The Tech Connection

Dave Jacob at Lotusphere 2012

 by Dave Jacob 

After most of a week of listening to the push for how social media and mobile applications will affect your life, I started looking for examples that mean something to me. It didn’t take long.

The first instance occurred at the conference. One of the sessions on security was cancelled by IBM legal 30 minutes before the session. Of course, those interested started tweeting and a small cancellation turned into a cause – #occupypelican - the room for the session. Social in action. I was in already in another session so I couldn’t go see what happened first hand but I bet the session was held and the room was probably full of those interested in the topic but also those who wanted to see how IBM handled the push back. If you were one of the tweeters or attended, post your impressions on the blog. I’m curious as to what really happened.

The next instance is an observation as the Super Bowl approaches and the ad campaigns gear up in earnest. Ads are now being pre-posted on YouTube and other media sites and are being spread by interested parties (like me) and are changing the way ads are sold. There is the initial development of the ad and eventual playing of the ad at the Super Bowl, but the real value comes later in the after market. Couple this with comments, blogs and other electronic distribution and you begin to see the potential power of social.Of course, these ads are also meant to be seen on your smart phone, iPhone and lots of other devices. Google “Old Spice super bowl ads” and look for the athlete who loses his mind (or wait for the super bowl ads).

This viral marketing approach is changing how we all do business and presents incredible opportunities for those of us who try and figure out how to bring these systems to market.

 by Ruth Jarvis

In case you’re buried beneath a rock, ignoring all forms of social media including twitter hashtags, Facebook profiles, LinkedIn updates, and technology based new outlets, Lotusphere this year is pushing Social Business. It’s on signs, badges, videos, and napkins, allowing very few to ignore the statement at the annual Lotus event much to the chagrin of technical based developers and admins hoping to see the latest in the Lotus brand but great for LOB decision makers.

Day one started with Business Development Day (BDD) a full day of sessions, jumpstarts, and discussions for the IBM Business Partner community. Of course, we wanted to jump in and see what the brand has in store for various product bases but most important for us, IBM Web Experience Factory (formerly Portlet Factory). While it didn’t make much discussion during the BDD it did come up as part of the Web Experience Suite and the Intranet Suite discussion at the Opening General Session (OGS).

Speaking of the OGS, what were the big suprises? It started with the viral rock band OK Go, playing live with their fun and low-budget music videos, followed by a special and inspirational special guest, Michael J. Fox discussing how social networking effected how he was able to learn, update, and build a community around Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The last surprises were based on content, in fact for most of the conference, this long standing technical based event has slowly morphed into a joint technical and business conference. This year you could feel it more then ever, as the first hour of the OGS didn’t contain any mention of “Lotus”, “Notes”, or “Domino,” replaced instead by terminology like “social”, “mobile”, and “marketing.”

OK GO at ls12 OGS

MIchael J Fox at ls12 OGS

Notes/Domino Next

I will leave it to my technical Davalen peers to update you on what is happening in the tech-world of the brand as they are much better suited to do such, but I will provide some of my favorite shots from the event thus far, including new shots of my wonderful team: Len Barker, Managing Partner, Dave Jacob, Managing Partner, and my fellow female co-worker, Deborah Corcoran, Resource Deployment Manager.

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Len Barker

 by Len Barker

Once upon a time thousands of people from around the world descended upon Disney World to learn about the latest Domino release and the cool features that they could brag about to their user base when they got back home.  The winds are blowing in a different direction now and Domino has been relegated to a supporting role.  Notes and Domino wasn’t even mentioned in the opening session until an hour and a half into it.  And if you were looking to spend your Lotusphere attending technical tracks on Domino, you would have been disappointed.  This year’s event was all about making business social and Lotus Connections plays the starring role.

IBM is doing everything it can to help organizations take the first step to becoming a social business.  With Domino 8.5.3, Lotus Connections profiles and files are included as a free entitlement.  Once organizations get hooked on Lotus Connections, they will want to spend most of their business life on those social pages.  To help make that a reality, IBM demonstrated a completely redesigned interface for Domino email that is completely integrated with Connections.  This should be available in the next release of Domino.  Oh, and the Notes client won’t be necessary any more, even for Notes client only applications.  Notes client functionality will be available via a browser plugin in future releases of Domino.  As usual, IBM has seen the future before the rest of us and I think it makes a lot of sense.  In case I haven’t made it clear, the future is Facebook for business, aka Lotus Connection.  You will live in it and love it.

The warm Florida winds have blown a new sheriff into town and forever change our beloved Lotusphere.  Expect an even bigger social message next year and maybe some big changes to Domino.

Len Barker

 by Len Barker, Managing Partner – Lotus Practice

Let’s face it; we are a connected bunch here in the 21st century. At home we can locate our family and friends, instantly find out what thousands of people think about a book we are thinking of reading, and (guys) you can be reminded of exactly what you were supposed to pick up while you are standing on aisle three at the grocery store. Most businesses are not taking advantage of the same technology that is revamping our home lives. Companies that are embracing the adoption of social technologies in the workplace are reaping the rewards.

I have been working with a large client on a full implementation of Sametime 8.5.1. By full, I mean they have: