2015

January 24 2008

During the Lotusphere 2008 closing session, Lotus VP Marjorie Tenzer announced that Lotusphere will be right back here next January....and the January after that, and the January after that, and so on, and so on, with a contract through 2015.  That is one HUGE COMMITMENT by IBM to the future of Lotus!

Ed Brill Lotusphere 2008 Category:  Lotusphere2008  Add/View Comments [13]

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  1. 1  Gavin Bollard http://dominogavin.blogspot.com/ | 1/24/2008 10:00:18 PM

    Wow - that's impressive - Is there going to be some press on that?

  1. 2  David Vasta http://www.iseriesaddict.com | 1/24/2008 10:01:50 PM

  1. 3  David Vasta http://www.iseriesaddict.com | 1/24/2008 10:02:22 PM

    I dont think that is a clue to anything. Most hotels and convention centers wont book out that far.

  1. 4  Paul Mooney http://www.pmooney.net | 1/24/2008 10:21:18 PM

    @2 - They will if there is a financial agreement and contract drawn between the customer and supplier. IBM obviously got a good deal doing this, and have no intention of NOT running Lotusphere anywhere in the future, so this makes sense.

  1. 5  Christopher Byrne http://www.controlscaddy.com/ | 1/25/2008 12:06:42 AM

    Did they ever announce how many people were there this year?

  1. 6  Henry Ferlauto http://www.geniusinside.com | 1/25/2008 12:56:08 AM

    What was dirt on all the Las Vegas rumors swirling around?

  1. 7  Stuart McIntyre http://collaborationmatters.com | 1/25/2008 2:40:35 AM

    This great news - and a very impressive commitment from IBM.

    Much as the Swan&Dolphin location has its issues, I think it would be odd to move the conference now after so many successful years. Looking forward to Lotusphere '09.

  1. 8  Henning Heinz  | 1/25/2008 5:13:37 AM

    I am sure someone will read this as 2015 End Of Live date for Lotus Notes announced ;-)

  1. 9  Bob Warth  | 1/25/2008 8:22:39 AM

    This is also huge for companies who need a clear road map, who need to plan, who want to concentrate on running their business rather than be distracted worrying about technology. The Notes/Domino road map got muddled back in 2002 and it took a while to come back into focus. Today for Notes/Domino shops the uncertainty is long gone. Period.

    IBM have current plans that take us thru 7 more years, and there are no signs that more isn't coming after that. Certainly a lot is changing inside the Lotus line, but no ugly surprises -- it's all new capabilities being added, meanwhile everything already in place JUST KEEPS WORKING. Just keeps working means you adopt the new bits that make sense to your business, at your pace. Evolution, not revolution. No rip and replace. When your business runs on this stuff then yeah, that's huge.

    Meanwhile Exchange 2007 has been out for a while, and where is that road map?

  1. 10  Lee Sweet  | 1/25/2008 8:41:52 AM

    @8 I can see *someone* at MS now... "IBM states 'no ... plans for Lotus after 2015' " where the "..." is the Lotusphere commit to the Swan/Dolphin. :-)

    I did think Ed's comments at his and Paul's competitive session about the no roadmaps for MS products impressive. I had never noticed that, and I bet a lot of other MS users hadn't, either.

  1. 11  David Vasta http://www.iSeriesAddict.com | 1/25/2008 8:45:56 AM

    @Paul

    Maybe you missed my point. The convention site, Disney, and many others will not sign a deal that far out. It may in fact make Lotus angry but they are banking on the fact that they, Disney, can get more money down the road. Lotus is hoping they can pay less money so this happens a lot. I was kind of in the convention planning business for a while and had dealing with Disney and the Swan & Dolphin before.

    I don't see it like Ed does. This post is a NON-POST in that Ed says "That is one HUGE COMMITMENT by IBM to the future of Lotus!"....no not really Ed unless you know something we don't and you always do. So in light of that I think the post should have said this:

    During the Lotusphere 2008 closing session, Lotus VP Marjorie Tenzer announced that Lotusphere will be right back here next January....and the January after that, and the January after that, and so on, and so on, with a contract through 2015. This type of contract is pretty normal for convention halls so please don't read into the 2015 part of it. We love Orlando. I think, Ed, That is one HUGE COMMITMENT by IBM to the future of Lotus, based on all of the other information I have been privied to and you all have not.

  1. 12  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 1/25/2008 10:58:40 AM

    David, I don't mean to sound rude, but I think think your point is lost on those of us who have not been in the industry. Whether there are actual contracts or escape clauses or whatever is all detail. What matters for now is that ibm has publicly indicated their commitment for seven more years.

  1. 13  David Vasta http://www.iSeriesAddict.com | 1/25/2008 3:06:53 PM

    "ibm has publicly indicated their commitment for seven more years"

    Which is longer than most places will sign for. Most only do 3 years at a time and at the most 5, so Disney must like the money that was coming and and IBM liked the numbers and got a 7 year deal which is probably very smart seeing as how Lotus 8 is just super awesome and Lotus is going to see many many more companies spending more time investing in Lotus than in the past.

    We are on the right course and it's all very positive!

    Thanks Ed.

    -David