Intranet Journal: IBM Offers Office Productivity for a Song

November 24 2008

Hat tip to Mr. Roling for an excellent review of Symphony in the pages of Intranet Journal...

With the release of IBM Lotus Notes 8, IBM took a shot at Microsoft with integrated Word Processor, Spreadsheet and Presentation software. Now, that package of software, known as IBM Lotus Symphony, is available as a stand-alone suite that's available for anyone to download for free.

Yes you read that right, free.

That's the big distinction that IBM Lotus is trying to make with Symphony. Symphony becomes the free alternative that may replace Microsoft Office for many typical end-users. Symphony also integrates very well with Lotus Notes 8, and that integration point is something that I'm sure Lotus is banking on to win new converts.
Ya think?

Link: Intranet Journal: IBM Offers Office Productivity for a Song >

Ed Brill | Highland Park, IL USA Category:  Lotus Symphony  Add/View Comments [11]

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  1. 1  Henning Heinz  | 11/25/2008 10:26:42 AM

    I like Symphony, especially the idea that it gets better integration with Notes (although it also lowers the chance that some things like printing will be further improved).

    But a direct shot at Microsoft may also be a potential conflict within a company between the Notes and the MS guys. Not that I think that such separation always make sense but it seems to be common in many companies. I am a bit tired of fighting Microsoft but for those who are not this is a great thing. For me Vista is much more broken than Office. I am not sure if i will buy another MS Office but I'll keep 2007 for a few years. Works for me.

  1. 2  Henry Ferlauto http://www.geniusinside.com | 11/25/2008 10:27:36 AM

    I actually saw a "Dummies" book for Symphony at Barnes & Noble over the weekend. Hopefully there will be more.

    What IBM needs to do next with Symphony is get it on some pre-loads of some PCs. That was one of the lessons learned from the operating system wars with OS/2. At one point OS/2 had a 30% market share in Germany. Pre-loads were considered a big factor in that case.

    I'm sure some OEMs would get some pressure from Microsoft not to do so, but they can tell them to match IBM's price. :)

  1. 3  Jess Stratton http://www.lotususergroup.org/blogsphe.nsf | 11/25/2008 10:33:11 AM

    Pre-loading onto PC's is a fantastic idea, Henry! I can't tell you how many of my clients ask me to uninstall the MSOffice Trial. It annoys them as it's all over the place (desktop shortcuts, Add/Remove Programs, etc.) and takes up hard drive space.

    Not to mention many people are frustrated because their PC makes them think they have the software - and then when they need it, they can't use it.

    A preload of a fully-working, free suite like Symphony would be great. Especially coming with Presentation software. Next up, desktop publishing, right? ;-)

  1. 4  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 11/25/2008 11:02:36 AM

    @2/3 - it's not as simple as having to match IBM's price. Most PC manufacturers view their hard drive real estate as a profit opportunity. Microsoft has the opportunity to "pay" out of the cost of Windows/Office. We don't. So it's not just "hey, here's some free stuff from IBM, throw it on there!"

  1. 5  Henry Ferlauto http://www.geniusinside.com | 11/25/2008 11:27:47 AM

    @4 - I understand that preloads are a complex issue. I'm just saying to try.

    I also think marketing agressively to any and all levels of government would be a wise investment on IBM's part. Everyone is looking to cut costs and dropping renewal of Microsoft Office licenses seems like an easy target when compared with layoffs, the elimination of programs, etc.

  1. 6  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 11/25/2008 11:51:20 AM

    @5 I wouldn't likely know as much about the subject as I do if I wasn't trying :)

  1. 7  Henry Ferlauto http://www.geniusinside.com | 11/25/2008 1:49:44 PM

    On the note of trying change minds... People could also write into the official transition team website and subtly suggest the adoption of mandating the usage of the Open Document format .

    There is a technology agenda suggestion page on the transition website:

    { Link }

    A few dozen people writing in stating that government could save millions of dollars by not buying Microsoft Office and the benefits of open standards couldn't hurt.

  1. 8  John Head http://www.johndavidhead.com | 11/25/2008 11:54:28 PM

    @2 yes there is a Dummies book - I was the technical editor

    Honest, I would suggest IBM not waste time with pre-loading on PCs by hardware vendors .. but try to get Symphony included in the core distro for linux software. on the core cd. start there.

    Symphony is missing some core features to make it a slam dunk .. but the team know what they are and have a plan to get them out. this time next year, I expect to be very busy around Symphony

  1. 9  Tony Tipping  | 11/26/2008 8:47:34 AM

    "Symphony becomes the free alternative that may replace Microsoft Office for many typical end-users."

    What about Open Office? The LS site says "LS is a fork, branch from OOo 1.x which has its own unique development directions." So what do we do, stick with OO or follow LS? And will it turn into another Lotus-vs-Workplace type situation (oooh, I can hear the gasps of disapproval at that comment!)?

    I understand about the integration point, but OO has quite a big installed base right now, although perhaps not in the corporate world. Or does it? Hmmm.

  1. 10  John Head http://www.johndavidhead.com | 11/26/2008 9:45:40 AM

    @9 Tony - I see almost zero presence of OpenOffice in the corporate world in the US today. I know there is some, but it is mainly in the SMB world. Outside the US, you see more, but still not a lot. I think Lotus Symphony brings IBM's name and support to the product and will make the product much more attractive for CIOs and Directors of IT to feel comfortable moving to a Microsoft Office alternative.

    As for the fork issue, at OOOCon 2008, IBM announced they were going to start working with the 3.0 code base next year. I wouldn't expect them to make Symphony just the current OOO code with a different UI, but it will put aside some of the objections. I also expect to see OOO use some of the IBM contributed code for accessability next year.

    The key point here is to not focus on what code the application is using, but what the output is. As long as OOO and Lotus Symphony output the proper ODF format, they can always coexist.

  1. 11  Tony Tipping  | 12/2/2008 7:42:57 AM

    @10 - Thanks John. I think it is probably much the same in Europe, certainly in the UK where I am.

    I think the basis of my question was based upon my own use of open source software. It gets troublesome when an open project forks and goes off in two (seemingly) equally strong and valid - but different - tracks. Which one to pursue?

    Your point is valid though - who cares so long as they all 'speak ODF'? The caveat however is that they don't do a MS and have backward compatibility problems. I keep having to point that out to end-users who think Office is the greatest software ever. The IT support folk I know have a different view on it ;-)