Microsoft is Coming…
Okay, awhile ago there was a little discussion on Ed’s blog about how IBM wouldn’t let Microsoft have a pedestal this year. At the time, I thought it was fairly ballsy (something MS would absolutely do to Lotus), but I also thought that if Lotus wasn’t scared of Microsoft, they would have let them have a stand. I also defended Gary a bit because I think he’s a pretty nice guy, and I didn’t really think that HE had ulterior motives.
It doesn’t matter, because Microsoft is DEFINITELY coming for Lotus.
I heard from the horse’s mouth a story involving high-ranking Microsofties, and a programmer we ALL respect. It’s not something I can really talk about, but suffice to say, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that MS is gunning for us, and our userbase, and is willing to do pretty much anything it takes to win that userbase.
I take back anything I’ve ever said defending MS. They want to get inside, they want to turn our users, and they want to steal every little bit they can. All of this talk about interoperability from Gary is bullshit. Gary may truly believe he’s there to make everyone get together in kumbaya fashion, but it’s not like that for his bosses at all. Microsoft is trying to get our developers comfortable with their products, then they will propose migrations with tools they WILL eventually have. Don’t be surpised to see these tools become open-source either. It’s their formula for domination. Do NOT let your guard down.
This battle is just beginning, let’s start fighting back now, before it’s too late. Lotus has taken off the gloves, I suggest we all do so as well.
Technorati tags: lotusphere2006
January 31, 2006 @ 3:44 pm
Glad to see *someone* has come around to my point of view.
January 31, 2006 @ 4:43 pm
In the words of The Rock, “Just bring it!”
January 31, 2006 @ 4:47 pm
The Microsoft propaganda machine is definitely going full steam ahead. I saw the following bit of Redmond butt kissing BS pop through my inbox just two days after getting home from the ‘sphere.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/01/26/74744_05OPenterwin_1.html
I’ve never really considered Rist an objective journalist but it looks like he completely missed the boat on RedBull!@#$!.
– chuck –
February 1, 2006 @ 2:26 am
Hey, I enjoy a good rant now and then.
My boss cares very little about Lotus Notes. In fact folks at Microsoft are very busy with future technologies. Getting anyone to care about Lotus Notes is not easy. Take a look at http://www.msdomino.net and tell me Microsoft is putting it’s support behind this site. I’m trying to empower Notes developers to create solutions that use Notes and Microsoft products.
As far as mail and messaging, that’s not my area and likely the marketing folks will be fighting over that space for a long time.
If I wasn’t at MSFT, I don’t think you would see the co-existence technology coming from here. And as a Notes developer that was laid off, I’m glad that Microsoft technology and Notes technology work well together so I can leverage my existing skills.
If you don’t want to learn valuable skills, no one is making you. If you are looking for an evil plot, it’s right next to the weapons of mass destruction.
February 1, 2006 @ 10:35 am
Gary, I agree, I don’t think we would see co-existence stuff either, because quite franky MS wants to destroy Notes.
I DO think that you YOURSELF have good intentions at heart with this, but up the food chain, things are happening that make me believe that MS cares about Notes A LOT, and are doing things to make it easier to switch.
As for learning valuable skills, Java, Open Standards, and Open Source in addition to Notes/Domino are all the skills I need brother.
I don’t need .net. In fact, no one really does.
-Grey
February 1, 2006 @ 11:57 am
I work for Microsoft. I worked for Lotus, Iris and IBM for many years before that. There’s no plot to “destroy” Notes. There’s competition. Both sides benefit from competition. Customers benefit from competition. Does IBM brag about converting customers from Exchange? Sure. Does Microsoft brag about converting customers from Notes/Domino? Sure.
Obviously you have a vested interesting in Notes. Other people have a vested interest in Microsoft products. As Java has become the language/platform of choice for IBM products, .NET is the technology of choice on the Microsoft side. To say that “no one really” needs .NET is ignoring this reality.
February 1, 2006 @ 11:57 am
Anybody remember Netscape????
