IBM To Announce Web-Based Desktop Apps

mgoulding writes "IBM is expected to announce a software bundle targeted to business users that will challenge the Microsoft Office package. Unlike Office, the email, word-processing, spreadsheet, and database products will be accessible to Linux, Unix, and heldheld users through a web server. NewsFeed posts the story from CNET." It's certainly something that's been tried before - witness sites like MyWebOS (no longer existing).

Comments

BusinessWeek's take on the announcement

[Ruger]

The BusinessWeek take on the announcement. They make a point that IBM's timing of this release is in some part due to the the delay in the "Longhorn."

Accessed through the web, not written for it

[truthsearch]

The application is accessed through the web, not necessarily written as web pages. Being on WebSphere and available offline I can almost guarantee it's a Java application. It's copied to the client through the browser and then runs as a client application that can communicate with the WebSphere server. They definitely are not trying to sell an HTML office application here.

Re:Office.NET

[Fnkmaster]

Yes, there were actually two Office projects at Microsoft back in the day. I gather this was when Office XP was mid-development by the main Office group (this was 2000 or 2001), and the .NET scheme was just getting ramped up. A friend of mine, a very bright comp. sci. major who graduated in '99 had been hired by Microsoft and eventually was assigned to this Office ".NET" group, which was working on the web-i-fied Office project. Apparently within 6 months or so of his assignment to the group, the whole project was trashed for a combination of political and hopefully basic logical issues (who really wants pay-per-play services-style office apps based on the corporate IIS web server? not me).

Anyway, the best thing to come out of this was since this was the second group at MS that my friend was at that got scrapped within 6 months of his arrival, he decided to get the hell out of there. People sometimes think MS succeeds at everything they do. They don't, they are just usually fairly good at cutting their losses on the screwups and milking the successes for all they are worth.

Re:tough sell to management

[tssm0n0]

if Joe VP can't work on his PowerPoint on the plane, it's not gonna be acceptable.

From the article: unlike pure Web applications, the new software is designed to be used offline, so mobile users on laptops or handheld devices can connect, quickly access applications and disconnect to do work offline. When they connect, the Workplace software synchronizes their work with server-based applications.

Sounds like Joe will be able to work on the plane just fine.

Re:Wow

[Anonymous Coward]

RTFA: "BM's new software is designed to be distributed and accessed through a Web server, and to be accessible from systems running Windows and Macintosh, as well as Linux, Unix and handheld devices"

Eclipse Technology

[Anonymous Coward]

The product is based on Eclipse technology. It is called IBM workplace client and you can find more information here:

www.eclipsecon.org/EclipseCon_2004_TechnicalTrac kP resentations/ 21_Wilson.pdf

It works also in disconnected mode and will be the base on which future version of lotus notes will be constructed.

IBM is not targeting this at home users, check out these links:

http://www-306.ibm.com/software/info/workplace/i nd ex.jsp

Re:Pricing?

[Danathar]

Read the article before posting. That way you don't shoot yourself in the foot when making a statement about what an application can or cannot do...

>> From the Article...
And unlike pure Web applications, the new software is designed to be used offline, so mobile users on laptops or handheld devices can connect, quickly access applications and disconnect to work offline. When they connect, the Workplace software synchronizes their work with server-based applications