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Which of the following describes Lotus Notes?
(a) E-mail
(b) Database
(c) Application development platform
(d) Internet Browser
(e) All of the above
(f) None of the above
Soon the answer will be "None of the above." Over the next few years, Lotus will phase out the name "Notes" as a component of what will be Lotus--dominant marketing brand of the next decade--Domino. Many of you probably have some experience with Lotus Notes. Lotus Notes saved Lotus Corporation from the continuous downhill sales slope common to most other personal application developers (except, of course, Microsoft). In fact, Notes was the main reason IBM purchased the company a few years ago. Lotus 1-2-3, the popular spreadsheet program of the 1980's and the DOS world, still exists as part of Lotus' SmartSuite office software, but has followed the poor performance of other dominant programs of that time, such as WordPerfect, which did not anticipate and adjust to the Windows world.
What is Notes?
For those who don't know, Lotus Notes is an application that integrates e-mail, databases, Internet browsers, and an application development platform under one roof. Because of the breadth of its functions, Notes is a product that is very difficult to describe to those who have not used it. Notes was the first in the "groupware" application software. Groupware refers to software that helps groups communicate, combine knowledge to a common application, and work together across networks. Many corporate "intranets" are customized versions of this type of groupware (with some running on the Internet).
A company can use Lotus Notes to store all of its cumulative knowledge, create applications on the Lotus Notes platform which allow them to effectively manage this information, and use e-mail and the web to send this information to anyone automatically. For example, a bank uses Lotus Notes to track "System Information Requests" or "Sir's." SIR's are requests to fix something within the bank's massive computer systems. With the bank's dependence on technology, quickly communicating SIR's is vital. Lotus Notes allows these requests to be automatically prioritized and sent to IS (Information Systems Department). The requester can then monitor progress toward completion of the SIR through accessing a database. Even better, the requester might check the database to see whether someone else has already submitted a similar SIR and what, if any, "work-arounds" exist. Very powerful. If you have not had experience with Notes, you will.
A Change of Direction
With the success of Notes, why is Lotus moving toward a different brand name? Because in the same way that Lotus Notes is so much more than e-mail and databases, Lotus Domino is so much more than Lotus Notes. Domino integrates the world of Lotus Notes with the Internet in an entirely new way.
Back to our bank example. What about external customers with system information requests (SIR's)? For example, if a customer (such as a brokerage house) that uses the bank as a check clearinghouse has a SIR, how does it make a request? In the past, that person would call a customer service representative (CSR) at the bank and make the request. The CSR would input the request. If the person does not receive any feedback on the request, she may call the CSR again for progress.
Perhaps the bank could create a web page for the customer to send her request. However, the appropriate programming must be created to interact the bank's computer system with the web. The data transfer process may have delays, which would slow the response time. The bank could also interface the web with their systems so that the external requester can check the progress of the request, but again, the interfaces may cast doubt on the timeliness of the information. In addition, any time a change is made to the bank's Lotus Notes, or an upgrade or new service is offered, both Lotus Notes, the web server, and the interfaces must be reprogrammed. Due to these issues, the customer will not rely too much on the web pages, and will call direct when the system information request is urgent..
The Domino Enabler
Lotus's solution to this problem is Domino. With Domino, every time a user wants to make a request, Domino gets data and combines it with logic that determines what to display and how to display it. In what feels like an instant to the user, Domino generates an HTML document based on the Notes database. There is no additional programming of interfaces. Lotus calls it "dynamic HTML publishing." It effectively integrates a web page with the company's Lotus Notes. It is now as if a person making a system request to the bank is sitting at a Notes terminal at the bank.
In addition, the same document can be viewed differently by different people at different points in time. For example, a particularly important client can have access to certain data and views that less important clients cannot access. While other websites allow you to block specific users from seeing specific content, Domino's access control offers much more flexibility in defining who can look at content and who can update it. You can determine access control at a field level, at a group level, or at an enterprise level. There is virtually no need for additional "firewalls." Domino allows you to go in and change content someone else created with all of the security of Lotus Notes.
Instead of having to maintain discrete Web pages, the information in the databases and the way it is manipulated drives the web pages. And you don't have to worry about the changes in the Lotus Notes databases, applications or links. Because the views are dynamically generated, the links are always valid and the views are always up to date, and real time connected with the internal Notes databases.
