Lotus Development Corp will integrate an instant messaging function into its Notes R5 client by the end of the year, according to a company spokesperson. The addition of IM to Notes is continuation of Lotus’ strategy to roll features found in its SameTime real-time collaboration software into its mainstream Notes/Domino product-line.
Ubique Ltd, an Israeli company that Lotus acquired in 1998 developed the instant messaging function found in SameTime. Originally bought by America Online Inc in 1995, Ubique co- developed AOL’s instant messaging technology. The Lotus spokesperson said that the instant messaging function will be available in the next Notes R5 quarterly maintenance update.
Groupware rivals Microsoft Corp and Novell Inc have both said that they would integrate messaging functions into their groupware software. Microsoft plans to incorporate Messenger into Exchange 2000 and Novell will integrate the AOL Instant Messenger into the next version of GroupWise.
