Paul Robichaux: IBM Workplace: the purchase experience so far

December 23 2004

[In case y'all thought I was stuck in a competitive groove....]

Paul Robichaux, who writes a column for Exchange&Outlook update and blogs at Exchange Security, wrote about his experience attempting to buy IBM Workplace in order to evaluate it.  He documents three problems with his experience.  With the benefit of a couple of days since his blog entry appeared, I'll attempt to answer some of his points.  Note that, as Paul does, both Network World Compendium and vowe.net have picked up his blog entry.  I was working on this well before, but that vacation thing got in the way of being super-responsive.  Ah well.

First, I would assert that Paul's approach isn't the only route from point A to point B.  If he is a consultant who wants to evaluate IBM software, one typical route for that is joining PartnerWorld, which in and of itself is free.  The various value packages available would allow Paul to download Workplace, or most other IBM software, specifically for the purpose he intends.  I don't mind seeing the Passport Advantage challenges he encountered documented publicly, but there was another way to do this.

Second, IBM's approach to those who want to evaluate Workplace is to not make customers download and install it at all.  The IBM Virtual Innovation Centers can get involved in an evaluation scenario and help with proof-of-concepts.  Further, on IBM DemoNet, you'll find a fully-functioning Lotus Workplace live showcase.  While an access code is required to sign up, the instructions on how to obtain it are available right on the "sign up" page.  I'm going to see if I can make this easier in some way.  I've also discussed the need for evaluation downloads with the manager of the Workplace products group.  We do indeed provide evaluation versions of Notes/Domino platform products, so it's just in this emerging Workplace line that the infrastructure for evaluation downloads isn't in place yet.  

Third, the price Paul was initially quoted was only inaccurate for what he wanted to buy.  There is a promotion in effect through 31 December 2004 called "Access your Workplace Mail"; during this time, the per-user license for Workplace Messaging is indeed US$14.50 -- sold as a bundle with the Domino Web Access CAL, which is also US$14.50.  So, US$29 for a license to both messaging back-ends.  He was also correctly quoted US$24 for the Workplace rich client technology user license.  However, Paul appears to have wanted to buy a license for all Workplace services -- thus, a different price.  This just sounds like a mis-understanding of what Paul wanted to buy.  Here, I agree with Paul -- IBM nees to make it more straightforward to buy all the Workplace capabilities.

There are definitely some lessons learned from Paul's blog entry, and I've ensured that it got some visibility inside IBM.
(Updated 12/24 - Anil Vartak gave me some updated links for IBM PartnerWorld)

Ed Brill | Tucson, AZ USA Category:  IBM  Add/View Comments [13]

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  1. 1    | 12/23/2004 12:21:24 PM

    There does seem to be a disconect in the way IBM is marketing Lotus Workplace. From the ads and Lotus web page one certainly would get the impression that it is available and ready for business use now. Lotus held a series of partner events to help clarify the position to customers.

  1. 2  Carl http://www.iminstant.com | 12/23/2004 1:27:42 PM

    Have you tried the live showcase? I can make a fresh cup of coffee each time I click on a link, ok a slight exageration, but not much of one.

  1. 3    | 12/23/2004 2:04:09 PM

    look here for more info on access code :

    { Link }

  1. 4  Henning Heinz  | 12/23/2004 2:24:13 PM

    Well,

    Not long ago I bought a Workplace license. I bought it online at Shop IBM, it cost about 30 $ and I payed with my credit card (that is quite famous for not being accepted everywhere). A week later I got my invoice via air-mail, passport access for Workplace and everything I need to get started including 12 month of service & support.

    I was very pleased that IBM handled my 30 $ order in a very professional manner. I think I am not famous for praising IBM but the shop experience was not that bad and the price is so low, IBM could just put it on sourceforge and probably raise more money with PayPal donations.

    That is the only part that I don't like. IBM is giving it away for nothing just to get it on the market.

  1. 5  Sagar  | 12/23/2004 3:19:58 PM

    one more story here { Link }

  1. 6    | 12/23/2004 6:21:23 PM

    @4 - I don't understand your point about "IBM giving it away"... Do you think $30 per user is too low? Or that you think *some* people might buy one licence and install it 500 times? If so, a price of $100 is hardly going to solve that. Presumably, you bought the Messaging licence and have chosen to install Team Collaboration, Learning & Documents?

  1. 7  mugadafino  | 12/23/2004 7:03:05 PM

    I liked the comment about Paul busy downloading the 31 CDs - how do we get the price so low ? volume volume volume ( of install software)

  1. 8  Ed Brill www.edbrill.com | 12/23/2004 8:08:52 PM

    @6 - I don't think that was Heini's point at all. His point was that because Workplace is priced per-user, he didn't have to buy more than qty. 1 license to evaluate it. Which means there is little barrier to conducting such an evaluation.

    I don't think he was saying anything about piracy, deploying more than entitled to, or anything else nefarious.

    @7 "Muga" -- People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

  1. 9  Steve Castledine http://www.stevecastledine.com | 12/23/2004 8:55:15 PM

    I ran this story on my blog a few days ago >> { Link }

    But whilst I moaned at IBM at making it hard for people to get hold of the software - after some digging I was able to get hold of it all for 9 uk pounds.

    So on the positive I was able to get hold of the software - on the negative I had to dig - some potential customers would not make the effort.

  1. 10  mugadafino  | 12/24/2004 12:33:14 AM

    Ed,

    don't you truly just pine for the days when all the software you needed was on one (only) CD?

    why on earth would an install procedure need 31 separate CDs ? -Wouldn't it have been easier to instead build an install procedure that boots with one CD - authenticates you to the install server and then self installs ala linux distro ? wouldn't that save buckets of money for IBM, push the stock price higher and make IBM look like a visionary ?

    (sorry.. I was just struck with a blinding flash of being obvious) - Happy holidays :) and wear sunscreen..(in case you are still in Tucson)

  1. 11  Chris Miller http://www.IdoNotes.com | 12/24/2004 2:42:43 AM

    @10 While this is an excellent approach, as a multi-time Workplace installer already, this will not work in each customer scenario. So there needs to be an installer cd that will point to all the other 31 or whatever cd's also.

    The way I do the code install, there is not 31 cd's, I pack all the exe files by OS onto cd's and carry those instead.

  1. 12  Ed Brill www.edbrill.com | 12/24/2004 2:42:56 AM

    I think Paul said it was 31 -components- , not 31 CDs.

  1. 13  Henning Heinz  | 12/24/2004 3:47:05 AM

    Yes, I bought the messaging license. I bought it just for learning and evaluation and I did not install the other components (because what I currently have is enough for my small brain and my hardware).

    Compared to a Domino Messaging Express license (96$) I think it has a very aggressive pricing but as Oracle thinks that 60$ is enough for their flagship and Sun just wants 22$ (but min 1000 users) maybe the pricing is correct.

    Workplace pricing is component based and if you buy all options the price is different.

    Maybe Domino should compete more with Sun and not Microsoft.