  Steve Jobs must certainly be sweating bullets if he's dismissing several million potential corporate customers! 

Getting Right with User Reality 

But beyond McIsaac's slight to the user community, it's a clear indication that he doesn't understand the nature of corporate electronic communications, the role of IT in delivering the service, and the advantages of a comprehensive IT strategy to sustain the requirements of users. It's as though McIsaac is living in the distorted imagination of a Newt Gingrich or Tom Delay -- combative political icons of an era that is quickly (we hope) passing from the world of IT.

"Hi! I'm a Lotus!"---"And I'm an Outlook!"

There's a pugnacious mindset at work in McIsaac's statements that IT needs to look at.  

Dedicated Microsoft users pride themselves upon the marketshare of Microsoft PCs.  Yet we all know that over the last year Vista's disappointing performance has been driving customers to the Mac's Leopard operating system in increasing numbers.  

Personal computer users, especially now with the advanced features of the Leopard running on Intel chips, are clearly becoming tired of the age-old debate about which PC platform is better.  If they see something that they like -- somethng that is clearly superior to what they've been using -- they're gonna for it.  If not, they'll stick with what they know. Life is too short (and tech help too expensive) to do too much experimenting. 

Apple has intuitively clicked on this understanding, and fashioned its advertising campaign on this casual approach to computing.  The results have been the brilliant "Hi, I'm a Mac commercials."

These commercials, besides driving Microsoft crazy, are confronting the famed Microsoft FUD factor (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) that has sustained Microsoft as the only platform supported by IT.

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What Could IT Learn? 

I'm begining to believe that Microsoft-centric IT departments disturbing dismissal of the entire Lotus product line seems based more upon a desire to snub the real needs of companies than to consider a viable alternative. 

Outlook and Exchange do not compete against the Lotus products on a function-by-function comparison.  But companies are bullied by CTOs with Microsoft bias into accepting Outlook and Exchange Server simply because it's "Microsoft."  And IT analysts like McIsaac hear this and report this with a snobbish nod to convention.

Don't get me wrong: Microsoft makes great software (something I was loath to say 10 years ago) and I am too am a struggling a Vista user.  But does the industry need this kind of combative dialog over products?  Do we now have to extend the combative (and can I say "legacy") rhetoric to the next generation of devices and users?

iPhone and Lotus email are natural partners. And, yes, Lotus users do use cellphones.

Perhaps Lotus could learn something from Apple's compaign.  It's clear that Microsoft hasn't seen the commercials.