Cost savings from having people actually rely on a website can be huge. By directly interacting with the company's information request databases, the bank saves on customer service representatives and more expensive technology maintenance. At the same time, the request reaches the right people faster. The more information that has to be managed and the more often information changes on a site, the more important it is to have dynamic publishing. For all those who have had experience with Notes, if you have not had experience with Domino, you will.
Editor's Note: This is the first installment of many which will provide descriptions of business solution software applications that are commonly used throughout today's business world. If you would like to contribute or recommend a topic, please e-mail The MSJ's Technology Associate Editor, Gary Schanman, at: schanman@umich.edu.
Whether you like it or not, Microsoft is branching out into yet another realm of the converging technology arena. The new battlefield--your television set. Big brother is here!
Last week, Microsoft announced the strategy for its new acquisition, WebTV Networks, Inc., a silicon valley start-up that provides end consumers with the ability to surf the web on their televisions. Although WebTV's current service only allows viewers to access traditional web pages on special sets, Microsoft has unveiled technology which enables a user to interactively mix traditional TV/video content with computer content and links (a user can go from checking out a review of the movie on TV to connecting to a chat room on that movie to watching the movie). Similar to NetChannel's system, their primary competitor, WebTV is run by a device that sits on top of the TV set (similar to a cable box). The device costs about $200-$400. Monthly service is approximately $20 per month. Bill Gates wants to recreate the television in the image of the computer.
So, is this the dawn of a new era in converging technologies or not? It all depends. Right now, only about 20 million U.S. homes have Internet access. This is for a very good reason. The Internet takes way too much effort for most people. Technology-phobia aside, the content on the Internet is advertising heavy, research focused and not very entertaining (obviously an opinion). Push technology, which provides users pre-specified information on given topics can do wonders for the clutter, but it does not solve the larger problem for the masses. We want to be entertained by our TV. Having the Internet stuck on our sets does not make the experience of television more entertaining. Television (like the movies) puts us in a passive, receptive mindset. The Internet can be seen as an intrusion.
So Why the Television?
Many people like to slam Bill Gates as monopoly seeking, ruthless and greedy, but no one would call him stupid. As PC penetration has stalled to about 40% of U.S. households, sales of Microsoft's OS have slowed as well. And although there is increased use of NT server versions of Windows 95, and a new release of Windows 98 waiting in the wings, sales projections for both are not as inviting as in the past.
Gates has figured out two very important things about television: 1) everyone's got one (95% of U.S. Households) and, 2) people will pay too much for content with even the slightest marginal entertainment value. Combine the WebTV acquisition with Microsoft's $1 billion investment in Comcast, the fourth largest U.S. Cable provider, and Microsoft seems to have designs on controlling the entire cable channel (from hardware to content). Evidence of this has been supported by Microsoft's attempt at persuading cable operators to adopt Microsoft technology as the standard. If you own the channel and the programming, you will make money. Simple as that.
It is obvious that Internet growth is only one facet of what Gates is hoping for. Microsoft's control of all converging technology content is not unforeseeable. Microsoft's acquisition of content providers should be expected within the next five-10 years.
Technology is Ripe for Television
As the public demands increasingly more complex response from the Internet, bandwidth (for speed) and screen clarity (for viewing pleasure) are in need of improvement. Current Internet access is hampered by slow video and audio feeds, and overall delays. Internet television solves both of these problems. First, coaxial cable lines can carry more bandwidth than traditional phone lines. Although the current version of WebTV still utilizes phone lines to ship Internet data (expect a shift to exclusively cable-run TV Internet access within five years), the modem can receive data at 56kbps (faster than competitors) and is configured to provide viewers with computer icons that will alert them of relevant websites that can immediately be "clicked to." Of course, cable can broadcast a clearer image as well. And, once HDTV standards are set and produced, the advantage of a TV computer will increase in value.
In terms of "fighting" Microsoft's dominance, there seems to be one shining light. One competitor, Worldgate Communications already utilizes cable lines (with service over 4x the speed of the other offerings), is about $8 cheaper per month for service and already has established alliances with major cable networks and cable equipment providers. Of course, they may have a problem with growth due to Microsoft's intimidating presence. But, if they have the content and the quality, hopefully they'll have a chance.
The developments over the next few years will change how we think of TV. Will the TV bring us network video games and multimedia conferencing capabilities or will it just allow us to download movies? Of course, this probably doesn't mean much in the short term. But when Bill Gates wakes you up one morning from your television set preaching about the brave new world, don't be surprised.