When Bill Gates was testifying before Congress circa 1998 during the anti-trust trial, he adamantly declared – under oath, mind you- that MS NEVER had a policy to anhiliate Netscape. Someone on the Congressional committee produced a five year old email from Gates that clearly said otherwise. Can you say “perjury?”
But on a more recent note- Frontbridge, an email archiving vendor, was bought by MSFT last fall. Shortly after promising not to make changes, MSFT made Frontbridge start shedding all customers who were using Lotus Notes because MSFT deemed Notes too much a competitor to Exchange. Notes customers either had to switch to Exchange or find another archiving vendor.
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.
February 1, 2006 @ 1:47 pm
@7 And Rational backed away from supporting .NET after it was acquired by IBM. http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1823367,00.asp
IBM’s software division doesn’t want to support competitors.
February 1, 2006 @ 2:49 pm
@6 there is nothing that you can do with .net that you can’t do with other techologies. Other technologies that work over various platforms and OS’es. Why would I lock myself into something when I can have more flexibility without doing so.
.Net locks me in. Java and AJAX technologies do not.
So I reiterate that no one really needs .net. Unless of course you want to migrate AWAY from Note/Domino and openness…
-Grey
February 1, 2006 @ 2:58 pm
Gary and Bob – I think you are missing the gist of what John is saying. I (and most of us in the community) do not believe that many of the MS folks that came from IBM are playing trojan horse or lying to us. I sometimes have issues on how you go about things, but I honestly believe folks like Gary want to let customers make Notes/Domino and Microsoft tech work together.
Outside of that, what we are seeing in the marketplace is that Microsoft is not singing Kumbaya. I am not going to say much more publically because my job and my focus has always been on integration. If anyone wants more info, feel free to email me.
Everyone needs to remember that both IBM and Microsoft answer to one thing at the end of the day – making money. Both companies are going to do what it takes. Microsoft has one approach. IBM has another. So I agree with Gary that Microsoft is focused on future technology … but when you have an issue where a huge percentage of your software install base (for say, exchange) is still using a 5 year old product, getting software that is on maintainence pays the bills.
February 1, 2006 @ 3:26 pm
Language and definitions count for a lot. You say “co-existance”, I hear “migration”. And where do I get that from? Microsoft.
http://www.geniisoft.com/showcase.nsf/archive/20060201-0250
February 1, 2006 @ 3:40 pm
And furthermore, a company does not pay per seat bounties on products they don’t care about, nor does the CEO go around ranting on stage about plucking the customer base. In this case, your company is your own worst enemy for your particular message, Gary…
February 1, 2006 @ 6:39 pm
Did you ever hear Steve Mills speak?
It’s true that Steve B. didn’t check with me before doing his cheer leading speeches
At least I get the feeling that he cares.
Notes is an open platform. Don’t limit it’s functionality.
February 1, 2006 @ 6:42 pm
@9 It’s fine that you feel that you don’t need .NET. That’s your choice. Gary’s stuff is showing how you can use .NET with Notes and Domino. If that’s not for you, fine. I don’t see it as much different from using COM from Notes/Domino. It’s just technology to get something done.
@10 I’ve seen IBM and Microsoft “from the inside”. Last time I looked, nobody was singing Kumbaya in Armonk either.
February 2, 2006 @ 12:36 am
Of course he cares… He just sends a far different message than you do. And I haven’t seen Mills giving too many thoughts on Notes/Domino of late, which is a good thing given his track record. 🙂
And I don’t see any IBM/Lotus people singing Kumbaya either. We’re not preaching migration under the guise of co-existance, nor are we putting out packages to show how we can convert the latest Sharepoint/Exchange/ASP/SQL application to a single Notes NSF file. If you want a more secure messaging system, Lotus will give you one. And if you want a simpler development environment that works well for many types of applications and that has a long track record of forward and backwards compatibility, try Domino. And if you want to run both MS and Domino, go ahead. But I don’t think Ed and Company are paying companies $x per seat to dump Office/Sharepoint/Outlook/etc and go with Notes…